Speed Optimizer: Another great helper when investigating way your internet might not be as fast as you would like it to be is to use Verizon Speed Optimizer tool. You can use this on every computer that is connected to your network and it is available on the Verizon FiOS website. It should be pretty close to the data rate advertised in your plan. Measure it with a site such as speedtest. As a bonus, the upload speed will be as fast as the download speed.
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Verizon internet
Verizon offers both DSL and fiber internet service.
Verizon DSL internet is the slower of the two and runs through landline phone lines in 17 states in the Southeast, Northeast, and parts of the Midwest.
Data from our speed test shows that generally Verizon DSL speeds range from 30 Mbps to 40 Mbps.
Verizon Fios is a superfast fiber-optic internet service with availability primarily on the East Coast.
When we analyzed speed test data for Verizon Fios, we found that speeds generally matched right up to the speed people pay for, ranging from 97 Mbps to 940 Mbps.
There are over half a dozen Verizon Fios plans. Most Verizon Fios areas have about three speed plans available, but the fastest gigabit plan (940 Mbps) is available only in select locations.
Top advertised download speed:
Up to
940 Mbps
Verizon Fios average internet speed test results:
Average download speed: 118.79 Mbps
Average latency: 85.96 ms
Total speed tests: 240,269
Verizon DSL average internet speed test results:
Average download speed: 60.82 Mbps
Average latency: 38.81 ms
Total speed tests: 54,492
Fastest cities for Verizon internet service
| City | Top advertised download speed | Average download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| 1. New Milford, NJ | 940 Mbps | 220 Mbps |
| 2. Elmont, NY | 940 Mbps | 194 Mbps |
| 3. Glenolden, PA | 940 Mbps | 175 Mbps |
| 4. Merchantville, NJ | 940 Mbps | 175 Mbps |
| 5. Manhasset, NY | 940 Mbps | 174 Mbps |
With company headquarters in New York City, it’s no surprise that the tristate area is home to some of Verizon Fios’s fastest speeds.
Download Verizon Fios Speed Optimizer
Updating the infrastructure
In the first decade of the century, Verizon spent over $20 billion replacing hundreds of miles of copper DSL wires with an upgraded fiber-optic network in highly populated cities in the mid-Atlantic area.1
But Verizon Fios switched gears nine years ago and instead started investing heavily in building out Verizon’s wireless phone network. Residents who live in the cities that were updated with fiber networks have a big edge on Verizon internet speeds.
What does this mean for you?
Even if you live in one of the fastest or slowest cities for Verizon on our list, it doesn’t mean your speed will be affected. These speeds are averages and based on customers with varying speed packages.
Your choice of speed package will have a lot more to do with your actual internet speed than the average Verizon speeds in your area.
How to use the speed test
To get the most accurate read on your internet speed, take the test at different times throughout the day. It’s normal for speeds to fluctuate based on traffic and other network conditions.
Download Verizon Fios Speed Optimizer Download Free
Additionally, the more people you share your connection with, the slower your connection will be. So, kick your roommates off Netflix when you test your internet speed. You’ll get the best results if you’re the only one online when you take the test.
Verizon mobile broadband
Verizon’s 4G LTE network advertises fast speeds that approach internet speeds you could get on a wired connection at home. But do they really deliver?
According to our speed test results, they do. Actual speeds vary, but most areas deliver within the advertised amounts. Some of the fastest Verizon mobile speeds are in New York City, New York, which is where Verizon’s headquarters are located.
The five slowest spots for Verizon mobile plans are Little Rock, Arkansas; Lynchburg, Virginia; Albuquerque, New Mexico; South Jordan, Utah; and Cordova, Tennessee. All of these areas had average download speeds around 10 Mbps.
So how about 5G? Verizon’s 5G mobile service is steadily rolling out across the country, offering speeds far beyond the capacity of 4G LTE. Currently about 30 cities have 5G service, although it’s spotty and it requires an expensive 5G device.2 Our speed test results didn’t include 5G, but you can look for that next year.
Verizon Wireless is frequently rated as the best mobile network in the US with fast data speeds, a low number of dropped calls, and the widest coverage area.
Our actual speed tests show that Verizon’s 4G LTE network delivers download speeds between 10 and 30 Mbps, which is almost always faster than advertised. (Yay, Verizon!)
Top advertised download speed:
Up to
12 Mbps
Verizon average mobile speed test results:
Average download speed: 28.09 Mbps
Average latency: 6.94 ms
Total speed tests: 293,778
Find the fastest internet and mobile phone providers in your area.
Internet Speed Recommendations
Picking an internet package can feel like taking a shot in the dark—especially if you’re not familiar with the lingo. You can become an expert on understanding bits, bytes, latency, and more by reading “The Consumer’s Guide to Internet Speed.”
Below you’ll find our general internet speed recommendations for different activities. If you want a more personalized recommendation, use our How Much Speed Do I Need? Tool to calculate the ideal internet speed for your household.
1-3 People:
5 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
10 Mbps
1-3 People:
5 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
25 Mbps
1-3 People:
25 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
100 Mbps
1-3 People:
SD Video: 10 Mbps
HD Video: 50 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
SD Video: 50 Mbps
HD Video: 100+ Mbps
About our Verizon internet speed test
Our Verizon internet speed test utilizes servers closest to your location to give you the most accurate speed test results. Some speed tests use one server location to test internet from homes located all over the country, which can give inaccurate results. You don’t have to worry about that with our test.
How does the Verizon internet speed test work?
When you click start, the test will measure your download speed by timing how long it takes your device to download a dummy (test) file through your browser. It divides the file size by the time to compute your upload speed in megabits per second (Mbps).
Next, the dummy file is uploaded and measured the same way. Latency (or lag time) is also measured during the test by sending a signal from your device and back again and timing how long it takes to complete.
Remember, the test file is a dummy file and will not harm your device. If you have security software enabled, you may need to turn it off temporarily to conduct the test. Security software may flag the dummy file as harmful and slow or prevent downloads.
Verizon internet speed FAQ
What is a good internet speed?
A broadband connection is generally considered a good internet speed. The FCC (Federal Communications Agency) redefined the definition of broadband to be a download speed of 25 Mbps.3
That doesn’t mean that lower speeds are necessarily bad. You can do a lot with speeds less than 25 Mbps, including checking email, browsing online, and even streaming video. You might just get longer load times and possible buffering.
As a general rule, we recommend that you have about 5 to 10 Mbps per person. If you stream video in HD, game online, or upload large files, you’ll need more than that. Use our How Much Speed Do I Need? Tool to get a customized recommendation of a good internet speed for your household.
How can I test my internet speed?
Use our speed test to find out how fast your internet upload and download speeds are. It’s a quick, simple test that takes less than a minute.
If your device is connected to your home Wi-Fi, it will do a Wi-Fi speed check. But if you’re using a data connection on a mobile device, it will test your data plan speed instead.
Bear in mind that it’s normal for internet speeds to fluctuate throughout the day, so test it several times to get a good gauge on how your internet provider is performing. You can also move around your home to test the Wi-Fi in different areas and identify where the signal is weaker.
How do I know if I’m getting the speed I’m paying for?
You can know if you’re getting the speed you’re paying for by using our internet speed test. It will test download speed, upload speed, and latency.
Slow speeds could be caused by Wi-Fi setup issues, so run the speed test on both Wi-Fi and a hardwired connection. After you get your results, compare them with the speed your internet provider advertises for your plan.
How can I speed up my internet?
If you are using a Wi-Fi connection and you notice it’s going slow, or if you have a big file to download and you don’t want it to take all evening, you can usually speed up your internet a little by using a hardwire connection for internet.
This won’t double your speed (for that kind of speed increase you’ll need to upgrade your plan), but it can bump up your speed by 5 to 10 Mbps.
- Move your computer, laptop, or other device to the room where you have your modem set up.
- Use an ethernet cable to connect your computer to the modem.
- On your device, go to Network Connections or System Preferences/Network
- If your device doesn’t have an ethernet connection (which will be the case with any smartphone and most Apple laptops), you can still connect your device by purchasing a $10 to $15 USB C to ethernet adapter or similar adapter that works with the ports on your device.
For more ideas on how to troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues, check out How to Improve Your Wi-Fi Speed in 10 Simple Steps.
Endnotes
- Wall Street Journal, “Verizon to End Rollout of FiOS”
- Verizon, “5G Mobile FAQs”
- Federal Communications Commission, “2018 Broadband Deployment Report”