Virginia to Nevada
MARBRO73
Enthusiast - Level 1
Hi, I am about to arrive in America on a 4 year exchange work programme and the first six months will be spent in Virginia Beach and the final 3 and a half years will be in Nevada. My question is will the Verizon service be available in both of these states and if so, how much is it to just have unlimited fast internet? I am sorry for the simple question but having never lived in America before I have no clue how your broadband, landlines and tv system works! In the UK we have sky TV that provides internet, satellite tv and landline which is great but expensive. Thanks in advance for any help you can give!
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4 Replies
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

There are several types of Internet access in the USA.  All are run by private companies in competitive markets.  Some folks will say that competition is limited or non-existent; but that is how we do it here.

Fixed location Internet varies widely.  Satellite Internet is available anywhere in the country from companies like Hughes Networks.  It has very high latency and bandwidth limitations.

Other options for fixed location broadband include dial-up, DSL, cable and fiber.  The specific service available depends on the actual service location.  Dial-up is available anywhere there is phone service, but is quite slow and should't be considered unless there are no other options.

DSL is available in many markets.  Verizon is one company that will sell it, but there are others.  There are web sites dedicated to providing lists of competitive DSL providers.  Pricing and service levels vary dramatically.  DSL speeds vary from 500Kbps to 15Mbps depending on the location and service provider.  1-3Mbps is typical.

Cable broadband is available in most major markets.  There is usually only one cable company in a given market, although there are several major companies in the USA.  Speeds are typically 15Mbps - 100Mbps depending on the provider and plan.

Verizon FiOS is by far the biggest fiber to the home provider in the USA.  It is not deployed outside of certain major cities.  Some cities are notably missing (like Baltimore) while others aren't completely covered.  FiOS is still rolling out in NYC.  Verizon is not expanding FiOS beyond existing commitments and is selling of FiOS, DSL and landline phone in Flordia, California and a few other non east coast areas.  FiOS is available with speeds from 25Mbps to 500Mbps.  Prices are reasonable, although some will disagree.

Google Fiber is blazing fast and inexpensive.  It is available only in a handful of cities.  If you end up anywhere it's available, consider yourself very luck and enjoy.

The other option for Internet is a cellular data plan.  Coverage is good for most big cities, surrounding areas and major highways, but can fall off once you get away from the main roads in rual areas.  Be sure to check coverage maps for your areas of interest.  Verizon is a good national provider.  AT&T is another good one.  There are several other companies and resellers available as well.  Cellular data is usually capped at several Gbytes per month.  The exact amount depends on how much you pay.  This is a good option if you move around a lot and can live within the data cap.

Note that many cable companies and Verizon FiOS will offer special deals if you sign a two-year contract on a fixed location service.  If you move while under contract and don't continue service at the new location, you will have to pay an early termination fee.  This applies even if the provider doesn't offer service at the new location.  If you know you're going to be moving but don't know exactly where, you probably should avoid contracts for fixed location service.

Enjoy.

MARBRO73
Enthusiast - Level 1
gs0b, thanks for that. I might wait until in Nevada to sign up to a longer contract. Is there a short term service available in Virginia from Verizon? Someone did mention Cox as a service provider but also said that there would be a big deposit.
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CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

Any provider is going to ask you to sign a 2 year contract.

Only other option is go month to month.

Make sure you tell the person taking your order that you are miving in 6 months and don't want to get hit with an early termination fee.

They may tell you there won't be one, but there are plenty of stories here on this forum about people being told that and then getting hit with it when they move.

Make sure to fully read and contract terms that are sent to you.

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gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

FYI, you're talking to customers here.

You should look at Verizon's web site to see what offers are available for your desired locations.  If you don't yet have an address, see if you can find a good example.  Note that apartment buildings may have different plans than stand alone homes.  Apartment buildings may get group rates or the building owners may be involved.  The only way to know for sure what is offered is to look up a specific address on Verizon's web site.

As CRobGauth notes, you don't want to sign a two-year contract if you know you'll be moving to a non-Verizon area.  If they offer you a promotional deal such as a rebate or discounted pricing, those are tied to contracts.  Month-to-month will be at full price.

The need for a deposit will depend your specific credit risk.  You will need to contact Verizon to find out what they will require.  It will be hard to find out any specifics until you have a service address.

The above applies to cable companies, too.

Good Luck.

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