A few feet from failure: why Verizon FiOS in New York is a sad joke

Verizon has a contract with New York City that promises fiber access in every neighborhood. However, the availability of the service has been frustratingly spotty, skipping buildings, floors, and blocks without clear explanation.

Verizon says that’s because landlords aren’t letting them install fiber, but Brooklyn coder and entrepreneur Mike Caprio’s experience trying to get Verizon’s high-speed FiOS fiber Internet service since 2009 suggests that’s not always the case. Since he started telling the story on social media and on the radio, at least a dozen people have asked Caprio for help getting fiber in their buildings -- including his landlord. The city seems satisfied with how Verizon has held up its end of the bargain.