Verizon Offers WiFi and Cuts Broadband Prices

This is exactly what it will take to push U.S. broadband usage into the South Korean range:

Verizon Communications, the largest U.S. local phone company, on Tuesday launched a service that will provide customers with wireless Internet access on high-speed networks throughout New York City.

Verizon, which is based in New York, said it activated 150 WiFi access points, or “hot spots,” at pay phones in the city and plans to activate 850 more by the end of the year. It said its deployment would mark the largest such initiative by an Internet service provider in a single U.S. city.

WiFi, or wireless fidelity, is an ultra high-speed wireless Internet connection usually available within a radius of a few hundred feet of a transmitter. Laptop computers or other portable devices with WiFi cards tap into the wireless access points, which are physically connected to high-speed networks.

….In contrast to T-Mobile’s for-fee service, Verizon is offering WiFi exclusively to its Internet customers for free. Verizon Online customers from out of New York could access any of the hot spots in New York City, using their account logins and passwords.

….Verizon officially announced its price cuts for its Internet services, offering high-speed Internet to consumers for $34.95 a month, about $10 cheaper than its previous rate. Customers who also buy local and long-distance phone services from Verizon will pay $29.95. The company slashed rates for business customers as well.

Verizon said its customers will be able to surf the Web at high speeds from parks, bus stops and public squares at up to 300 feet from its hot spots, which are located at public telephones.

….A map of Verizon HotSpots can be found on its Web site. [Reuters]

Excellent move: keep the price coming down, more broadband/WiFi users, more competition, lower prices still.