Verizon reveals plan to launch 150 HD channels by the end of '08

Verizon FIOS customers have been feeling left out of the great HD race lately. Sure they have access to some of the fastest Internet connections in the US, but at a time when other providers are adding HD goodness in record number, FIOS customers only got one new HD channel in the past six months. Well the big V has finally broken its silence and promises that starting in the spring it'll deliver more 60 new HD channels, -- on a market by market basis -- and will have more than 150 HD channels by the end of 2008. Of course this begs the question, why is it going to take so long? Seriously, it's not like they have to wait for a satellite to launch or something. It's almost as if there's a limitation in their current infrastructure.

[DiligentJay @ Nov 1st 2007 2:31PM]

"revels"???

[jose @ Nov 1st 2007 2:32PM]

wow for a minute i thought it was some new media center xbox 360 firmware update

[Douglas Brace @ Nov 1st 2007 2:38PM]

Maybe it's just me but shouldn't Verizon worry more about expanding it service locations, instead of expanding it's features? I live in Allentown, PA which is about 1.5 hours away from the Philadelphia suburbs. The Philadelphia suburbs started with FIOS a couple of years ago and the service has yet to come to me. Come on Verizon, get your act in gear.

[Constable Odo @ Nov 1st 2007 5:27PM]

Whatcha crying about? They've been running FO cable all around the rich people's neighborhoods for about a year and I'm only a mile or two away and I can't get it. Mr. Verizon Rep, when will you offer FiOS for my area. Sir, you'll get it someday in the future. Thanks for the inquiry.

As soon as those Verizon dorks decide to give a little love to the middle-class stiffs, I'm gonna chuck TimeWarner cable so far and grab all those FiOS HD channels till it hurts. Maybe by the time the end of 2008 comes around I'll have FiOS if I'm extremely lucky.

[Luke @ Nov 1st 2007 2:40PM]

"in the spring it'll deliver more 60 new HD channels"

darn you grammar check!!

[bob e @ Nov 1st 2007 2:41PM]

First thing I thought was xbox 360 ripoff!

I can only imagine what the monthly fees are gonna be...

[Frankenstein Black @ Nov 1st 2007 2:41PM]

COME ON NOW CABLEVISION. VOOOM is cool and all but 100 HDs on DTV and 150 (if it happens) on V-FIOS. WAAAZZZUP?! Remember, we got choices now ;^)...

[Zak @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:38AM]

But don't forget that us Cablevision folks just got the Monster and Kung-Fu HD channels. ;)

[Tim @ Nov 1st 2007 2:44PM]

pictures of clean, friendly interfaces of other cable menus make me want to destroy my ComCast box.

[Jeff @ Nov 1st 2007 3:11PM]

That's not the current FiOS interface. The current interface is garbage. And their DVR's are just as bad as anyone else's. I actually switched *back* to cable because a) it was a lot cheaper, b) I had all sorts of audio and video dropouts on the HD channels, c) their router that they force you to use is a total piece of junk, my internet went down at least once a day, and d) there's nothing about their service that's really any better than my cable company. I do understand that some cable companies, and especially satellite companies, do rate shaping and downrezzing and all sorts of other crap, but my cable company in my specific area doesn't. (I do suspect them of rate shaping, but they say they don't. They are at least full res and I don't *really* notice any more macroblocking or anything on cable.)

The interface above is probably FiOS 2.0, which has been promised for a while but still hasn't been delivered, to my knowledge.

[MC @ Nov 1st 2007 3:31PM]

In response to Jeff,

That is pretty much what my interface looks like in MA. A lot nicer, but yea, the dvr's the same.
I also have the "slow" 5mb internet, and it hasn't let me down once. Fast and both wireless and wired networks work great.

Maybe the problems are just in your area.

[Kevin Hunt @ Nov 1st 2007 3:46PM]

@Jeff: Your knowledge is wrong.

[macona @ Nov 1st 2007 4:55PM]

@Jeff: You need to turn your router into a bridge (Assuming you have the Actiontek one). Its actually a really decent router its just its NAT table is tiny and is easily overloaded especially if you are using P2P apps.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r17679150-Howto-make-ActionTec-MI424WR-a-network-bridge

[nntpgrip @ Nov 1st 2007 2:49PM]

I wish they would all hurry the hell up. BSG comes back early next year. I've had an HDTV since 2002, I'm on my third one. They're taking their sweat ass time. Worthless

[david @ Nov 1st 2007 2:58PM]

I wonder how many of these channels will be IPTV.

[Ben @ Nov 1st 2007 2:59PM]

I'm pretty sure it's 0, they aren't ready to move off their QAM system just yet. In fact I'd be surprised if they did in the next 5 years.

[UnnDunn @ Nov 1st 2007 3:03PM]

They have announced plans to move to an all-IPTV system by 2010. For now though, it's all QAM.

[Andy @ Nov 1st 2007 2:58PM]

But considering then have released hardly any so far, would it be more like catching up?

That aside, I hope these are real HD channels and not like TBS HD which aside from baseball stretched every other regular show and calls it HD. And theres a number of other channels that do the same, its very obnoxious.

Plus 60 channels in various markets usually means about 20, as west coast east coast channels are technically different, although they carry the same programs a couple hours later.

Nice interface though, sleek.

[snitch @ Nov 1st 2007 3:02PM]

I guess its time for them to start getting back at cable companies for taking over there phone bussiness, I work for cablevision and let me tell you, they are freaking out because of this, although they have a hibrid fiber optics network its not 100% like verizon fios, and that will prevent them from adding all these HD channels, its like soon they will be hitting a brick wall soon and they know it, and they are shieting in their pants right now

[Jeff @ Nov 1st 2007 3:05PM]

You work for Cablevision and yet you apparently don't know about switched digital connections?

Cablevision isn't "shitting their pants" over this. They've got plenty of capacity and once they switch over to the new system (I believe it's planned for next year?), they'll have basically unlimited capacity.

[Dan @ Nov 1st 2007 6:28PM]

Yeah but how many feeds per house 2 isnt going to cut it.

[G$ @ Nov 1st 2007 3:34PM]

Jeff. That IS the current FIOS interface... at least here in Boston it is on the HD DVR.

[Kevin Hunt @ Nov 1st 2007 3:49PM]

"Hardly any"

They currently have 29, of which only 1 has been added recently. As far as I know, that's the most any of the big names had prior to DirecTV adding a bunch last month.

[snitch @ Nov 1st 2007 3:56PM]

dude do you really believed that digital switched will solve there problems, lol, first let me tell you something as long as you have that coaxial cable running from the Node to your house the Problem will still be there, digital Switching its just a cheap temp alternative that wont happen anytime soon anyway, you said it will happen next year? think more like 3 years minimum, remember coaxial cable will never come close to fiber optics Never. they knew it was coming thats why they built a hybrid network, they just did not realize it will be this soon, to me the will be back to square 1 pretty soon

[BigReg @ Nov 1st 2007 4:29PM]

This is great for people that can get FiOS, but the vast majority of the US can't, even if you are in a FiOS territory. In the end competition is great. Locally we have no competition beyond DirecTV and DISH for TimeWarner so they add HD channels very slowly. For the same reason, we're maxed out at 8Mbps cable modem service because nothing consumer friendly from other providers touches it (6Mbps on DSL).

[AlexNC @ Nov 1st 2007 4:54PM]

Being that they run their business, and you are a BLOGGER, I have a feeling they are a little more qualified to say when they can launch =)

[Ben @ Nov 1st 2007 4:57PM]

Well thats certainly more than we got here in the UK anyway. Sky HD only has about 10 HD Channels, including the BBC HD trial, so count you yanks lucky!!

[Peter Pants @ Nov 1st 2007 5:53PM]

I would imagine it has something to do with the FCC's getting rid of analog channels. When they no longer have to broadcast "that television in the garage" non-digital cable, they can replace that bandwidth with more HD :)

[Bo Teichman @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:24PM]

I work for Cox Communications and we are at 23 HD channels and by Thanksgiving we will have 35. I know our goal is 50 before the end of the year. Our hsi maxes at 12mb but with the powerboost (while downloading) i've speed tested mine at 16 before. And this is in Oklahoma City :)

[Drewlander @ Nov 9th 2007 6:58PM]

Comcast Sportsnet was added to my lineup on the 7th.

[Jeff Stoelker @ Nov 13th 2007 4:22PM]

@Jeff: You must work for Comcast or some other cable company. I cannot believe you would say cable TV is cheaper than FIOS. Comcast University must have seriously brainwashed you.

Get your facts in order before posting false information.