ico, 5 megabits per second is about 5/8 a megabyte per second, so it's pretty fast. I still get faster from my cable internet provider, though.

You can check your current speed by going to broadbandreports.com or speedtest.net.

One thing that really helps is Google Calculator.

Enter into the Google search box:

"5 mbps in megabytes per second"

It will do the conversion for you. I'm sure you can find a way to make the numbers sensible for you.

What's fast? How about a 50 megabyte download in 2 seconds? That's fast, wouldn't you say? Use your experience as a guide to what's fast for you.

Caution: keep in mind the difference between bits and bytes. mbps is mega-bits-per-second.

If you don't know how many bits are in a byte - I refer you again to Google Calculator.

On preview I see that WolfDaddy already mentioned Speedtest.net. You can compare Verizon with other local providers on their site to get a feel for what's the fastest.

Thanks all - it ends up being twice as fast as what I have now, which is good enough for me.

That figure is pretty useless when you factor in lag and contention and all those other broadband things. I get 4mbps at home on a domestic supply and 2mbps at work on uncontended managed fibre. I much prefer my work internet.

But, all things considered it's pretty good.

I get 1500kbps at home and it is pretty adequate, so 5mbps would be pretty awesome, if that is really what you get. Which, you know, it probably isn't. It's one of those things where the only certainty is that you don't get the speed they claim. Any other number is a possibility.

I've read consistently that fios is a lot closer to "what you buy is what you get," at least for now while their mainline fibers are relatively unclogged.

7200+ kbps - wheeeee!