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26 new HD channels for FiOS TV by the end of July?
Not many HD fans have had to go through a longer drought without new HD channels than Verizon FiOS TV customers, but with analog channels dropping like flies all across the country, we have a juicy little rumor that we just want to believe -- after all, we already feel lied to with spring half way over. The one thing that really adds credibility to the rumor that 26 newcomers will be added by the end of July is the fact that all but two markets will be analog free just in time for 26 new channels of high-def goodness. Many don't realize that Verizon is out of bandwidth on its QAM infrastructure, so in order to free up enough space for 100 HD channels -- unfortunately not all the new throughput will be dedicated to HD -- and to keep its promise to the FCC, Verizon is eliminating 49 analog stations. The bad news is that Florida and Texaswill have to wait another few months before they'll have access. The full list is after the break.
Verizon to take on Comcast in Manassas, Virginia
Oh sure, Verizon's not coming right out and admitting that it's looking to go mano a mano with Comcast in Manassas, Virginia, but you can bet it'll be trying to sway customers away from the cable carrier as soon as it launches FiOS TV there. Not content with upgrading the network in areas of Southeastern Virginia, the operator has just announced that it has received a cable franchise from the City Council enabling it to provide FiOS TV to 12,000 more households in the NoVa region. Unfortunately, just 1,100 city domiciles are within reach at the moment, but Verizon is slated to string fiber to that other lot within three years. 'Tis a shame three years is practically an eternity.
Verizon beefs up network, expands FiOS in Hampton Roads, VA
Look out Cox -- you aren't the only television provider in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area expanding your network. As it's done so many times before, Verizon has announced its intentions to string its fiber optic-based network to more of the Hampton Roads area, and as if that weren't enough, it'll be upgrading systems in Hampton, Portsmouth, Poquoson and York counties while continuing work in Chesapeake, Newport News and Virginia Beach. Of course, it still has to garner the appropriate cable franchises from a number of locales, but at least those frustrated by limited options can count on one more arriving in the not-so-distant future.
Verizon expands FiOS TV coverage in New York (again)
It just wouldn't be a complete week without Verizon giving New York some more love, now would it? As of this month, Verizon has officially begun taking orders for its fiber-based FiOS TV in Roslyn Harbor and Wappingers Falls. In case that wasn't enough, it's announcing availability of service in the village of Plattekill and portions of the Village of Wallkill, both located within the Town of Newburgh. Go on New Yorkers, snicker away -- we know you all are Verizon's favorites anyway.
Verizon to build regional video hub in Washington, bring FiOS TV
Comcast may have just given the HD lineup in Southwestern Washington a serious boost, but that's not frightening Verizon away. The carrier has just made public its intentions to build the state's first regional video hub in Everett, which will end up being a "key component of the company's plan to deliver video programming" in the future. Thankfully, Verizon went ahead and made certain that we knew this hub wasn't being constructed for kicks and giggles -- according to David Valdez, senior vice president for the Northwest, the company is "preparing its network to offer consumers in the region FiOS TV." Regrettably, there's no timeframe given for when we can expect services to roll out, but the outfit is negotiating with a number of cities and counties in order to gain those highly sought after cable franchises as we speak.
Verizon unloading $86 million on Rhode Island network expansion
Verizon's doing more than just blessing Oregon customers with more HD content -- it's also preparing to bring its fiber-based services to even more folks in the Ocean State. $86 million has been set aside to invest in network expansion within Rhode Island, promising FiOS TV to an additional ten communities (specifics were solely absent) and giving another 50 union-represented technicians and customer service representatives a job. Yep, all that new cabling means expanding its Providence-based Fiber Solutions Center, but it failed to mention when the new hires would take place. Lastly, it's planning on upgrading the internet services in Cranston, Hope Valley, Jamestown, Narragansett, Pawtucket, Providence, Tiverton and Weekapaug, giving each of those locales download speeds of 7-megabits per second.
Verizon brings HD VOD to Oregon FiOS TV customers
Not even half a year after Verizon strung its FiOS TV service to Oregon, those very subscribers are now getting access to HD VOD. The carrier has been on quite the roll of late, dishing out HD VOD to a slew of other states just a month prior, but this marks the first time Beaver State residents can yell "me too!" For starters, you can look forward to seeing content from CBS, Discovery Channel, Music Choice, HDNet and Ovation TV, and if Verizon has its way, it'll be offering up 1,000 HD VOD titles per month by the close of 2008.
NYC reaches cable TV agreement on FiOS
While that 150 HD channel-future isn't yet guaranteed, Verizon's plans for expanding FiOS service throughout all of NYC took a big step forward, as the city has reached an agreement with the telco for a cable TV franchise contract. Pending approval by the city's Franchise and Concession Review Committee at a public hearing May 20, New York residents can expect full fiber coverage by 2014, with nearly a third of households receiving service by year end. Want some of that uncompressed HDTV? Head out and make your voice heard May 20.
Verizon adds 263,000 new FiOS TV customers in Q1 2008
Verizon's Q1 2008 results just hit the streets, and only three months after the carrier landed its one millionth subscriber, it's now well on its way to netting the second million. During Q1, the company managed to sign up 263,000 new FiOS TV customers and 262,000 net new FiOS internet customers, bringing the grand total to 1.2 / 1.8 million for each respective service. Call it a hunch, but it looks like Verizon's really onto something with this fiber-based TV thing.
Verizon delivers FiOS TV to Hingham, Massachusetts
The Bay State is getting even more love from Verizon, as Hingham becomes the third locale in Massachusetts to get hooked up with FiOS TV access in the past month. The Board of Selectmen in Hingham granted a cable franchise to the carrier earlier this week, which paves the way for 3,000 more households to select Verizon for TV programming should they choose. No word on when exactly service should arrive, but it ought not be long now.
New Yorkers get access to HD VOD via FiOS TV
Verizon's on quite the roll in the Empire State, and it's not stopping with filing an application to bring FiOS TV to all of New York City. Oh no, it's also bringing HD VOD to every single New Yorker with FiOS TV already, starting right now. On top of that, the carrier's trumpeting its plans to offer up "more than 1,000 high-definition video-on-demand titles each month by the end of the year." Go on, celebrate any way you wish -- before long, everything you watch via the new portal will be dictated by junior, anyway.
Verizon's FiOS TV headed to Orchard Park, NY
We have absolutely no qualms with lots of New York locales getting access to FiOS TV, but Verizon sure has been shunning the rest of the country here of late while giving even more Empire State dwellers something to cheer about. Next in line is Orchard Park, which marks the second locale in Western New York (and in Erie County) to get gifted with FiOS TV in the last week. Of course, the New York State Public Service Commission still has to give the final (and all-important) thumbs-up, but we'd wager that residents of the area can look forward to another choice in providers within just a few months.
FiOS TV scoots over to Wappingers Falls, NY
For folks who had their dreams crushed when Verizon announced its intentions to bring FiOS TV to Wappinger, New York, but not quite to Wappingers Falls, take heart. The Dutchess County village has just approved a video franchise for Verizon, meaning that its fiber-based television service is nearly ready for deployment in that area. Unfortunately, there's no telling when the provider will get around to offering service if the New York State Public Service Commission gives the all-important thumbs-up here, but we'd guess it won't be long after Wappinger gets its fill.
Verizon targets Stony Point, NY as next FiOS TV community
No sooner does Verizon point the FiOS TV expansion brigade at Western New York (Hamburg, specifically) than it goes and showers yet another community on that side of the state with news of expansion. Stony Point, New York -- nestled quietly up against Keuka Lake about an hour and a half southeast of Rochester -- has become the carrier's next target, and a newly approved agreement authorizing it to sell service there means the wait is almost over. Yeah, TWC's been doing its best to jack up the HD lineup around Rockland County, but with FiOS TV moving in, we'd say the squeeze is really on.
Verizon spreads FiOS TV to more of New Jersey
Barely three months after Verizon spread the FiOS TV love to more of the Garden State, the carrier has just announced that even more folks in New Jersey can sign up and grab hold of its fiber-based TV service. The news comes hot on the heels of Comcast's recent HD onslaught in both North and South Jersey, and while a specific number of households isn't mentioned, we are told that parts of Mount Holly, Westampton, Helmetta, Jamesburg, Spotswood and Pallisades Park now have access. It's good to have choices, isn't it?
Verizon aims FiOS TV at Western New York
Though it's easy to throw stones at New York in envy of it being heavily covered by fiber-based TV services (comparatively speaking, of course), those residing in the western half of the state have felt just as left out -- until now. Verizon has announced that it finally landed an agreement authorizing it to offer FiOS TV service to residents of the Village of Hamburg. In case you couldn't tell, the aforementioned locale is the first municipality in western New York to grant the carrier a video franchise, and if no one on the New York State Public Service Commission has any gripes, folks in the area can look forward to seeing the rollout begin this summer. Did we mention we're envious of New York?
Roslyn Estates, NY becomes next stop on FiOS TV tour
As Verizon prepares to phase out the final analog channels in its New York market later this month, it's not wasting any time stringing FiOS TV to more of the Empire State. Yep, folks camped out in Roslyn Estates on Long Island are one step closer to having access to the fiber-based TV service. Earlier this week, the Roslyn Estates Board of Trustees granted a video franchise to the company -- which claims to be one of the few carriers out there that doesn't compress its HD feeds after receiving them from networks -- and pending a review by the New York State Public Service Commission, service should be rolled out in the not-too-distant future.
Verizon's FiOS TV creeps over to Malden, Massachusetts
As Verizon continues to surround Boston with FiOS, we've got yet another rollout coming that will make those situated in downtown Beantown oh-so-envious. Next up on the list of Massachusetts communities to get access to FiOS TV is Malden, which granted the outfit a cable franchise authorizing it to pipe its fiber-based service to approximately 22,000 households in the area. No official word on a go-live date just yet, but you can start up the countdown for sure.
Verizon phasing out last analog channels, offering free digital adapter
You knew it was coming, but now Verizon's putting the rubber to the road with its effort to phase out the last remaining analog channels on FiOS TV. The carrier will tackle the phase out on a regional basis, starting with New York on April 21st. Those affected should have already received notification of the impending change, as Verizon will be doling out free digital adapters to keep said customers from pulling their hair out in frustration. Of course, it's not missing the chance to offer up more sophisticated set-tops to these very folks in hopes of coaxing them into bigger, clearer packages, but it's not like we're going to argue with Verizon trying to up the HD adoption rate around here.
Wareham, Massachusetts gets Verizon's FiOS TV
For TV junkies residing just north of the Cape Cod region, there's a decent chance you'll have one more option when it comes to receiving your programming. Right now, residents of Wareham, Massachusetts can phone up Verizon and see if their domicile is one of the approximately 10,000 more that have access to its FiOS TV service. With this addition, Verizon has covered portions of 66 communities in the Bay State, and while specifics are sorely absent, it does note that negotiations are already underway with several other locales in the state.
