BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — For years, WNY has only had one option when it comes to internet, but it looks like those days are ending.
"It's limited," said Robert Barr, who's lived in Buffalo's Elmwood Village for 30 years. "I'd love to see anything high speed, anything fiber, anything better than what we have."
Barr, like many of us pays for Spectrum's internet services. He tells 7 News for $90/month, he gets 200mbps and experiences outages and slow speeds when watching TV or downloading from home.
Spectrum's service provides internet via cable lines, but recently, more fiber optic options are popping up in neighborhoods WNY like Verizon Fios and Greenlight Networks, a Rochester-based company.
"In Buffalo, we are building a new fiber optic network," said Michele Sadwick, VP of Marketing for Greenlight. "We all face that buffering symbol on our TVs, on our computers, that doesn't happen with fiber."
What do you need to know before making the switch to fiber?
Pricing
You'll pay less in WNY for fiber optic options when it comes to 500mbps speeds, with Verizon FiOS offering the lowest prices. Greenlight gets more expensive as you get to faster speeds, but tells 7News they've never changed their prices in the history of the company.
| Spectrum | Verizon FiOS | Greenlight Networks | |
| 500mbps | $69/mo | $45/mo ($0 installation fee) | $50/mo ($100 installation fee) |
| 1Gig | $89 | $65 | $100 |
Greenlight also has an affordable connectivity program as well, which gives qualifying customers a $30 credit. Spectrum has a similar discount, with up to $30/month off on Internet service for qualifying households.
Availability
Let's talk coverage. You can find Spectrum's services just about anywhere in WNY, with spottier options as you get into the Southern Tier.
Verizon FiOS is not available in the city of Buffalo, but is in most some of the Northtowns and Southtowns like Amherst, Hamburg, Town of Tonawanda and West Seneca.
Greenlight is currently an option in parts of the Cheektowaga Towers area, Buffalo's West Side and Buffalo's Elmwood Village. Greenlight reps tell 7 News they will not be building where Verizon FiOs is already an option.
"Greenlight is a residential provider, so if there are some areas that are high business districts, typically they alrady have good internet service, but our focus is more on homeowners," said Sadwick.
Speed
If you're looking to stop buffering and download faster, fiber is quicker than cable, up to 10-20 times faster, according to HP.
The future of internet options in WNY
Where there once was only cable internet, it looks like options are on their way. Erie County is working to build ErieNet, which now has a board of directors in place.
"This is an important step as we move forward in developing and launching nearly 400 miles of new broadband infrastructure in Erie County,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
A spokesperson with the City of Buffalo tells 7 News they're working with any party who wants to bring broadband to the city.
Most recently, a company called Niacom is starting with with the Town of Clarence, which is already live in areas close to Transit Rd.
“Niacom, headquartered in Clarence, formed a partnership with the Town of Clarence to bring its residents the high-speed fiber they deserve and have been waiting for...an ultra-fast and highly reliable all-fiber network to connect homes and businesses throughout the county,” said Nicholas Castine, Chief Executive Officer of Niacom.
If you have questions about Greenlight, they'll be at the Cheektowaga Hub Meeting on October 18 and they'll have a pop up at Colonial Circle on October 26.
