Verizon FIOS Vs. AT&T U-verse

Verizon FiOS' television plans include up to 130 high definition channels. Their television packages include Prime HD with 50 High-Definition channels; Extreme, with 70 HD channels and Ultimate with 95 HD channels. FiOS' TV also has the ability to let subscribers add both free and paid widgets that appear on the side of the screen. News, sports updates, games, and social media applications are some of the available widgets. By comparison, the U-Verse packages have six different packages with HD channels dependent on the package type and local listings. U Basic and U Family have 17 HD channels. U100 has 89 HD channels. There are 100 HD channels available with U 200. U300 includes the same HD channels as U200 plus HD versions of their Premium movie channels: Starz, HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Encore. U450 has 135 HD channels. Also, some HD channels like the Smithsonian Channel must be purchased with a separate subscription on U-Verse, whereas it's included with the FiOS' subscriptions.

FiOS phone service offers both standard and digital voice options. Standard phone plans operate just like other land line company plans, while their digital voice plans offer the ability to manage calls online, assign ringtones to specific numbers, and better clarity. The U-verse Voice phone service is digital only but offers two different plans: Voice 250 and Unlimited. Voice 250 charges a lower rate by comparison but subscribers are limited to 250 minutes per month. Additional minutes are charged at a nominal rate. Both plans can be managed with online features, to include listening to voice messages and blocking certain numbers.

FiOS gives subscribers two internet connection options: High Speed or FiOS. High speed uses DSL lines, with choices from .5Mbps to15Mbps. The FiOS plan uses fiber optic cables, increasing both upstream and downstream speed capabilities ranging from 15 to 50 Mbps, respectively. The U-verse, by comparison, uses DSL lines at downstream speeds from 3Mpbs to 24Mbps. All services run through a connection to the home's phone lines, but the U-verse makes available equipment that can route home computers to it via wireless connection.

FiOS and U-verse both offer bundle packages in which you get discounts by subscribing to two or more of their services. However, FiOS offers a two-year contract option in which they will waive the installation fee and give you a set price for the duration. The FiOS Double play combines FiOS Internet 15/5Mbps Internet with unlimited digital calling, or FiOS TV Prime HD with FiOS Internet 15/5Mbps for a higher price. FiOS Triple Play is FiOS TV Extreme HD, FiOS Internet 15/ Mbps and unlimited calling; or the same TV and calling options plus FiOS 25/25Mbps for a higher price. U-Verse allows you to build your own bundle, but they have a few pre-set bundles available for purchase. The U-verse TV or U450, DSL Max and Voice Unlimited. Choice Plus Quad Pack is made up of TV U300, Internet Elite, Voice Unlimited and a wireless plan.