The return path, long the poor cousin to downstream in terms of throughput and spectrum allocation, is beginning to demand its due. Consumer behavior is driving the attention, with the explosion in popularity of video-rich, two-way applications now impacting Internet usage patterns. Service providers are responding. Cablevision grabbed headlines in May by offering up to 101 Mbps downstream with its Optimum Online Ultra tier, but it also increased its top upstream speeds to 15 Mbps. Over the summer, Verizon increased the top upload speeds on all its FiOS Internet offerings to 20 Mbps.
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