Monday, January 23, 2006

Verizon Expands FiOS TV Rollout, Announces Pricing Tiers

Verizon rolled out its FiOS TV service in the towns of Massapequa Park, New York (Long Island) and Woburn, Massachusetts. Verizon is in negotiations in more than a dozen other communities in New York and 40 communities in Massachusetts to obtain additional franchises. Verizon has also obtained video franchises in California, Florida and Virginia, as well as in Texas, where Verizon has accelerated the availability of FiOS TV as the result of a state-issued franchise.



FiOS TV subscribers can choose from three set-top boxes: standard definition for $3.95 per month; high definition, which includes HD channels, for $9.95 per month; and a dual-tuner digital video recorder and HD set-top box for $12.95 per month.



FiOS TV services include:

  • Basic, with access to 15-35 local broadcast weather and community channels for $12.95 per month. The service is digital with a set-top box, which also provides access to on-demand programming. Basic is also available as an analog service that does not require a set-top box for viewing.


  • Expanded Basic, Verizon's lead offer, delivers more than 180 video and music channels for $39.95 a month. This tier includes access to more than 1,800 on-demand titles and requires a set-top box. High-definition channels are included in this tier at no extra charge, and customers must have an HD set-top box and an HD-ready TV to view them.


  • La Conexion, an alternative to Expanded Basic service designed for bilingual consumers who enjoy TV programs in English and Spanish, for $32.95 per month. The package includes nearly 140 channels with English and Spanish-language programming and access to video on demand. This service requires a set-top box. High-definition channels are included in this tier at no extra charge, and customers must have an HD set-top box and an HD-ready TV to view them.


  • Sports -- a 15-channel sports package is available for $5.95 a month


  • Movies -- a movie package, with 44 channels of Starz, Encore, Showtime and The Movie Channel, is available for $11.95 a month. The movie package includes access to each channel's video-on-demand titles.


  • Sports and Movies both options are available for $14.95 a month.


  • World Wrestling Entertainment's WWE 24/7, -- this subscription video-on-demand service, is available for $7.95 a month.


  • Karaoke -- this subscription video-on-demand service, is available for $7.95 a month.


  • HBO and Cinemax
  • -- Verizon also offers 14 HBO channels and 12 Cinemax channels as premium services, with each set of channels available for $14.95. The price includes access to each channel's subscription video-on-demand library. Subscribers who want both HBO and Cinemax will pay $24.95 per month.


Programming choices for African-American, Asian, Russian and other multicultural and ethnic audiences will be available in every market.

http://www.verizon.com