Verizon Drops The Ball On Gigabit Internet Rollout, Confusing Pile Of Mess

When it was announced by Verizon that it would be offering consumers internet speeds of up to 1Gbps, it was quickly revealed that there was plenty for customers to be wary of. Not only will the speed not reach exactly or surpass the promised 1Gbps speed, as any reasonable user would expect, the offer also comes with some incredibly confusing details. As a result, Verizon dropped the ball with the plan’s rollout.

First, there is the price, which took a lot of the carrier’s customers by surprise. Although the plan was marketed to cost only $70, it was only meant for new customers, Ars Technical reports. This means clients who don’t yet have an account with Verizon’s FiOS package.

Those who already had an account got punched in the gut when they realized that they would need to pay $200 a month for the internet speed. As corporate blindsiding goes, this one’s a doozy.

When the publication decided to reach out to Verizon for some clarifications, more details were revealed that either clarified or muddied the conversation further, depending on one’s stance. In any case, it would seem that existing customers would need to pay more than $70 for the service, though, how much would depend on the kind of plan they already have.

For example, those who already have a plan that gives them access to the previous highest speed plan at 750Mbps could upgrade to 1Gbps and the cost would be reduced to $80. The upgrade is also open to existing customers starting April 30th.

For the most part, it would seem that most FiOS customers who want to upgrade can expect to pay about $95 a month, Engadget reports. This is in direct contrast to what the company’s press release intimated by saying that Instant Internet consumers will automatically get lower prices.