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Verizon expands its 2Gbps Fios to New York’s five boroughs
Verizon says its Fios 2 Gig service is now available across New York City’s five boroughs, although it hasn’t clarified just how available it is in each area.
Verizon offers subscribers up to a year of 'free' AMC+ streaming
Verizon is trying to tempt 'The Walking Dead' fans by offering up to a year of AMC+ service to mobile and Fios subscribers.
Verizon's Fios TV app comes to Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV this week
Verizon is expanding the availability of its Fios app to set-top boxes.
Verizon CEO pitches 5G as a 'platform' for services like drone delivery
Verizon's higher-speed 5G UWB connection is coming to more NFL stadiums and Live Nation venues.
Comcast is expanding its 1.2TB cap to its entire 39-state footprint in January
Starting next year, Comcast will implement a 1.2TB data cap on broadband usage in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
Verizon adds free Disney+, Hulu streaming to some Fios packages
For a limited time, you can get free Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions if you subscribe to Verizon's Fios internet service.
Comcast and Verizon extend no-disconnect pledge through June 30th
Comcast and Verizon have extended their promise to suspend internet and wireless disconnections through June 30th.
Comcast, Verizon make some on-demand viewing free
Comcast and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) have been scrambling to help people stay online during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now they're giving customer more to do with that access. On Comcast, subscribers with Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex now have preview access to on-demand videos from several premium TV networks and streaming services for at least 30 days. Epix and Showtime are the highlights if you're looking for pure entertainment, but there's also CuriosityStream (for 60 days), History Vault, Kids Room, The Great Courses Signature Collection and The Reading Corner to keep your family educated, while DOGTV and Grokker respectively provide pet programming and exercise.
Verizon gives customers extra mobile data to deal with COVID-19
More cellular carriers are taking steps to ensure people can stay online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Verizon (Engadget's parent company) is giving consumer and small business customers an extra 15GB of LTE data speeds per month on their plans, with no action required. This applies regardless of the device you're using, and whether your service is a regular subscription or prepaid. It's not the completely unlimited access you might hope for, but it could help you stay online if you depend on your phone's data for work.
Verizon promo gives gigabit Fios customers free Google Stadia bundles
How do you sweeten the pot for gamers wanting extra-fast internet access? Throw in free goodies, apparently. Verizon (Engadget's parent company) is launching a promo that gives new Fios gigabit internet customers a free Google Stadia Premiere Edition bundle if they sign up through June 30th and are installed by August 1st, 2020. You'll have 4K game streaming tech that can take advantage of that fiber optic bandwidth. With that said, you'll want to think carefully about taking up that offer -- there are a couple of gotchas.
Verizon will offer YouTube TV to 5G and broadband customers
Verizon has turned to Google to provide its internet subscribers with streamable shows and other content. The carrier has announced that it's going to offer YouTube TV, the platform's premium service, to both wireless 5G home and Fios broadband customers. That confirms a report from 2018 that the company was seeking a partnership with Mountain View -- and Apple -- to give customers more streaming options.
Verizon patches FiOS routers to fix three security flaws
Of all the home network devices we need to keep secure, there might not be any one more important than the router itself. For Verizon (the owner of Engadget's parent company) FiOS home internet customers, it's time to double check that your gear has been updated with the latest firmware update after Tenable Research identified several vulnerabilities in the Quantum Gateway G1100. If exploited, someone could control it and According to a breakdown of the vulnerabilities, they would mostly require someone to be connected on the local network itself, however it could also be vulnerable if remote administration is enabled and someone had the credentials that are printed on a sticker attached to the device. Tenable notified Verizon of the problem in December, and a firmware update to fix affected devices started rolling out March 1st. As Bleeping Computer notes, at least one person reported some issues after it was installed, although it was resolved after a factory reset of the device.
Verizon deal averts blackout of Disney, ESPN channels on FiOS
As 2019 is about to arrive in the US, there was one major potential TV blackout looming, with a TV deal between Disney and Verizon (the owner of Engadget's parent company) due to expire. Over the weekend, however, the two reached a new agreement, so Disney and ESPN channels will stay on the air for FiOS customers going forward. The only statement released said the two "have reached a broad-based distribution agreement. Details will be released in the coming days." With networks like Verizon rolling out different types of TV setups -- like the 5G service available in certain areas that comes with YouTube TV and Apple TV boxes -- it's not surprising the two could have issues seeing eye to eye. At the same time, Disney is expanding direct-to-customer offerings with the upcoming Disney+ streaming service and the already-available ESPN+. We'll have to wait and see if all of the channels remain on the same packages, or if prices go up to keep those channels in the bundle, however Bloomberg reports that Disney won a price increase for its channels. Similarly, Cox and Nexstar reached a last minute deal to keep several networks on the air in specific markets, however Verizon did not reach a deal with TEGNA, so networks it owns in Washington D.C., Buffalo, NY and Norfolk, VA went dark at 5 PM ET. In a statement, TEGNA said it " has worked hard to reach a fair, market-based agreement with Verizon in Washington, D.C. (WUSA), Norfolk, VA (WVEC) and Buffalo, NY (WGRZ). We have successfully reached hundreds of deals with cable and satellite providers across the country with no disruption of service, so we are disappointed we could not reach a deal with Verizon."
Alexa's DVR controls will finally let you record a show
For all the recent talk of using Alexa to control DVRs, there's been a conspicuous inability to record to a DVR using the voice assistant. That won't be a problem for much longer: Amazon has bolstered Alexa's Voice Skill programming kit with recording features. Tell the AI helper to record a favorite show or sports extravaganza and you'll capture the show without having to touch a remote or your smartphone. You'll have to wait for TV and set-top providers to take advantage of this, but DirecTV, Dish, TiVo and Verizon are already lining up to provide support "soon."
Alexa now controls your FiOS TV set-top box
Verizon's FiOS TV boxes haven't lived on the cutting edge of technology, but they're catching up in an important way: voice control. Big Red has quietly introduced an Alexa skill for its FiOS Video Media Server set-tops, letting you change the channel (by name or number) and steer DVR playback with spoken commands. You'll need Multi-Room DVR Enhanced or Premium service, but this makes life a little easier if you happen to have an Echo speaker (or any Alexa device) and would rather not find the remote buried between the couch cushions.
Verizon gives a year of free Netflix to new FiOS customers
Telecoms have been handing out free video services like candy in a bid to win you over, and Verizon is finally following suit. The network is offering a year of free Netflix if you sign up online for a FiOS "triple play" (internet, TV and phone) at $80 per month. This includes both new and existing accounts, and Verizon will cover Netflix costs up to $10.99 per month.
Verizon can't find partners for its Sling-style TV service
Verizon has been trying to get its own Sling TV-like live TV streaming service off the ground, but that effort has apparently hit some snags. The operator plans to offer dozens of channels, including CBS and ESPN, to compete with rivals, including Dish's Sling TV and AT&T's DirecTV Now. However, it hasn't been able to sign enough broadcasters to kick off the effort, according to a report from Bloomberg. That means the launch, originally scheduled for the summer, may be put off until after the fall.
Verizon's $70 Gigabit internet plan misses both targets
Yesterday Verizon announced the launch of Fios Gigabit Connection, as "the nation's largest deployment of gigabit Internet connection service." It even promised a $70 per month price standalone, however, as people tried to sign up a few shortcomings have become evident. First of all, it's not quite 1Gbps speed, with downloads reaching a maximum 940Mbps and uploads stopped at 880Mbps. Further, its pricing scheme is more complicated than the announcement advertised, with that $70 price (that doesn't include the charge for a modem or other fees) only available to new customers.
Verizon reportedly wants in on this streaming TV thing
It looks like Comcast isn't the only cable operator considering a Sling TV-like live streaming service. Verizon has also been acquiring the digital rights to TV stations like CBS and ESPN, according to Bloomberg. However, unlike Comcast, which is rumored to be offering such a service only to its internet customers, Verizon plans to launch it nationwide this summer.
Verizon plans to test 4K TV for its FiOS customers
Verizon has been relatively late to 4K TV (its competitors hopped aboard a while back), but it's at least making up for lost time. The carrier and its partner SES have confirmed that they'll soon test 4K delivery to FiOS TV customers. There's no mention of when this dry run will begin (an IPTV launch may be coming later in 2017), but it'll include nine channels that will serve more as a proof of concept than anything. NASA TV will be the highlight, but you can also expect 4K Universe, C4K60, Fashion One 4K, Insight, Nature Relaxation, Travelxp 4K, UHD1 and SES' own demonstration channel.
