This article on Verizon's "super fast" DSL and fiber services is "super" misleading. It makes it sound like Verizon is rolling out some state of the art new service that is much better than anything else available.
Unfortunately, the reporter who wrote this article apparently failed to do even a nominal search for what kind of "super fast" service is available in other countries, where "super fast" 7 megabit service (what Verizon is offering) is would be considered "super slow."
In Japan, 100 megabit fiber service is considered the lowest acceptable consumer service. While DSL is in wide use there, it is considered inferior--and "super fast" DSL in Japan often hits speeds of 22 megabits. Twenty-two megabits--way faster than Verizon's "super fast" DSL, and the Japanese think it is way too slow.
How did we get into this mess? The U.S. invented the Internet, space travel, the Swiffer, and thousands of other high tech systems, but somehow, with broadband, we have sunk to the point that 15 other countries have better, faster service, and that's okay with our legislators and vendors.
The only way out, in my opinion, is action at the local/regional level. We are not going to change lazy and/or disinterested state and Federal legislators who are happy to let things drift along, or worse, put roadblocks in the way of communities trying to compete in the global economy.