In accepting the award, Verizon announced that by year-end it will deploy the transmission technology - known as the gigabit passive optical network, or GPON - to nearly 200 of the company's switching centers serving 3.3 million potential customers. GPON, which Verizon began deploying in December 2007, is capable of delivering broadband services at 2.4 gigabits per second (Gbps) downstream and 1.2 Gbps upstream, further improving on the market-dominating speeds of Broadband Passive Optical Network (BPON) technology already deployed by Verizon.

Mark Wegleitner, senior vice president of technology for Verizon, said, "The Telephony innovation award is a gratifying acknowledgement of what has been our fiber-to-the-home strategy from the start: To make aggressive technology choices that can provide forward-looking end-user services and a strong competitive advantage in the marketplace. We thank Telephony Magazine for this recognition.

"GPON enables the kind of customer experience we believe the exploding broadband and entertainment markets require, both today and tomorrow," he said. "Both GPON and BPON deliver the kind of reliable, high-capacity service our customers want from our FiOS products."

What this means is that the nation’s fastest network—Verizon FiOS—is getting far faster. Already, broadband passive optical network (B-PON) delivers up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps). Now, gigabit passive optical network (G-PON) electronics will increase speeds by up to four times downstream and eight times upstream in 38 communities in parts of nine states—as we transition to using G-PON in all new fiber network construction. G-PON's additional bandwidth will accommodate industry forecasts for phenomenal growth in bandwidth demand.

In the February 2008 issue of Consumer Report, ratings for Verizon FiOS phone, Internet and TV were all in the very satisfied range. Verizon was the only provider to score in the 80s or "very satisfied" range. Once again the Verizon FiOS offering is validated as providing terrific value and advanced, reliable high speed services over a state of the art fiber optic network.

Why switch? Price. Internet companies offer unlimited calls throughout the U.S. and Canada for $25 or less a month (including voice mail and caller ID). Unlimited international calling is also often available.

The most popular services right now are Vonage, Packet8, SunRocket and Skype. I set up all four and verified that they could replace my landline with no discernible downgrade in call quality.

Internet phone service doesn't work for everyone. You need a cable or DSL Internet provider, which can run $30 to $50 a month. Power and Internet outages will make your phone inoperable. Also, depending on your location and provider, 911 operators may not have your address when you call.

That said, these services still make good sense. The savings are considerable, many people already have cable or DSL Internet service, and after all, there can be a real joy in giving the phone company the heave-ho. Which one's best for you? Press 1 to continue.

Packet8

Packet8.net

WHAT YOU GET Packet8 charges $10 a month for unlimited domestic calling for the first three months, after which the fee goes to $20. There's also a $30 activation fee. Best deal: unlimited calling to more than 35 countries for $50 a month.

WHAT YOU NEED Packet8 ships you a free adapter for your old phone. For $80 (after a $110 rebate), you can get Uniden's compatible cordless phone, which doesn't require an adapter and is expandable without the need for extra phone jacks or Internet connections.

WHAT WE THINK For international callers who want something that resembles traditional phone service, this is a great bet. It's even a good value if you're only calling other parts of the U.S. Unfortunately, as with landline service, you are susceptible to fees and taxes that can add $2 to $3 to your monthly bill.

WHAT YOU GET A one-year subscription for unlimited domestic calling costs $199, which works out to about $17 a month. Month-to-month service costs $25. Note that SunRocket is offered only where it can guarantee 911 service (which is where roughly 75% of Americans live).

WHAT YOU NEED When you sign up, SunRocket ships you its Gizmo phone adapter, which connects to your modem. You just plug your phone into the Gizmo and start gabbing.

WHAT WE THINK The lump-sum $199 service is a real value, especially since there are no surprise extra monthly taxes or fees, like those that appear on other Internet phone bills. There's no activation fee either. SunRocket is not available nationwide, but if you live in an area in which it's offered, it's a good choice.

Skype

Skype.com

WHAT YOU GET Skype offers free worldwide calling between PC users who have Skype's software. Think of it as a glorified instant messaging service (see the sidebar at right). If you want to call an actual phone, you need to pay. Calls cost 2¢ a minute, but you need to buy minutes in 10-hour blocks. To receive calls, you'll need a "SkypeIn" phone number, which runs about $36 a year or about $12 for three months.

WHAT YOU NEED For the free service, you need a PC, a microphone and some speakers, or you can buy a cordless handset from Skype. In the next few months, Netgear and Panasonic will introduce Wi-Fi handsets you can take with you.

WHAT WE THINK Skype is more for the tech-savvy, and it doesn't support 911 at all, so it's not for everyone. However, if you're reasonably technical (and keep a bare-bones landline as a backup), it's a great way to save a bundle.

Vonage

Vonage.com

WHAT YOU GET The country's largest Internet phone service provider has a $25-a-month unlimited domestic plan, as well as a $15-a-month plan that gives you 500 minutes of talk time.

WHAT YOU NEED In addition to the Vonage phone adapter, there are many new ways to connect to the service, including a Uniden cordless home phone and an upcoming Panasonic cordless system. The UTStarcom F1000 Wi-Fi phone ($130; rebates available) lets you make and receive Vonage calls anywhere you can access a Wi-Fi network, whether it's at home or on the road.

WHAT WE THINK Though it's not the cheapest, Vonage will have the most options this year, particularly if you like gadgets. Like Packet8, Vonage charges you fees each month, and there is a $30 activation charge.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a really exciting new service that enables consumers to take advantage of their DSL or Cable Broadband Internet Service for POTS (plain old telephone service) service. This technology has been around for 7 or 8 years and it's really getting to be an excellent alternative to traditional telephone service.

How does work? It might be best to start with the equipment. If you have DSL or Cable Internet, then you have some type of interface box between the wiring and your PC. You probably have a router too. If you want to use VoIP like a traditional phone, then you will need a router. A router gives you the opportunity to plug several devices on your single high-speed connection. Most Internet Phones include an adapter that will plug into your router. Then a telephone is plugged into that Internet phone box. I plugged a cordless phone base station into my adapter and then have a couple cordless handsets that work off the base station. Many people ask can I use my existing telephones. The answer is yes, if wire from the Broadband Phone adapter to your house telephone wiring.

When you dial a call, your voice is routed over the internet to the called party's local telephone switch where it rings their phone. When someone dials your number the local phone switch knows your number is connected to a IP Address-Computer type device and sends the call to the internet. Some folks will ask about the voice quality of VoIP. A very good question and it depends on several factors. Typically, the quality will not be good as your POTS line. Telephone service is a connected link from Point A to Point B. VoIP takes your voice and Packet'tizes it, so those Packets of Data/Voice will be sent like data taking different paths and arrive at different times over the Internet. That being said, the quality has improved immensely over the past couple years. I can hear a very, VERY slight difference on our Packet 8 VoIP Broadband Phone, but it's a very good service. I doubt most people can tell a difference, but having worked many years in Telephone Service I'm more sensitive than most.

Other factors to consider when ordering VoIP is power and 911 service. If your power goes out and you want your Internet Phone to remain working, then you'll need your own battery back-up for the Broadband Adapter, Router, Internet Phone Adapter and any telephones that need power. The other major consideration is 911 Emergency service. Some providers have it available in certains areas while others are working on it. It will continue to improve for everyone. It does work at our house and I have tested it with our 911 Center. Oh, one more small issue that takes some getting used to - I have to dial a 1 with every number whether local or long distance. Not a biggee, because all calls are included in the one monthly fee.

The other factor that determines your satisfaction with VoIP will be your Broadband Internet Connection. If your connection to the Internet has slow downs and periods of no connection your Broadband Phone will work poorly or not at all. That's a judgement call one your part. Overall, how satisfied are you with your Internet Connection?

What makes VoIP so attractive is the price. It is great for long distance calling and has lots of features ncluded in the base rate. We use it today instead of a telephone company phone line. We disconnected our $60/month phone service and now pay $19.95 for unlimited calling to anywhere in the US and Canada. Plus included in the base rate is voicemail, caller ID, 3-way calling, call waiting and more! It works for us because we have a good internet connection we also have cell phones to use as a back-up if there is an internet or power outage.

After looking at all the Providers for VoIP Phone Service, we decided on Packet8. It just made sense for our calling history to go with an unlimited calling package for $19.95/month + a 911 Service fee. We are really delighted with service and enjoy talking to more family members more often! Since we went with Packet8, SunRocket has really put together a very attractive package - just pay your phone bill once a year?! How cool it that?