Optimum at work in Philipstown, Verizon in Beacon
Optimum has been busy installing fiber-optic internet transmission lines in Philipstown, while Verizon earlier this year began building its own system in Beacon.
Fiber-optic cable sends light through strands of glass at much greater speeds over longer distances than copper cable.
A representative for Altice, who has owned Optimum since 2016, said on Friday (May 5) that the company is installing fiber-optic cable throughout Philipstown. Once activated, it will provide upload and download speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second and later up to 8 gigabits per second.
Existing hybrid-fiber coaxial (which combines cable and fiber optic) provides speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. Philipstown residents can sign up at optimum.com/5-gig to be notified when fiber-optic service reaches their address.
A representative for Verizon, meanwhile, said it is adding cable in Beacon for its fiber-optic service, known as FiOS, with speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. (In February, Verizon began offering fiber-optic service in New York City of up to 2.3 gigabits.) As of last month, the service was available for 1,800 “open addresses” (connections) in Beacon and should be ready for 4,000 by year’s end and 6,000 within a few years. Residents and businesses can check availability at verizon.com/home/fios.
Verizon said it is “reviewing a FiOS build in Cold Spring but cannot commit to a timeframe.” It said it has no plans to install fiber optic elsewhere in Philipstown.
Google is also building a fiber-optic network but has not expanded into the Northeast.
