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Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: February 21, 2009
This week, Verizon has landed agreements to spread its FiOS TV services to more of Maryland and Virginia, while beefing up the channel lineups in other areas. It also managed to lay plans to open a new customer service and support center in New Jersey, which -- given the current economy -- deserves its own attention. We'll see you right back here next week -- here's hoping some good news hits your neighborhood within the next seven days.Read - Maryland expansionRead - Virginia expansionRead - 14 new channels in New JerseyRead - Golf Channel HD comes to Tampa BayRead - New service center in New JerseyRead - 18 new channels in California
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: February 14, 2009
Verizon's FiOS TV expansion team evidently took the week off, but the golfers sure showed up en masse. The Golf Channel HD landed in four separate FiOS markets, while Verizon's video-on-demand is expecting to keep lovebirds entertained today should they choose to "stay in." We'll see you right back here next -- here's hoping some good news hits your neighborhood within the next seven days.Read - Golf Channel HD in Richmond, Hampton RoadsRead - Golf Channel HD in Maryland, VirginiaRead - Golf Channel HD in Southeastern Pennsylvania and DelawareRead - Golf Channel HD in New York Metro AreaRead - Cupid Home-Delivers Romance on Valentine's Day With Help From Verizon's FiOS TV Video on Demand
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: February 7, 2009
In a continuation of last week, Verizon spent most of its time this week adding high-def channels to existing FiOS TV markets. We're sure those who already have FiOS are stoked to hear that, while the rest of us are grumbling with a hint of envy in our voices. Have a look below at what all went down in the land of Verizon this week, and count your lucky stars if you want your city to show up in next week's roundup.Read - New HD channels in Rhode IslandRead - New HD channels in MassachusettsRead - Philadelphia city council approved FiOS TV franchiseRead - New HD channels in Tampa BayRead - New HD channels in North TexasRead - FiOS TV franchise approved in Poughkeepsie, New YorkRead - New HD channels in Fort Wayne, IndianaRead - New HD channels in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Verizon's FiOS playing big role in Super Bowl XLIII
If you can't quite afford a ticket to attend Super Bowl XLIII, you may still be able to get close enough to feel the noise. If so, there's a decent chance you'll be enjoying the action nearby courtesy of Verizon. This year, said operator has become the first ever "non-partner" vendor allowed in the NFL Experience, as it was selected to wire the Tampa Convention Center and several affiliated hotels in the area with its FiOS fibers. All told, the outfit laid some 14,000 years of fiber in downtown Tampa is preparation for the big game, and FiOS TV will power 143 TVs throughout five downtown venues. Additionally, 116 FiOS TV set-top-boxes were installed along with 138 data lines, though there's no telling if any of this will remain after fans pack up and head home. More details are just past the break.
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: January 31, 2009
This week, Verizon was busy adding HD channels to the locales it already served rather than deploying FiOS in new places. That aside, the biggest news of the week is undoubtedly that involving the pullout form Wilmington, Delaware. If you'll recall, we heard back in November of 2008 that Verizon was gunning to get FiOS TV into The First State, but just yesterday it issued a notice declaring that "after months of negotiations and numerous concessions by Verizon, the parties could not agree on terms that would enable Verizon to compete effectively and serve customers in Wilmington, something we have been able to do successfully with more than 1,300 franchising authorities across the country." Ouch. For the rest of this week's FiOS news, you know where to look.Read - Wilmington, Delaware withdrawalRead - 14 new HD channels in Western New YorkRead - 12 new HD channels in Portland, OregonRead - 16 new HD channels in Seattle, Washington
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: January 24, 2009
It's a lazy week in FiOS TV land, with just two relatively small snippets to discuss. Well, unless you live in Amherst, New York or Hanover, Massachusetts. The former city managed to land its very own FiOS store where prospective buyers can meander in, test drive the fiber-based TV service and get setup in one fell swoop. As for the latter, you've probably already guessed (correctly, might we add) that The Bay State has claimed yet another FiOS TV town, with thousands of residents in Hanover now able to order up the service. Seriously, the Verizon-Massachusetts love fest has to stop. It just has to.Read - Amherst storeRead - Hanover expansion
Verizon, Bright House Networks providing gratis coverage of HBO's inaugural coverage
Neither Verizon nor Bright House Networks can provide those oh-so-snazzy interactive mix channels like DirecTV and DISH Network can, but what they -- along with a few other providers, most likely -- can do is provide free access to HBO for a day. This Sunday (that's tomorrow for the continental US, the day after tomorrow for Point Hope, AK, Kihei, HI and surrounding areas), FiOS TV and BHN digital TV subscribers will all be given a fee-free look at HBO's exclusive live broadcast of the "We Are One: The Obama Inauguration Celebration" concert from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Better still, both carriers are providing HD feeds for those looking for the best in clarity (read: you), and those scouting the full lineup of artists and speakers can find just that in the links below. Trust us, this is like a hundred million times better than trying to get within 50 miles of The District this weekend.Read - Verizon announcementRead - Bright House Networks announcementRead - Time Warner Cable announcementUpdate: Turns out, HBO's letting anyone with a STB tune in gratis. Classy move.
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: January 17, 2009
Verizon hasn't been too terribly busy on the FiOS TV expansion front since the new year began, but there have still been a few rollout plans announced for a handful of key communities. Since we last spoke prior to the onset of CES, the carrier has stretched its fiber-based programming service to residents and businesses in Justin, Northlake and unincorporated parts of Denton County (all in North Texas). Furthermore, new sections of Manhattan and Queens now have access, along with three more Massachusetts communities (Dover, Leominster and Norwell). We get the feeling the post-Christmas hangover will be fully extinguished by the end of next week, so hopefully we'll have an even larger list to run through seven days from now.Read - North Texas expansionRead - New York expansionRead - Massachusetts expansion
Verizon wraps up network expansion projects in Rhode Island, Massachusetts
We needn't reiterate that Verizon is madly in love with the northeast, but just in case you had any doubts, we'll point you to these two network expansion projects. The operator responsible for bringing FiOS TV to select communities has just completed a $600 million enhancement program in the Bay State while sealing up a similar deal for $100 million in Rhode Island. The projects enabled it to bring FiOS TV service to another 29 and 12 communities in each respective state, and it also delivered high-speed internet and expanded wireless coverage to more areas in both regions. And with that, we fully expect Verizon to start FiOS TV rollouts in the southeast and central US -- right Verizon? Right?Read - Rhode Island expansionRead - Massachusetts expansion
Washington, D.C. mayor signs bill approving FiOS TV implementation
Go 'head, Adrian -- brush your shoulders off. In a day where politicians are allowed to make and break promises with no real repercussions, the Washington, D.C. mayor deserves a hearty round of applause. After suggesting last May that FiOS would be landing in the District by early 2009, we're now informed that he has signed a bill authorizing the carrier to implement its fiber-based services in the region. Adrian M. Fenty has signed legislation into law that will give Verizon the ability to make FiOS TV available throughout DC over the next nine years, with the first residents able to order service within the next dozen months. Sure, there's a hoop or two more to jump through before this is all set in stone, but it's probably close enough to done to start celebrating.
CBS and Verizon land retransmission agreement for VOD content
FiOS TV lovers who enjoy dipping into CBS' stash of on-demand content are sure to love this. The aforesaid network and Verizon have just signed long-term retransmission-consent and program-carriage agreements that will give the operator VOD access to hit shows such as CSI and Survivor along with mobile access to select programs via V CAST. The so-called "broadened and extended" rights do not appear to include Showtime content, but they do include rights for high-definition versions of the material that the deal encompasses. And really, that's all you care about, right?
Verizon FiOS TV: now with at least 100 HD channels in every market
Verizon's FiOS TV may still be trailing DirecTV / DISH Network in total high-def channels, but the century mark ain't nothing to scoff at. The operator has recently announced that it's offering up at least 100 HD channels in every single one of its markets, though it didn't mention how soon it planned on infiltrating the vast majority of the country that is still operating sans FiOS TV service. We know it's important to look after your current customers, but the real revenue is in those consumers you've yet to hook. Keep those expansions coming, okay Verizon?
Verizon to add remote scheduling to Home Media DVR
Word on the Vegas strip is that Verizon is just moments away from announcing that Home Media DVR customers will soon have remote scheduling access. In essence, the company is just now catching up with AT&T, being that remote DVR features have been available for all U-verse tiers via the web and cell at no charge. This service, however, will only be gratis for Home Media DVR users, and it will enable remote control service via the FiOS TV website or by using downloadable software on select Verizon Wireless handsets, including the LG enV2, LG Voyager and LG Chocolate 2 handsets. We'll keep our ear to the ground for a go-live date.
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: January 3, 2009
During yet another holiday week, Verizon's FiOS TV expansions were expectedly slow. In fact, the only news on the FiOS front during the week that straddled 2008 and 2009 came from Chester, Pennsylvania. Up there, locals were alerted that the fiber-based service was available to over 3,600 households in areas "south of Interstate 95 and west of the Commodore Barry Bridge." We suspect the provider will be back into the swing of things during CES week, so hopefully we'll have a chance to pause from the madness and have a look next Saturday.
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: December 27, 2008
To no one's surprise, activity was extremely light on the FiOS TV expansion front this week. With Christmas Day falling on Thursday, Verizon only found time to announce that two more New York communities are one step closer to having access. The town of Carmel and the village of Hewlett Harbor have both granted video franchises to the carrier, which should mean that access will be available in short order. We also heard that Troutdale, Oregon approved a video franchise from the operator earlier this week, but outside of that, all's quiet on the FiOS TV front. Call it a hunch, but we don't expect next week to be much more eventful.
Troutdale, Oregon gives Verizon blessing to offer FiOS TV
Who knows if council members were just signing lines to get their holiday started early, but the Troutdale City Council nevertheless approved a video franchise for Verizon with an "ambivalent" four-to-three vote. We're told that Troutdale, Oregon has just over 3,000 potential FiOS TV subscribers, and while not everyone was super jazzed about the passing, we can only imagine that locals in search of pay-TV competition will be thrilled. Too bad there's no apparent time line for a build-out.
Verizon FiOS HD DVR Review
Now that DVRs have really hit critical mass, just about everyone and their brother makes one. But for the most part, people don't get to choose which one they use. Sure, you can select a provider just based on the DVR, but seriously, who does that? When it comes to reviewing such a device, we tend to focus on it in comparison to a TiVo or Windows Media Center, because in reality we think that is the decision that most are faced with. The following review is based on that perspective and is intended for someone with FiOS TV that is trying to find the best DVR solution. %Gallery-39249%
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: December 20, 2008
We know the holidays are just around the bend, but the installers at Verizon aren't taking an early leave. This week, more Southern California homes and businesses were gifted with FiOS TV, particularly in areas of Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Over on the right coast, residents in Blasdell, Kenmore and Lackawanna (New York) are joining the FiOS TV crowd, while prospective buyers in Staten Island now have a retail outlet to visit. Moving on, locals in Chester, Pennsylvania should see the service launch later this month, while subscribers in Portland, Oregon now have access to 102 HD channels. Finally, the Washington, D.C. council has unanimously approved, with one abstention, legislation authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-based programming service to District residents. Somehow, we get the idea this won't get through without a fight from one particularly angry cable carrier. Like we said, busy week.Read - California expansionRead - New York expansionRead - Staten Island storeRead - Pennsylvania expansionRead - Portland, Oregon HD channel expansionRead - Washington, D.C. expansion
Poll: Would you switch carriers if fiber came to town?
Depending on where you live, the entrance of a fiber carrier may or may not sway your pay-TV decisions. Apparently Comcast sure thinks it will in Philadelphia, and it got us to wondering just how eager people are to transition from tried-and-true cable to the likes of U-verse TV (AT&T) and FiOS TV (Verizon). Moreover, would those of you in satellite contracts also consider jumping ship when the time came? Why or why not? We've certainly seen less than enthusiastic reviews for both major fiber carriers in the US, but it's not like cable companies are spot free of issues, either. If fiber came calling, would you come running (and if so, from who)? %Poll-23772%
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: December 13, 2008
Talk about a deflating week for Verizon. Not only did the one FiOS TV expansion notice come in the form of a release stating that Fort Wayne, Indiana customers now had access to 101 high-definition channels, but the practically locked-up Philadelphia deal was delayed for at least a month thanks to a few meddling Comcast lobbyists. Here's hoping for a brighter report next Saturday (or possibly Friday, if we're talking Hawaiian time).
