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Starting as Bell Atlantic, Verizon Fios launched in 2004 offering one of the first true fiber services for residential customers. Beginning testing in Keller, TX, they quickly expanded out into other markets and cities after the product was a clear success. Since then, they’ve become the largest fiber-optic internet service provider in the nation. Offering more than just fiber, they also offer DSL and wireless internet service through 3G and 4G LTE radio towers to 90% of the US population. This makes Verizon Fios available to areas that normally wouldn’t have access to the internet due to a lack of grounded lines running to their residence.
When Bell Atlantic started, it provided home telephone service to the Atlantic Northeast. After it merged with GTE in 2000, they changed their name to Verizon and quickly became the largest local telephone company in the country, managing over 63 million telephone lines in almost every state. In 2002, Verizon began offering limited internet service again expanding its internet offerings in 2004 with the launch of Verizon Fios. Through a number of acquisitions and mergers, Verizon continued to increase their coverage until ultimately settling into its position today as the nation’s most extensive network of fiber-optic lines. This growth is expected to continue as Verizon Fios keeps installing new fiber-optic lines as well as maintaining its current DSL and wireless coverage.
Currently, their focus is on expanding their fiber lines as demand increases, allowing customers to reach speeds that were once unattainable. Currently, its service can reach into the 200Mbps to 1000Mbps range. This allows those who use Verizon’s services to reach and surf the internet at near-instantaneous speeds. Even more impressive, Verizon Fios upgraded its service in 2014 to allow for synchronous connections meaning that your upload speeds are just as fast as your download speeds. To put it in simpler terms, if you’re receiving download speeds of 1000 Mbps through Verizon Fios, you’ll also have access to upload speeds of 1000 Mbps. This is great for those who not only stream video to sites like Twitch, but also those who work from home and are required to consistently and regularly upload large files. Verizon Fios is available in nine states, as well as the nation’s capital, and is capable of reaching over 30 million consumers.
Verizon Fios has primarily focused its fiber lines on urban and suburban populations with high density, such as cities like New York and Philadelphia. This is what allows them to offer fiber to so many customers. Its service can be found in most of the country though, leveraging their extensive mobile network to create mobile hotspots. This serves two types of customers. The first is users that need a reliable internet connection on the go, either for work or pleasure. The second is those users who cannot access a fiber, cable, or DSL connection, but still want to access everything the internet has to offer. Regardless of which group you fall into, Verizon Fios is one of the most popular and secure internet connections in the country.
HughesNet currently has the highest coverage area in the nation with all fifty states falling under its service area. One of the two major satellite providers in the nation, HughesNet has focused the core of its business on providing internet to underserved or un-served areas, often rural or small towns. Its recently increased speeds up to 25mbps with the launch of its new Gen 5 satellite, the “EchoStar XIX.” With ninety-eight percent of the country under HughesNet’s coverage area, it’s almost guaranteed that they’ll be an option available to any consumer.
HughesNet uses geosynchronous satellites to provide its customers with broadband internet connections. Since HughesNet was initially founded, it’s launched multiple satellites with its latest launch occurring in 2017 with the “EchoStar XIX,” powering HughesNet’s Gen 5 service. This launch allowed the company to reach broadband levels, increasing speeds to 25 Mbps across the board. It also increased the available bandwidth that HughesNet offered its customers as well as simplifying their pricing structure to a tiered system that was based on available data caps. HughesNet does operate off of priority data caps though its internet can be considered unlimited. At no point does HughesNet charge overage prices or shut the internet off if a customer goes over their “priority data” limit, instead just having to deal with reduced speeds until their next billing cycle. If a customer does need more data before their next billing cycle rolls around, HughesNet has made data tokens available, increasing priority data and increasing available speeds in the process.
HughesNet is a great choice for rural customers as wired connections are often completely unavailable in America’s more remote locations. Satellite internet allows them to access the world wide web at broadband speeds allowing for almost any activity. It does have its drawbacks though. The biggest activities this can be seen in is online gaming and virtual private networks. This is in large part due to the latency, or ping, that satellite internet experiences. The time signals take to transmit from the customer’s dish to the satellite to the receiving and then back again can take anywhere from a half-second to a second. For most activities like browsing the internet or streaming video, this latency is almost entirely imperceivable. For gaming though, that often required split-second reaction times, it is unavoidable. VPNs, in particular, are affected, as well. When using a VPN, download speeds even when within the priority data limit can tank anywhere from fifty to seventy-five percent. This reduction in speeds is not guaranteed with some VPN users not having any issues whatsoever. With that being said, it is something to take into account when considering a satellite internet provider.
For many rural customers, satellite internet is going to be one of the only viable options open to them. That doesn’t make it a lesser product though. When choosing the right package for you, assess your needs, your internet usage, and your budget to choose the package that will leave you satisfied and meet all of your digital requirements.
Though having been around since 1986, ViaSat didn't launch its first internet plans until 2012. ViaSat is a satellite internet service provider with a general focus on serving areas that normally do not have access to a reliable internet connection. Covering 98% of the country and all 50 states, all that is needed to be able to connect is a clear line of sight to the southern sky, a modem, and a satellite dish to send and receive signals. This has helped many of those who would otherwise have to spend thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, to run a DSL, cable, or fiber line to their home.
ViaSat has continually upgraded its service. When the company first launched, its entire service survived off the back of one satellite, the ViaSat-1. Since then, they've acquired three additional satellites, either through additional launches or acquisitions from other companies to greatly expand its capabilities. The last of these to launch, the ViaSat-2, was said to increase the total bandwidth and network capacity available by 300 Gigabits per second as well as take ViaSat's service internationally. They have plans to increase this further. They've announced three more launches of their newest satellite, the ViaSat-3, that will increase the total bandwidth by a full terabit per second. The first of these is set to launch in 2020 with a second launch planned by 2022.
Offering free standard installation on all orders, ViaSat makes connecting to the internet easier than ever. ViaSat offers multiple different plans that feature different speeds and different levels of priority data. Priority data? I'm sure the question being asked is “Does ViaSat have a data cap?” The answer is a resounding no. Viasat offers unlimited data without charging overage fees or shutting your internet connection off. If one does go over their priority data, then at that point, customers just have to contend with network congestion much like any other internet service provider. If there is no congestion, then speed should be unaffected. This makes ViaSat a perfect option for activities like streaming, checking social media, or visiting a favorite site on the web.
ViaSat is perfect for almost any web-based application. Connecting your smartphone, sharing videos online, and watching your favorite streaming service are perfect fits for ViaSat's network. The only limitations ViaSat has are gaming and Virtual Private Networks(VPN). When it comes to gaming, there should be a half a second to full second lag time when playing online. If you're playing single-player games, this interruption is non-existent and will not interfere with any updates that a game may release after launch. A VPN is another matter. VPNs put a significant strain on any network and satellite networks doubly so. When using a VPN with ViaSat, speeds can be expected to drop anywhere from 50 to 75 percent. That doesn't mean ViaSat is an inferior service though. However, when looking to game or use in-home VPN, it's important to be aware of the technology's limitations so that you can plan accordingly and choose the best service that will fit your needs.
Operating out of 19 states, Suddenlink is a cable and fiber internet provider. Acquired by Altice in 2012, Suddenlink has rapidly grown since that time and has expanded its service from 1.5 million subscribers to a monstrous 4.6 million subscribers. That makes Suddenlink the fourth-largest cable internet provider in the nation. Suddenlink is actively trying to grow that network thus bringing more and more customers under the Suddenlink brand. Offering not only the internet but also cable television and home phone service making it a great choice for any residential consumer. Any entertainment needs a home may have can surely be covered by Suddenlink’s outstanding service.
Suddenlink was created by Cequel III after it had acquired a number of smaller communications and cable networks, originally forming the company under the name Cebridge Communications in 2003. The company continued to purchase different networks, taking on Thompson Cablevision in 2004 and expanding its coverage area into sixteen states. It acquired two more companies, Tele-Media and USA Media Systems, further increasing coverage into twenty-three states. Cebridge Communications continued these acquisitions until the company itself was acquired by Altice in July of 2015. Altice, keeping the Suddenlink brand, and combining it with another company they had acquired, Cablevision, then became the fourth-largest cable company in the nation with over four million customers. As of today, Suddenlink has coverage almost nationwide with nineteen states currently being served with particularly high coverage in areas like Texas, California, and Arizona.
Suddenlink operates off of a mix of cable and fiber lines to provide its customers with service. Most of its signals transmit through fiber lines, eventually transferring over to a cable connection to connect to the residential end-user. This has allowed Suddenlink to take its already substantial cable television network and leverage it to offer internet as well. To further improve speeds, Suddenlink uses a hybrid fiber-coaxial method to deliver speeds that are normally not available. This hybrid fiber-coaxial line can handle far more bandwidth than other forms of internet connections like fixed wireless, satellite, or DSL. Suddenlink is in the process of upgrading many of its markets with a true fiber connection. Fiber coverage is only likely to grow as demand across the nation for the fastest internet speeds possible increases. Though hybrid fiber-coaxial is able to deliver truly incredible speeds, the upgrade to fiber lines will increase available bandwidth not only for download speeds but upload speeds as well.
Suddenlink has a whole suite of products to choose from. With different speeds, prices, and the ability to bundle Suddenlink’s internet service with cable television and home phone service, it gives its customers multiple ways to connect their home. Without being locked into one option per market, Suddenlink subscribers have the ability to choose the best plan that not only fits their digital lifestyle but also their budget. This has become a significant selling point for Suddenlink, especially as consumers are looking to reduce how much they spend on a monthly basis to connect to a fast, reliable network.
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Cable Internet Coverage
91.27%
DSL Internet Coverage
89.35%
Fiber Internet Coverage
88.76%
Summary of Fastest Internet Providers in Union City, NJ
| Provider | Max Speed | Avg Speed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | | Suddenlink | 1 Gbps | 387 Mbps | |
| 2. | | Verizon | 940 Mbps | 471 Mbps | |
| 3. | | ViaSat | 100 Mbps | 20 Mbps | |
| 4. | | HughesNet | 25 Mbps | 25 Mbps | |
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | |||||
Summary of All Internet Providers in Union City, NJ
| Provider | Type | Coverage | Max Speed | Avg Speed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | | ViaSat | 100.00% | 100 Mbps | 20 Mbps | ||
| 2. | | Verizon | 98.90% | 940 Mbps | 471 Mbps | ||
| 3. | | Suddenlink | 98.80% | 1 Gbps | 387 Mbps | ||
| 4. | | HughesNet | 91.27% | 25 Mbps | 25 Mbps | ||
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | |||||||
Frequently Asked Questions about Union City, NJ.
Which provider offers the best internet service in Union City, NJ?
Verizon is the best internet provider in Union City, NJ, with download speeds up to 940 Mbps and pricing starting at $69.00.
How many internet providers provide service in Union City, NJ?
There are currently 4 providers that offer internet service in Union City, NJ.
What providers offer internet service in Union City, NJ.
Verizon, HughesNet, ViaSat and Suddenlink offer internet service in Union City, NJ.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Union City, NJ?
Suddenlink is the cheapest internet provider in Union City, NJ, with pricing starting at $40.00.
What provider has the fastest speeds in Union City, NJ?
Suddenlink is the faster internet provider in Union City, NJ, with maximum speeds reaching 1 Gbps and average speeds of 387 Mbps.
Is fiber internet available in Union City, NJ?
Yes! Fiber internet covers 89% of Union City, NJ.
Summary of School Districts in Union City, NJ
| District | Grades | Max Speed | Avg Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoboken City | PK - 12 | 1 Gbps | 178 Mbps |
| Jersey City | PK - 12 | 987 Mbps | 228 Mbps |
| North Bergen Township | PK - 12 | 987 Mbps | 210 Mbps |
| Union City | PK - 12 | 987 Mbps | 190 Mbps |
| Weehawken Township | PK - 12 | 940 Mbps | 178 Mbps |
| West New York Town | PK - 12 | 940 Mbps | 210 Mbps |
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | |||
Neighborhoods in Union City, NJ
| Neighborhood | Max Speed | Avg Speed |
|---|---|---|
| The Heights | 987 Mbps | 251 Mbps |
| Meadowview | 940 Mbps | 189 Mbps |
| Data provided by various data sources including the FCC. For more information please view our sources page. | ||