Verizon To Push Higher Bandwidth In-Home Network Equipment

An inside contact at Verizon sent along some interesting content from a Verizon corporate website post. The content describes how Verizon will start encouraging their FiOS fiber optic customers to upgrade in-home network equipment. The company will have new routers available in the third quarter of this year from Actiontec and Westell. These routers will boost in-home speeds over coaxial cable to up to 175 megabits per second (Mbps) from 75 Mbps and allow operation of multiple simultaneous Wi-Fi networks. For example, customers will be able to modify security settings on each network, allowing a Wi-Fi network for guests and visitors, one with parental controls for young users, one for computers holding secure documents, or one for teleworking only.

Here’s a list of new design features and benefits:

Higher bandwidth, offering 175 Mbps total data flow in the home.

Support for up to four Wi-Fi networks, enabling more than one Wi-Fi network to operate simultaneously. Quality of service controls to give traffic preference to critical services like voice or security devices.

Remote management of devices and services beyond the router by technicians, improving the service and support experience for customers.

Integrated dual-core processor to allow simultaneous networked data services, possibly including home security, home monitoring, network security and other applications.

Support for media sharing between home devices, such as between TVs and PCs, media servers, and other consumer electronics, using DLNA and Universal Plug and Play standards now being adopted by hardware manufacturers to support connectivity and service integration.

Enable modular expansion using a USB interface, so that shared storage servers, printers, peripherals and other devices can be added.

It makes sense to upgrade internal network devices to keep up with the fiber infrastructure.