[Discuss] ISP costs for higher data rates? (20-50 MBit/sec.)

[Gordon Ross]

I've been looking into the costs of "business class" internet service
(20-50MBit/sec) and I'm surprised at the wide range of prices quoted.
I'm curious, what areothers paying for this class of service?

What I've found so far:  If you're lucky enough to be in an area with
Verizon's FiOS (we're not), that service can give you something around
25MBit/sec for around $150/mo (or so I'm told).  Or we can get DSL
with 7MBit/sec for around $170/mo.  Strangely, T1 service appears to
offer lower data rates at higher cost.

Verizon reportedly has a "fiber ethernet" service too (NOT FiOS) but
I've yet to find someone at Verizon who knows exactly where it is
offered, or what it costs, etc.  This in spite of other tenants in our
building reportedly using it.  (Remember "Laugh In"?
http://www.tvacres.com/comm_ernestine.htm ... "We don't care. We don't
have to. (snort) We're the Phone Company!" :)

Comcast offered us 100MBit/sec down, 10 up, at around $400/mo.
At some locations they also offer "Metro Ethernet", but here too,
finding info. is more difficult than one might expect.

So, any suggestions for me?  If you have a "fat pipe", what are you
paying for it?

Thanks,
Gordon