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More HBO and Showtime channels can now stream via the FiOS app
Attention all ye FiOS subscribers: Verizon's announced more new channels for the service's mobile app. While you're still at home, now you can stream FOX Sports 1, HBO Latino HD, MAX Latino HD and More MAX HD to the Android, iOS or Kindle Fire device of your choice. If you're out and about, you'll be able to check out Showtime's Family Zone, Showcase HD and Women channels in addition to Encore's Black and Western channels. Need more? How about making your autumn family road-trip a little easier with Starz's Kids & Family HD option? That's an almost sure-fire ticket to backseat silence. Sure, there are still plenty of channels missing, but it's pretty hard to complain when you can delay hearing "are we there yet?" for at least a little while.
Verizon's FiOS Xbox apps now let you watch 'The Walking Dead,' er, live
Verizon's FiOS app has been leading the way on the Xbox One live-TV front, and now it's getting a handful more channels in its stable. If you're a subscriber, you now have access to the likes of AMC HD, Showtime, Encore, Bloomberg TV and ten others. As Verizon tells it, this brings the total channel count to 88 across both the Xbox 360 and its younger brother, the Xbox One. Whether you're going to use them to keep up with the exploits of the Ricktatorship or Homeland, however, is up to you.
Verizon FiOS gets a speed boost: now uploads go as fast as downloads
Before Google Fiber, Verizon FiOS was the speedy internet service everyone wanted in their neighborhood. The arrival of 1Gbps connections, a slowed rollout, and an ongoing battle with Netflix that's slowing streams to a crawl has slightly dulled the cachet, but it's still one of the fastest providers out there. Now it's getting even faster, but Verizon isn't boosting download speeds again -- those will stay the same as customers get matching upload speeds on every plan. On the fastest tier (previously 500Mbps down / 100Mbps up), speeds will increase by 5x to 500Mbps, and most customers will see their speeds double. New customers can get the symmetrical speeds right away, and they'll roll out to existing customers throughout the fall. To go immediately to the front of that list FiOS subscribers can sign up for the MyRewards+ customer loyalty program, which is free, and pretty much just requires inputting your birthdate. [Image credit: Mark Von Holden/AP Images for Verizon]
Verizon insists streaming slowdowns are on Netflix
Netflix and Verizon have been playing the blame game for months, and despite an April agreement to alleviate the situation customers are still seeing low-res streams and buffering screens (the FCC says it's investigating). Today, Verizon published its own blog post to "dispel the Congestion Myth" with some data that showing why Netflix is responsible for the hangups. Comcast also put the blame on Netflix a few months ago, but Verizon has an infographic. Basically, it says that while the connections Netflix is using are overloaded there are other ways to access its network that are wide open, but Netflix just isn't choosing to take advantage of them. Netflix pointed the finger right back in a statement to Engadget (included in full after the break), citing Verizon's failure to upgrade the connections so users can take advantage of the bandwidth they're paying for.
Netflix pays to play with Verizon, too
After Netflix reached an agreement with Comcast for direct access to its network, several other ISPs lined up with their hands out, and now there's another deal with Verizon. First reported by analyst Walter Piecyk based on a meeting with Verizon's CEO Lowell C McAdam, Netflix's Joris Evers has confirmed the deal with a statement: "We have reached an interconnect arrangement with Verizon that we hope will improve performance for our joint customers over the coming months." There aren't many details to go on, but it appears to be another arrangement for paid peering between their networks, as McAdam told Piecyk the deal was "like Comcast's." Reed Hastings has argued that strong net neutrality would let it connect to ISPs for free, but so far the (already controversial) rules the FCC is proposing don't apply here.
Verizon FiOS Media Server arrives as Quantum TV DVR that records up to 12 channels at once
We double checked the calendar too, but no, it's not an April Fools joke -- Verizon's FIOS Media Server is finally available in a few areas as a part of the new Quantum TV package. The VMS1100 upgrades the standard cable boxes used by Verizon and other providers by shoving six tuners and a 1TB hard drive into a box that then feeds TV to other smaller set-top boxes in the rest of the house over existing cable wiring (MoCA). Better still, you can add more DVRs for the ability to record up to 12 channels at once, 2TB of storage and feeds for as many as ten TVs. Unlike some other multiroom systems, users can pause and rewind live TV on the extender boxes as well, or pause a program in one room, then resume it in another room.
Verizon and DirecTV's internet TV hopes perk up thanks to Dish, Disney
Rumors that existing satellite and cable TV providers would launch full internet streaming services have circled for years, but the new agreement between Dish Network and Disney has suddenly stirred the pot. Between a deal that could actually put ESPN on an internet-only TV service, Verizon buying Intel's abandoned OnCue effort plus live TV streaming to Xbox One (pictured above) and Sony's plan for an IPTV package it seems like we'll actually see something arrive in 2014. Reuters reports Verizon and DirecTV are negotiating with content providers for similar access, as Verizon CEO Lowell C. McAdam told investors he would "love to partner with (content providers) to see how we can take FiOS contact mobilely across the country." Meanwhile, Bloomberg's unnamed sources suggest a Dish Network internet TV service could launch for around $20 - $30 per month once enough content deals are in place.
Netflix report suggests Comcast and Verizon FiOS speeds are slipping
Netflix's latest ISP speed report is out and compared to what we've seen before, there are a few surprises. Comcast and Verizon FiOS have dropped quite a bit in the last four months, while Google Fiber is once again at the top of the heap. Neither Comcast nor Verizon have slumped to DSL speeds, but given Comcast's history with net neutrality and Big Red's stake in Redbox, some might call their decreased data rates into question. A J.P. Morgan analyst tells Recode that Netflix's top executives don't think that the telcos are throttling their users -- reinforcing the fine print at the bottom of the report. As The Consumerist points out, last October the streaming juggernaut altered how it measures downloads, which could explain why all of the measured speeds started shifting around then. If those speeds don't match your in-home measurements, Netflix explains that the averages are well below peak speeds due to the different encodes used to pump movies and shows to your display, and can vary based on the networking gear in your house. So while the numbers may look discouraging, House of Cards will likely still look fine right where you are.
Nickelodeon's new interactive kids channel will bring streaming features to live TV
As parents have rapidly discovered, kids don't really mind the drawbacks of Amazon or Netflix streaming (limited, older versions of the same content library) and just want to watch their favorite show, often repeatedly. That's where the internet services are beating traditional TV channels, and Nickelodeon has been preparing an answer. As confirmed to the Wall Street Journal and Fierce Cable, its new "My Nick Jr." channel will appear in the guide like any other, but provides a custom lineup of shows based on preselected preferences, and even cuts out the ads. Other features will let parents monitor what their kids watch and set time limits, while the kids can rate shows with a smile or frown. There's no word on the technology behind My Nick Jr., but it's coming to Verizon's FiOS TV service first in the US, and eventually mobile devices too. Viacom already tested out the service on France's CanalSat, and hints that the personalized channel concept could spread to its other networks like MTV. A major issue holding it back however, is the presence of millions of older cable boxes that won't be able to handle the new setup. So far, massive conglomerates like Viacom and the existing US TV carriers have shown little interest in chopping up their bundles or offering video on-demand-style access as an alternative. Besides an abundance of network-specific mobile apps, this channel is one of the first steps toward that line; we'll see if increasing competition and original streaming content pushes things further.
US Energy Department outlines efficiency standards for set-top boxes, Verizon already on board
The US government, the CEA (you know, the group that runs CES) and pay-TV providers want to save consumers $1 billion annually with a new voluntary standard for set-top box (STB) energy-efficiency. By curtailing phantom power usage and implementing a pair of sleep modes for periods of device inactivity, these non-regulatory guidelines could save enough energy each year to power some 700,000 homes. According to the industry announcement, many cable and satellite providers are already on-board, with Verizon implementing a light-sleep option in certain FiOS boxes sold starting January 1st, 2014. Still, the group expressed some concern that scaling back an STB's power might negatively impact the user experience. What good is a lower electric bill when your DVR takes forever to resume from standby? [Image credit: quinn.anya/Flickr]
Xbox One cuts out the middle man, gets live TV directly with Verizon's FiOS app
The Xbox One is built to blend with its owner's existing TV-watching setup thanks to the HDMI-in, but customers with Verizon FiOS TV can sidestep that entirely. FiOS has launched a version of its app -- already available on the Xbox 360 and mobile devices -- for the Xbox One that promises 74 live channels streamed over the internet. Already announced as part of the first wave of entertainment apps for the Xbox One, Verizon's app makes it the first TV provider to stream live TV directly to the box. TV viewing with the Xbox One is unusually seamless with the passthrough, but with FiOS, it's just another app like Netflix or Hulu Plus, complete with built-in Kinect support for voice and gesture controls. If your FiOS cable box is already plugged into the Xbox One, it means the two can be used together for picture-alongside-picture with the snap feature, or that you can use the Xbox somewhere in the house without the cable box at all. Features we'd like to see are access to video on-demand, and integrated control/awareness for DVR recordings so we can ditch the remote entirely, and the ability to pin shows directly to the OneGuide, but so far, it's just live TV. The app is live in the Xbox One store but -- at least for now -- it's only useful if you live in a FiOS area and have the service.
Verizon FiOS app now allows some TV viewing on the move
Verizon has released an update to its FiOS Mobile app, which now allows users of Verizon's My FiOS service to watch TV shows over cellular networks, instead of limiting them to WiFi viewing in their homes. As noted in the app's release notes for version 2.0: What's New in Version 2.0 Access to select Free and Subscription On Demand content from anywhere, as well as the ability to browse the ever-growing Flex View library for great movie deals and exciting new TV programs. Live streaming TV channels both in and out of your FiOS home - Select live channels while away from your FiOS home. - Select live local channels if you are a FiOS customer based in certain locations: NYC, NJ, Philadelphia, DC. TechCrunch reports that the new cellular TV viewing is limited to only nine channels for now, including BBC America, BBC World News, EPIX, NFL Network (on iPad only), HGTV, DIY, the Tennis Channel and Scripps Networks Interactive channels, Food Network and Travel Channel. In addition to the cellular channels, the updated app also offers a total of 76 in-home channels now, including the newly added support for local affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, as well as Spanish-language channels like UniMas and Univision (in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C only, for now). FiOS Mobile is a free download, but does require a Verizon FiOS TV subscription.
Verizon FiOS Mobile on Android and iOS can now stream live TV from anywhere
The shackles have been officially removed. If you're one of the many folks using FiOS Mobile on Android or iOS, then you're aware the app's live TV streaming feature has only worked while being connected to one's own home network. Beginning today, though, Verizon will allow FiOS TV subscribers to view real-time content even when away from their humble abode, via the FiOS Mobile Android and iOS applications. The number of networks supported is pretty short, with only nine being onboard at the moment -- this includes the Travel Channel, BBC America, BBC World News, EPIX, HGTV, DIY, Tennis Channel and, on the iPad, the NFL Network. But, as they say, you've got to start somewhere, and chances are this channel lineup will become more robust in the weeks ahead.
CBS strikes a deal with Verizon, continues war of words with TWC
Normally, content providers and pay-TV platforms striking deals to deliver channels to subscribers is sort of non-news. But not every signed contract comes against the backdrop of an almost month-long blackout affecting millions of customers. While Time Warner Cable is still CBS-less, Verizon has locked up the broadcaster's channels for another three years, including CBS Sports Network, which has been missing in many of FiOS's larger markets. If you read between the lines of the press release (embedded after the break), you'll see this message isn't aimed at customers or even the news media, it's directed squarely at Time Warner. New York, Los Angeles and Dallas -- the three cities that are currently mired in the blackout -- are called out specifically as areas where CBS stations are available through FiOS TV. As part of the statement released, president of television networks distribution Ray Hopkins said, "This deal was reached in a short period of time, and CBS has once again achieved fair value for our over-the-air rights." And, just to rub some salt in the wound, the press release ends with a reminder that CBS also owns the highly desirable Showtime. With the war of words clearly continuing between the two feuding media giants, we wouldn't hold our breath for a resolution anytime soon.
Verizon FiOS rolls out 500/100 Mbps broadband, its highest speed tier yet
The broadband speed wars continue to rage, and today, Verizon announced that it's throwing down with its fastest tier yet. With a download speed of 500 megabits per second (and an upload speed of 100Mbps), the leap forward marks the latest evolution of the company's fiber-optic Quantum Internet Service, which rolled out last summer. To put those numbers into perspective, you'll be able to download a 5GB HD movie in 1.4 minutes or upload a 100MB file in eight seconds, assuming you're operating at full speed. Verizon is hoping to gradually introduce its newest speed tier to all FiOS markets by 2014, with limited availability starting today. To hear what Big Red has to say about it, check out the video after the break.
Verizon deal brings Watch ABC, Watch Disney to FiOS TV subscribers
Got FiOS TV? Then you can stream ABC and Disney TV shows. Verizon has reached a deal with Disney that offers authenticated access to the full slate of Watch ABC and Watch Disney online services, including Disney Junior, Disney XD and the yet-to-launch ABC Family. There are no quirks or catches involved, and Verizon has also agreed to carry Fusion, a Hispanic-oriented news and lifestyle TV channel launching later this year. FiOS TV subscribers wanting to catch up on their Motive episodes can start streaming today.
Verizon FiOS Mobile arrives on Android, lets you watch live TV and video on demand
The iOS crowd has been able to enjoy Verizon's FiOS Mobile service for some time now, but now it's the Android faithful's turn to finally experience what they've been missing. The application, which is said to be compatible with "many of your favorite Android enabled devices," gives FiOS subscribers the ability to live stream (some) channels and have access to on-demand video content right from their smartphone or tablet. Not surprisingly, a TV subscription is a must, meaning that folks who are on an internet-only plan won't be able to enjoy what the app has to offer. Verizon FiOS Mobile is now up for grabs via Google Play, so hit that source link below and let us know in the comments if it was worth the wait.
Verizon FiOS TV rolling out new set-top box Home Page
In the old days, you'd turn your TV on and see video. Typically it would just play whatever channel was on last, but more advanced digital boxes might start at a main menu or specific channel. Verizon's latest twist on that idea is rolling out video hub office by video hub office, and should reach all 5 million customers' set-top boxes within a few weeks. Called FiOS TV Home Page, it welcomes viewers by displaying weather and other basic info next to highlighted VOD or Flex View services, all tailored to each customer's viewing habits. Sure, some might find it useful, but others might be annoyed at seeing the screen for 15 seconds every time they turn on the TV or because there are tiles advertising package upgrades and VOD. Luckily, if simply hitting exit doesn't stop the pain fast enough then there is an option to disable the screen completely if desired.
Verizon FiOS, ViaSat Exede lead FCC broadband performance report
How do you pick your broadband internet provider? For many of us, the market dictates our selection, but a few lucky subscribers get to make their own call, rather than opting for the one and only service available in a particular locale. FiOS, Verizon's fiber-optic solution, and Exede, ViaSat's high-bandwidth satellite service -- two common secondary offerings -- happen to be the two frontrunners in the FCC's latest broadband performance report, which rates companies based on actual download and upload speeds compared to advertised bandwidth, among other metrics. More often than not, providers fall short of promised performance, with companies like AT&T and Qwest leading the naughty list. But Verizon and ViaSat are both motivated to maintain subscribers, and exceeding expectations is certainly not a bad way to accomplish that. This is ViaSat's first appearance in such a report, due in no small part to the company's recent Exede broadband introduction, which followed the ViaSat-1 satellite launch in late 2011. We experienced speedy performance during our own test last year, though latency remained an issue. The FCC covers this major downside as well, reporting a measured latency of 638 ms, compared to an average 29.6 ms figure for terrestrial services -- but overall impressions seem quite positive. The FCC has published some 10,000 words on the topic, so if you do in fact have an opportunity to elect your own broadband provider, it might be worth your while to comb through the agency's full report. It's ready for your perusal over at the source link below.
Xbox Live welcomes Vimeo and AOL On, boosts Verizon FiOS offering for Gold subscribers
A host of new Xbox Live apps came online for Gold subscribers today, including Vimeo and AOL On. Vimeo users will have the ability to share videos through Xbox Live and Facebook, but the new app may also be preparation for the official launch of the streaming site's pay-to-view service, available to all Vimeo Pro members in early 2013. AOL On also brings its library of over 380,000 videos, including content from HuffPost Entertainment, Reuters, CNET, Moviefone, Entertainment Tonight and yours truly. Lastly, Verizon FiOS users will now see 75 channels on Xbox Live, including 49 new additions such as AMC HD and NFL Network. All apps can be controlled via Kinect voice and gestures, though you may need more than zombie-like reflexes to flip to the Walking Dead. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the AOL family]
