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Verizon FiOS TV spot boasts of "uncompressed" HD
It was inevitable, really. No sooner does Comcast and Rogers Cable begin taking heat for over compressing their HD feeds than Verizon pumps out a TV spot trumpeting its ability to deliver "pure, uncompressed high-definition." The ad campaign asserts that its delivery of material is superior to that offered up by traditional cable providers, but the company's media relations director Bobbi Henson did note that the real purpose was to show that "FiOS TV customers are receiving HD that's not compressed by Verizon." She noted in an e-mail statement that "content owners compress their video before sending it to video service providers, but [Verizon] forwards the signal to its customers the way that [they arrive]." You know what they say about bandwidth: if you've got it, flaunt it.
Verizon gets official with massive FiOS TV HD VOD rollout
Looks like that HD VOD blanket we knew was being laid out has been confirmed by Verizon, as it stated today that HD VOD has been dished out to all service areas in California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas. As for subscribers in New York and Oregon, you'll be joining the party "in the coming weeks." Finally, the carrier noted that it plans on offering up over 1,000 high-definition video-on-demand titles before the year's close -- now, if only it could locate a steady supply of AQUOS LCDs for new signups, we'd really be in business.
FiOS TV service is great, Verizon customer service -- not so much
Truthfully, the writing was on the wall -- after all, we've seen Verizon hit unexpected shortages on HD STBs, run completely out of Sharp AQUOS LCDs for its signup offer and create 335 new job openings in an attempt to get a handle on FiOS growth. All within three months. Now, it seems that customers are creating a hullabaloo due to all sorts of issues ranging from repeat over billings to discounts that never materialize to missing equipment. When questioned about the gripes (specifically in the Tampa Bay, FL region), Verizon's new head of operations in the area, Suri Surinder, noted that he was aware of the problems and said that fixing customer service was "a high priority." To be fair, this type of breakdown isn't uncommon when a product is so highly sought after, and from what we can tell, Verizon simply wasn't -- and still isn't -- prepared to deal with the influx of customers ditching satellite and cable to join the fiber revolution. Still, there's entirely too much competition in this space to do customers wrong -- have any of you been battling with Michael Bay's favorite programming provider over these very issues?[Via TampaHDTV]
Arlington, VA's Liberty Tower Apartments pre-wired with FiOS
As if it wasn't official enough already, here goes: the fiber carriers are on the hunt looking for new dwellings to incorporate their services into. Just a week after hearing that Indiana's Harrison Square condominiums would be available with FiOS TV / internet from day one, we've now received word that Liberty Tower Apartments in Arlington, Virginia is offering the same. Reportedly, a tipster laid down a deposit on a unit and was informed by the staff that Verizon's fiber-based services would be available if he (and any other resident) wanted. So yeah, if you're thinking of relocating and you've been itching to try fiber, it may not be such a bad idea to call around beforehand and see if you get lucky.[Thanks, Daniel]
Verizon beefs up its FiOS TV video-on-demand offerings
Joining just about every other major carrier out there, Verizon has announced that it too will be playing along with March Madness on Demand. Beyond that, it's also bringing a new helping of other options to its video-on-demand service. Reportedly, FiOS TV subscribers can now fix their eyeballs on VOD (and HD VOD, if it's in your area) content from "CBS, Discovery Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Ovation TV and more." More specifically, some of the newcomers include Big Brother 9, Numb3rs, CSI, CSI:Miami, CSI:New York, Jericho, NCIS and Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites. Granted, folks outside of Richmond and Virginia Beach, VA, Tampa, FL, Fort Wayne, IN, Pittsburgh, PA, Burlington, MA, and Rhode Island won't be seeing any of this in high-def, but Verizon does note that HD VOD "is coming soon to all remaining FiOS TV markets."Read - Verizon plays March Madness on DemandRead - Verizon expands VOD offerings on FiOS TV
Indiana's Harrison Square condominiums to come pre-wired with FiOS
Nary a week after finding that a forthcoming University of Houston residence hall was being erected with U-verse built-in, along comes word that 62 luxury condominiums in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana will be constructed with FiOS pre-installed. Dubbed The Harrison, the aforementioned units are a vital part of the downtown revitalization efforts, and each one promises dedicated underground parking, near-10-foot ceilings and access to an indoor / outdoor roof deck overlooking the nearby ballpark. Units start at around $150,000, and while over 100-percent have already been claimed, folks are still encouraged to place deposits in case anything falls through.
Verizon tiptoeing around Boston with FiOS rollouts?
All in all, the Bay State most certainly isn't hurting for access to FiOS TV, but curiously enough, downtown Boston has yet to be touched by Verizon's fiber-based services. More specifically, the areas of Boston, Brookline, Somerville, Cambridge, Everett, Revere, Chelsea, Medford, Melrose, Watertown and Quincy have yet to be reached by Verizon's recent expansion efforts, and for whatever reason, it seems that may be the case for some time to come. According to a response by Boston's Mayor on the situation, Verizon has "declined the city's repeated encouragement to enter a cable franchise negotiation, opting instead to slowly build in the suburbs." Granted, it's not unusual for the firm to target the outskirts, but it's certainly not pleasing news for Bostonians holding out for FiOS.[Thanks, Jason K.]
Look out, parents: kids determining what's watched on VOD
While carriers and broadcasters seem to be on a mission to deliver video-on-demand content that hard-working adults can view on their own schedules, it could be all for naught. According to new research gathered by Verizon, it's the youngsters who are generally controlling what's watched via VOD. Granted, the release suggests that it's the busy parents turning to VOD for more family friendly programming, but we all know who's pushing the buttons at the end of the day. Last month, for instance, the top ten free VOD titles watched on FiOS TV were shows specifically aimed at kids, and considering the convenience and inexpensiveness (can't beat gratis, eh?), we suppose we aren't too surprised to hear of parents choosing VOD to satisfy demands for Dora the Explorer 24/7. Still, we'd love to see a similar report using viewer data from all carriers of VOD -- surely the rug-rats aren't dominating the tube everywhere, right?
Verizon rolling FiOS TV to Abington, Massachusetts
Although you won't find any FiOS-infested furniture stores in Abington, Verizon is bringing its fiber-based TV service to yet another town in the state of Massachusetts. Thanks to receiving a cable franchise in the region, the provider is gearing up to route its service to 5,000 more households, and when complete, The Bay State will have 66 FiOS TV-capable communities. Unfortunately, there's no definitive launch date set just yet, but judging by history, we'd guess that it won't be long now before orders are being taken.
Verizon to push FiOS TV in Massachusetts furniture store
If you thought partnering up with the always vocal Michael Bay was an interesting move for Verizon, get a load of this. Apparently, the carrier has teamed up with Jordan's Furniture in order to setup FiOS TV demonstrations within a "lifestyle store" in the Reading, Massachusetts location, and in case that wasn't enough, it's already established kiosks at the Jordan's Furniture at Beantown in Reading and on Bourbon Street in Natick. Additionally, a kiosk will be headed to Jordan's Avon locale, and the company's two IMAX theaters (in Reading and Natick) will soon sport all sorts of Verizon paraphernalia thanks to the provider snapping up naming rights. C'mon Verizon, we appreciate all the hard work in New England, but seriously, there's a lot more country out there beyond the Northeast. %Gallery-16703%
Verizon gears up for even bigger Chesapeake, Virginia FiOS TV rollout
As it stands, Verizon offers its fiber-based cable service to some 6,400 households in the Chesapeake, Virginia area. Soon, however, upwards of 81,000 homes could have access thanks to a unanimous vote by the Chesapeake City Council which blessed the provider with a proper cable franchise. Previously, Verizon was operating in the area under "ordinance franchise rules," but now the coast is clear for "all households in the company's initial service area" to be covered within three years. Unfortunately, we've no idea when the expansion will actually begin, but needless to say, you can start sitting on pins and needles anytime.
Verizon adding 335 jobs to handle rapid FiOS growth
It's no surprise that Verizon is adding FiOS customers at a mind-numbing rate, but apparently, signing on some 80,000 new subscribers per month is going to require a few more employees. More specifically, the carrier will reportedly be hiring some 335 more workers over the next few years to "staff a FiOS call center in suburban Syracuse, NY." We aren't told if any other job openings will surface as a part of FiOS' rapid expansion, but here's to hoping it branches out to more locales in the not-too-distant future, regardless.
Verizon grabs Michael Bay, coaxes him to campaign for FiOS
Not even a fortnight after DISH Network snagged Frank Caliendo to push its satellite TV service, and merely hours after Michael Bay was caught speaking out for Blu-ray yet again, it seems that Verizon has found a way to get the aforementioned filmmaker to plug its wares. More specifically, Mr. Bay will be an integral part of the fiber carrier's "This is FiOS; This is Big" campaign, which aims to demonstrate how FiOS "is the best and first choice for home entertainment." We know, most of you out there will do just about anything to avoid an ad, but if you're curious about this particular one, feel free to head here and take a peek.
Verizon's FiOS TV coming to Ramapo, New York
More FiOS TV in New York? Why, yes please! And hey, it's not like you can really blame Verizon -- after all, the Empire State leads the nation in HD adoption. That being said, we're pleased to announce that Ramapo, NY is next on the list to receive the outfit's fiber-based television service, as the New York Public Service Commission just recently "issued an order confirming Verizon's video franchise with the town." Reportedly, the Town of Ramapo's franchise blankets select portions of Hillcrest, Ladentown, Monsey, Tallman, Viola, Northeast Ramapo and Western Ramapo, and while an actual launch date has yet to be set in stone, Verizon senior vice president for New York and Connecticut did say that it was coming "soon."
The Smithsonian Channel HD coming to Charter, FiOS TV
Nearly five months after The Smithsonian Channel HD landed on DirecTV, the channel is now well on its way to Charter and FiOS TV systems. Sure enough, Smithsonian Channel has "reached affiliate agreements" with both Charter Communications and Verizon, and yes, the deals do include the SD and HD versions along with Smithsonian Channel On Demand content. Interestingly, no actual launch dates were announced for either carrier, but according to the release, Smithsonian Channel is looking forward to "announcing other distribution agreements over the next few months." Keep an eye on that EPG, you two sects.
Engadget HD definitively answers: does cable, satellite, or fiber provide more HD?
You want to know -- nay, you deserve to know -- which service provides the most HD content. Engadget HD's got the answer, see how your HD provider stacks up.
Ask Engadget HD: Does cable, satellite, or fiber provide more HD?
Particularly of late, cable television providers have been bullying each other on the air and proudly proclaiming superiority in the high-definition department. One would immediately assume that there's some black and white somewhere in this equation, but honestly, things are pretty gray. Hard though it may be to believe, there actually isn't a clear cut answer to this week's Ask Engadget HD question, which comes to us from the bewildered mind of Brian: "I want an unbiased opinion, and more importantly, the facts. DISH Network is looking more and more like the leading HD provider with its weekly HD additions this past fall. However, now my local cable provider, Comcast, is running ads stating that it has More, More, More HD. My question is simple: who has more HD channels including and not including HD VOD?"The inability to find a clear cut answer hasn't stopped us from forging ahead in the past, and it won't be slowing us down today, either. Ready to plunge deep into the increasingly murky waters of HD offerings? Join us after the jump as we take a critical look at high-def options from DirecTV, DISH Network, Verizon, AT&T and a slew of traditional cable operators in order to best address the above inquiry.
Verizon becomes exclusive VOD provider for upcoming MTV series
Here's an interesting one. Apparently, Verizon has inked a deal with MTV to become its sole video-on-demand distributor of the upcoming series Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew. Granted, the VOD content won't be in high-definition or anything, but it will be available exclusively to FiOS TV subscribers just 24 hours after it debuts on February 7 at 10:00PM. More interesting here, however, is the premise of locking down specific carriers for doling out video-on-demand content -- personally, we aren't exactly enthralled by the idea (non-FiOS TV customers feel a bit left out?), but it's an interesting concept to draw in customers, for sure.
Verizon running low on FiOS TV HD boxes?
Yeah, we've seen shortages caused by unexpected upticks in demand before, and unfortunately, it's new FiOS TV customers that'll be feeling the pain this 'go round. Shortly after hooking up its one millionth customer, the carrier is now being forced to tell consumers that they won't be able to get a Motorola HD receiver or HD DVR right away. According to a number of user reports, company reps have been informing folks that the wait could be as long as a month, but a Motorola spokeswoman has reportedly said that it's working closely with the company in order to relieve the shortage. We know FiOS TV has been spreading its wings of late, so we're curious to know: have you been affected by said shortage, or did you get in just under the wire?[Via Multichannel News, thanks Jonathan E.]
Verizon grabs one million FiOS TV subscribers
Just months after Verizon celebrated two years of FiOS, and merely four days after celebrating the same for New York, the firm has found yet another reason to boogie down. After a "banner 2007" and a presumably successful January 2008, the outfit has finally netted its one millionth FiOS TV subscriber. The milestone makes it the tenth largest cable provider in the United States, and considering that Mediacom is holding down the nine spot with 1.3 million, we'd say VZW is well on its way into single digits on the leaderboard. Meanwhile, that other fiber-based television carrier is aiming to hit the same mark before 2008 draws to a close.
