Verizon's FiOS expansion is on hold with the exception of major city franchise build obligations, though Verizon stated on a recent earnings call that a focus for this year would be to get stubborn DSL users in markets already upgraded to FiOS to switch to the newer technology. Verizon's been busy trying to ramp up take rates in already upgraded markets, and the move allows them to save money since fiber lines incur lower maintenance costs.

"What you’re going to see this year is a very strategic initiative, that we go out and we look at areas where there are chronic copper problems and we start to transform them onto our FiOS network," recently stated Verizon's Fran Shammo." And the math would say if there is a chronic problem that we have to visit more than two times a year, the actual financial benefit of us transforming that to FiOS pays for itself within that year."

This 768 kbps user in our forums is getting a taste of the new initiative and has been told he's being upgraded at no cost. "Verizon called me up stating that as someone who has made several reports of problems with the copper lines, they are changing out my copper lines to the home to fiber," says the user. "My phone plan and internet are supposed to be the same plan/rates and I will not be seeing any increases nor incur any costs as part of this."

As of the end of 2011 Verizon passed (not necessarily served, customers may be just out of range) 16.5 million households with fiber. Once their urban franchise push (New York, DC, Philly, Pittsburgh) is completed in a few years, Verizon says they should have around 70% of their overall broadband footprint covered with FiOS as they reach 18 million homes passed.