Virginia
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Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: August 9, 2008
Coming off a somewhat busy week last week, it seems that Verizon's worker bees are still out in full force (begrudgingly or otherwise) in order to keep those FiOS TV installations going at a rapid pace. Up first, we're seeing the fiber-based programming service head to even more apartments in Northern Virginia, this time to Archstone Apartments in 14 NoVA communities. Next, we're seeing that yet another locale in Washington state (Brier) has awarded Verizon with a video franchise, while four more Massachusetts towns (Northborough, Stoughton, Stow and Sutton) now have the ability to order FiOS TV. We'll see you next week -- here's to hoping your neck of the woods gets covered within the next seven days.Read - Virginia expansionRead - Washington expansionRead - Massachusetts expansion
Richmond, VA's NBC12 flips on high-definition newscasts
For the second time this month, we're seeing a local news station in Virginia make the leap to HD. Richmond's own NBC12 (WWBT) threw the lever earlier this week, making it the first local station in the market to bring high-def news to nearby citizens. As this rate, pretty much all of VA will be watching their 6:00PM news in high-def before the decade ends. Makes sense, though -- after all, Virginia is for (HD) lovers. We know, we know...[Thanks, Matthew]
Virginia's WAVY-TV joins the crowd, produces local news in HD
While citizens in the Roanoke-Lynchburg area have been enjoying their local news in high-definition for a few months now, WAVY-TV is bringing the same luxury to mums, dads and offspring in Norfolk / Portsmouth / Newport News / Hampton Roads. The NBC affiliate just flipped the switch this week, marking the first time local news was offered in HD anywhere in the Greater Hampton Roads area. So, are y'all impressed with the quality? [Thanks, Robert and Martin]
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: July 19, 2008
You probably realized that our weekly FiOS TV expansion post was nowhere to be found last week. Just an FYI: that's a direct result of Verizon not announcing a single new locale for its service. Apparently it was shoring 'em up, though, as this week a whole slew of neighborhoods are getting service. We've got eight more communities in New Jersey, yet another Bay State region, Hampton, Virginia and the very first community in Washington state to land a FiOS TV video franchise. If you're near any of these places, check out the links below for all the details. We'll see you next week -- here's to hoping your neck of the woods gets covered within the next seven days.Read - Washington State expansionRead - Hampton, Virginia expansionRead - New Jersey expansionRead - Massachusetts expansion
Cox lines up 4 more HD channels for Norfolk / Hampton Roads, VA
Although Cox subscribers up in NoVA have had the four HD channel we're about to mention for months now, we suppose late really is better than never. Reportedly, the carrier is gearing up to launch Bravo HD, USA HD, SciFi HD and CNBC HD in the Norfolk / Hampton Roads area of Virginia, with the go-live date pegged for July 24th. Is a happy dance in order?[Thanks, Martin]
Verizon's FiOS TV expansions: June 28, 2008
Another week of expansions are in the books, and it looks like just two new locales got the good word this week from Verizon. A meager 347 households in Poquoson, Virginia are one step closer to having access to FiOS TV (service will be turned on this summer), but Verizon did note that it will "make the service available to all households in Poquoson within three years." Further north, we see the town of Stow, Massachusetts approve a video license for the carrier, though it wasn't stated when residents there would be able to order and enjoy any of that fiber-based programming. We'll see you next week -- here's to hoping your neck of the woods gets covered within the next seven days.Read - Poquoson, Virginia expansionRead - Stow, Massachusetts expansion
Cox Northern Virginia gets 5 new HD nets: SciFi HD included
No double-takes necessary, Cox has just delivered five new HD channels in the Northern Virginia (Fairfax) area. According to a local familiar with the situation (read: watching the tube), subscribers up that way can now tune into USA HD, Bravo HD, SciFi HD, CNBC HD and Lifetime HD. Per usual, it's anybody's guess as to when (or if) these stations will find their way onto other systems, but don't ever give up hope, alright?[Thanks, Eric]
Comcast looking to sell outlying markets
Times are tough aoul over, and even cable giant Comcast isn't immune to a little tightening of the belt. Word coming out of Maine is that Comcast is looking to sell 46 of the markets on the outskirts of its footprint, mostly in Maine, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Virginia, Georgia, West Virginia and California. The move is about more than just the monies that will be generated by selling off its subscriber eyeballs, though. At a going rate of $3,000 - $4,500 per subscriber, that's not an insignificant chunk of change, either. By geographically concentrating its service areas, it should be cheaper to deliver services, including the all-important "triple play." If you're affected by this selloff, we're hoping your HD lineup won't suffer for it.
Comcast brings four new HD channels to Manassas, VA
Nary a fortnight after hearing that Verizon has dialed its FiOS TV sights in on Manassas, Virginia, along comes word that Comcast is giving its subscribers in the area four more reasons to stay put. Predictably, three of the four consist of ABC Family HD, Disney HD and Science HD, while the outcast is AMC HD. The carrier is now blasting out 38 high-definition channels in Prince William County (including HD on Demand), but that's still a couple shy of what Verizon's going to be packing when it sashays into town. Nothing like a little HD mudslinging, eh?[Thanks, Ryan]
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.
aloft Dulles-North hotel sets sights on November opening
Just in case the recently revamped Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center isn't close enough to all the action for you, aloft is getting set to bring its traditionally modern style to a new hotel in Ashburn, Virginia. The 136-room aloft Dulles-North is merely minutes away from the Dulles International Airport, and besides being near a plethora of shopping and dining options, it also offers each guest free WiFi, their own flat-panel HDTV and a "one-stop connectivity" panel for interfacing with gizmos in tow. No word on just how pricey a night in this place will be, but you can find out for yourself starting on November 6th
Comcast's Science / Disney / ABC Family HD trio heads to Richmond, VA
If you're a Comcast user currently living without Science HD, Disney HD and ABC Family HD, you probably won't be that way for long. Just when we thought the rollouts of these three were slowing down, in comes a report from the Richmond / Chesterfield, Virginia area proclaiming that the whole bunch has arrived there, too. Care to gift any other cities today, dear Comcast?[Thanks, Rusty]
DISH Network gets official with HD locals in Norfolk, VA
Don't look now, but DISH Network is holding tight to its Spring rollout schedule by introducing HD locals to Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News, Virginia here on the first day of May. Curiously enough, DISH isn't announcing any other new locales along with it, but we suspect a slow trickle of these releases will find their way out as the month continues. Competition just got a little stiffer, didn't it Cox?
Virginia's WDBJ7 hops on HD news bandwagon
Let's keep the trend alive, shall we? Following in the footsteps of Salt Lake City's 2NEWS, Detroit's WJBK and Denver's CBS4, Virginia's own WDBJ7 has also made the transition to air its local newscasts in high-definition. The CBS affiliate serves the Roanoke-Lynchburg area, and suffice to say quite a bit of work went on behind the scenes to pull it all together. Thankfully, the network journaled the process for us in pictures, so be sure to hit the read link for a gallery of off-camera shots.[Thanks, Dariusz]
Fair Oaks, Va. Apple Store ready to open
According to ifoAppleStore, Virginia's newest Apple Store will open this weekend at Fair Oaks. This time, Fairfax, Virginia will play host, joining McLean, Norfolk, Richmond and Arlington (they've got two. Lucky dogs).Doors will open on Saturday, April 26th at 10 AM. As usual, we're asking any TUAW readers who visit this store over the weekend to share their stories and pictures. The first 1,000 people to show up will receive a T-shirt, but there won't be a big giveaway this time around (sorry, Fair Oaks!).
DISH Network launching HD locals in four more markets
After the onslaught of rapid-fire HD locals launches in March, all has been quiet on the DISH Network front -- until now. Four more markets can gleefully celebrate the homecoming of HD locals via DISH: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tampa, Florida, Cleveland, Ohio and Richmond, Virginia. Each of the aforementioned locales will be receiving their respective local ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX stations save for Milwaukee, which will sadly miss out on CBS. You're all giddy, aren't you? The HD locals go live for these four regions on April 10th at 6:00AM ET -- yeah, tomorrow!
Comcast rolls out four new HD channels in Richmond, VA
If you thought the HD rollouts from Comcast were dwindling down, you've got another thing coming. It appears that Richmond, Virginia will be picking up four newcomers as well on April 15th, notching AMC HD (218), CNN HD (234), History HD (237) and Animal Planet HD (241). Also of note, another foursome of channels -- History Channel, Cartoon Network, G4TV and ION -- have gone all digital. Got any more Comcast? We're sure users all over the US would love to get in while you're being generous.[Thanks, Kevin]
Cavalier looking to compete in Hampton Roads, VA
We'll be honest -- we're not exactly sure the television hotbed that is Hampton Roads, Virginia would be the first place we'd look to compete in the industry, but Cavalier Telephone & TV apparently sees opportunity. The Richmond-based company -- which stands as "one of the few survivors that emerged as a telephone service industry player after the phone business was deregulated in 1996" -- is reportedly gearing up to compete with Cox and Verizon in the region. Interestingly, Cavalier actually pushes its digital TV signals over Verizon-owned lines, and if you're wondering how it'll compete without high-def, the company is already busy "signing deals with networks so Cavalier can carry their channels in HD." Hey, if one more in the mix keeps prices (more) reasonable, we're all for it.
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]
