NetZero Broadband Vs. Verizon Broadband

NetZero offers affordable broadband at a standard monthly rate to all subscribers. The service also includes free email with spam and virus protection, a pop-up blocker feature, a Norton AntiVirus Online security suite and 24-hour customer service support. Subscribers also have access to a backup NetZero dial-up account. Unlike NetZero's dial-up service, the company's broadband service uses DSL technology that allows customers to surf the Internet while talking on a telephone on the same line. NetZero does not require customers to commit to a term contract when subscribing to its service.

Verizon's High Speed Internet service uses DSL technology to deliver high-speed Internet over a local telephone line. The company provides the FiOS service using a fiber optic communications network. Verizon's plans include an Internet security suite, 24-hour customer and technical support, online backup and sharing, 10 megabytes of personal web space and up to nine email accounts. Certain plans also include access to Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the country. While customers can subscribe to the DSL service without a contract, subscribers must commit to a one-year or two-year contract with FiOS.

NetZero offers download speeds of up to 6 megabits per second (Mbps) for its broadband service. In comparison, Verizon's High Speed Internet service features download speeds of up to 0.5 to 1 Mbps. Verizon also offers the Enhanced plan, which features speeds of between 1.1 and 15 Mpbs, depending on the subscriber's location. At the time of publication, Verizon offered four FiOS plans with download speeds of 15, 25, 50 and 150 Mbps. Plans with faster download speeds are suitable for householders with multiple users and computers and for customers who download or stream movies and use the Internet for online gaming.

In 2010, Verizon's FiOS service was rated as the fastest Internet service provider in the U.S., according to speed tests conducted by PC Magazine. FiOS also won the 2010 Readers' Choice Award for overall customer satisfaction among Internet service providers. Verizon's DSL service also ranked ninth among 16 Internet service providers in the same survey, receiving lower than average ratings for speed and average ratings for reliability, customer support and technical support. NetZero was not included in PC Magazine's Reader's Choice survey or the magazine's speed tests.