OREANDA-NEWS. September 11, 2014. Ten years is an eternity in the technology-driven society we live in, and Verizon’s FiOS services – delivered over the nation’s largest all-fiber-optic network – have moved consumers through the past decade at the speed of light.

This fall marks the 10-year anniversary of FiOS, the next-generation network technology that redefined the TV and Internet experience for millions of people and small-business owners throughout 12 states and the District of Columbia.

In 2004, a NASA probe landed on Mars for the first time; a startup called Facebook paved the way for a new way to connect online; and Internet download speeds of 8 megabits per second were considered fast. That year, Verizon began selling FiOS TV service in Keller, Texas, for the first time, along with FiOS Internet Service with then-unheard of download speeds of up to 30 Mbps and upload speeds up to 5 Mbps.

Today, people are creating video content via a device in the palm of their hands; sending more than 500 million Tweets each day; and Verizon customers can upload and download at speeds up to 500 Mbps.

“We set out to create a customer experience that would redefine the connected home. FiOS helped grow the demand for faster Internet speeds and high-definition video channels,” said Bob Mudge, Verizon president of consumer and mass business markets. “It was seen as a big bet at the time. Fast forward to today, however, and you can see that our investment in fiber-optic technology directly to homes and businesses laid the foundation for connected homes and work environments that will serve customers’ needs well into the future.”

“Ultimately, consumers win as Verizon continues to offer faster speeds,” said Larry Hettick, contributing analyst, U.S. Consumer Services for Current Analysis. “With a free upgrade for FiOS customers, this increases the value of FiOS services in the near term. As others follow Verizon’s lead with faster upstream tiers, all consumers will benefit as broadband providers move to meetevolving user needs.”