Comcast may raise Mbps to grab takers in FiOS markets

(Phys.org) -- In the Mbps competitive race, Comcast is reportedly set to five-up Verizon with an Mbps Internet offer that delivers 305 Mbps against Verizon’s residential broadband top-shelf 300 Mbps, says Broadband Reports. The two would in turn be in closer competition since Verizon’s introduction of a Quantum FiOS offer of 300 Mbps downstream, and 65 Mbps upstream tier for $205 a month, Verizon made the announcement of raising its fastest offering from 150/35 Mbps to 300/65 Mbps for FiOS subscribers, saying the move was all because of what customers wanted. Now Comcast is said to be preparing to offer 305 mbps downstream in FiOS markets, and before the end of the year.

"It will be interesting to see just how close to 65 Mbps Comcast can get on the upstream side of the bar,” commented Karl Bode in DSLReports.com. Comcast's upstream speed for the new tier is as yet unknown. Comcast conducted some upstream testing last year that reached speeds of 75 to 100 Mbps.

Roots of the rumor can be traced to all Comcast employees treated to a live event stream discussing future Xfinity service plans recently. Amidst talk about the Olympics and expansions in Spanish-language programming, Comcast's President, Neil Smit, made some references to this faster tier, to be deployed in Verizon FiOS territories soon.

Comcast’s broadband Internet speed weapon in markets shared by rival service Verizon FiOS would amount to only 5 Mbps more than Verizon’s fastest FiOS offering and some market watchers take that as an indication that the battle, at only a difference of 5 Mbps more, may be more of a dance than a war. The numbers, they say, may just be a measure to get the government to stop worrying about choked-off competition and high fees to consumers, if Verizon and Comcast were to look to a future of cross-selling each others’ services. Earlier this month, anonymous sources told Reuters that the FCC is likely to approve Verizon's $3.8 billion spectrum and co-marketing arrangement with the cable industry, but the Justice Department is concerned about such co-marketing arrangements in Verizon's bid to buy wireless spectrum from cable operators. Regulators might look at the Comcast introduction of 305 Mbps as a reassuring sign that at least some type of competition is in view.