In what is said to be the first of its kind as a commercially available service to consumers on a mass scale, Verizon has introduced a symmetrical Verizon FiOS Internet service featuring upstream and downstream connection speeds of up to 15 megabits per second.

FiOS (Fiber Optic Service) is a "Fiber to the premises" service, originally tested in Keller, Texas.

The company also has introduced a fastest-speed FiOS Internet service that offers a downstream connection speed of up to 30 Mbps and a new upstream connection speed of up to 15 Mbps. FiOS has the ability to bring telephone, Internet and video services to a subscriber's premises.

Using a 15 Mbps upstream connection, a user could upload a 250 MB file of 200 photos in just over two minutes, compared with about 47 minutes over a 768 kilobits per second upstream connection. A 500 MB file, such as 400 digital photos or a medical imaging data set, could upload in less than five minutes, compared with about 90 minutes over a 768 kbps connection.

The equally fast upstream and downstream connection speeds of the new symmetrical FiOS service also enhance interactive services like video conferencing, telemedicine and online work collaboration.

FiOS Internet service was first introduced in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. On Nov. 20, Verizon announced that the FIOS service is available in Florida, Massachusetts and Rhode Island with connections up to 20 Mps. While in California, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington connections to 15 Mps can be provided.

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