FIOS takes it in the face; Optimum is better!

Topic:

Optimum Online, run by Cablevision, is now offering the fastest residential connection speeds in the entire country. While FIOS offers only 50mbps/20mbps, Optimum Online is offering speeds of 101mpbs down and 15 up. Cablevision's service will set you back $90 a month, which is a far cry from Verizon's princely $150 fee.

Posted on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:26:08 CDT | by Robert Evans

Verizon FiOS TV offers HBO Obama Inauguration Celebration Special for Free

Topic:

DirecTV has setup an Obama Channel and Verizon FiOS TV provides all subscribers free access to HBO's Exclusive Obama Inauguration Celebration Special.
Tuesday is the big day when the history of the US changes once again and hopefully for the better.

FiOS TV subscribers -- whether they subscribe to HBO or not -- can see the HBO pre-inaugural special on channels HBO East on 400, HBO HD on 899, HBO West on 401 and HBO West HD on 901 at 2:30 p.m. EST and 11:30 a.m. PST. Read more

Posted on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS Issues and Problems raised by Digital Trends

Topic:

Verizon FiOS glass fiber TV and Internet service promises you the experience of future high bandwidth today. People living in a FiOS coverage area can consider themselves lucky, or can they? Our friends over at Digital Trends describe Issues, Problems, and Trouble they experienced with Verizon FiOS.
Quote: "When Verizon first announced their FiOS service, I was naturally convinced that it would be the next evolutionary step in Internet and home connectivity. Being the early adopter that I am, I quickly signed up for the service, expecting faster speeds and an enhanced viewing experience. Just one problem: I've regretted it ever since. Let me get this out of the way up-front: The FiOS service itself is amazing. High-speed transfers deliver as advertised, there are plenty of HD channels to choose from with amazing clarity, video-on-demand service works with an ever-increasing catalog of movies and more and more shows are becoming readily available. Granted, the DVR could use more storage and the menu system sometimes slows to a crawl, but I would take it any day over the box Comcast uses, which actually includes advertisements integrated into the channel guide. Read more

Posted on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS TV offers early Viewing of Cheetah Girls One World

Topic:

Verizon FiOS TV video-on-demand customers will get a first look at the summer's hottest new movie from Disney Channel.
The highly anticipated film, "The Cheetah Girls One World," will begin premiering Tuesday, Aug. 19, on FiOS TV's Disney Channel on Demand -- three days ahead of the movie's Disney Channel premiere on Aug. 22.

Advance showings of programming is another reason why FiOS TV is the ultimate home-entertainment experience," said Shawn Strickland, vice president of video solutions for Verizon. "We know that families are looking for this kind of family entertainment, and we're delighted that our FiOS TV video-on-demand customers will get a first look at this popular film, at no additional charge and with the stunning picture-and-sound quality that FiOS is known for." Read more

Posted on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:09:37 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon Gets Michael Bay for new FiOS Commercials

Topic:

Michael Bay is a Hollywood director most know for the recent hit Transformers as well as older films Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys, and Armageddon. Verizon has teamed up with Bay for new TV commercials to tout Verizon’s FiOS Internet Services.

The ads are themed “This is FiOS; This is Big” according to Verizon. "Michael Bay is a larger-than-life figure because he's a powerful game-changer," said John Wimsatt, senior vice president of marketing for Verizon Telecom. "Verizon FiOS is the best and first choice for home entertainment because the power of our fiber-optic network delivers the best picture quality, fastest Internet and most-innovative interactive services. Michael Bay is the perfect choice to help portray the big, powerful experiences that FiOS creates in home entertainment and broadband." Read more

Posted on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:15:16 CST | by Shane McGlaun

FiOS TV to get 150 HD Channels in 2008

Topic:

Today Verizon announced plans for a fivefold increase in the number of HD channels, to 150 channels, as well as plans for offering additional HD content through FiOS TV's video-on-demand service.

Verizon is also planning a major expansion of sports and multicultural programming on FiOS TV in 2008. Read more

Posted on Thu, 1 Nov 2007 11:55:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS TV and Internet Reviews

Topic:

We published Verizon FiOS user reviews back in 2005 already when FiOS fiber optics network was only available in in Keller.

2 years later Verizon rolled out FiOS TV and Internet to lots of neighborhoods. At the end of March 2007, Verizon had passed nearly 6.8 million homes and businesses – installing more than 417 million feet of fiber in parts of 16 states. Verizon had 864,000 FiOS Internet customers and 348,000 FiOS TV customers at the end of March 2007.

Def EFX posted recently detailed reviews of the FiOS services in Sarasota. Read more

Posted on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 10:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS in Numbers

Topic:

The Verizon PolicyBlog just tipped me about a new post highlighting the latest numbers around Verizon's FiOS broadband service.

At the end of March 2007, Verizon had passed nearly 6.8 million homes and businesses – installing more than 417 million feet of fiber in parts of 16 states. Keep on laying the fiber! Read more

Posted on Fri, 4 May 2007 04:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS Hands-On in New York

Topic:

An editor of PC Magazine got FiOS into his apartment in New York.

He published an overjoyed (understandable!) first-hand report of getting fiber-optics into his home.

Quote from the FiOS first hand report:
"My next move was to call my local Verizon branch and ask when I could get my fat new pipe lit. The Verizon rep was surprised to hear that I had the wiring installed already, saying she didn't know it was rolling out in Manhattan (always a bad sign). She transferred me to the fiber department. Read more

Posted on Thu, 3 May 2007 14:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FIOS Answers for Nerds

Topic:

Verizon tipped us about a recent Q&A session with Brian Whitton, Executive Director of Access Network Design and Integration for Verizon. If you know what FTTP, ONT, BPON or GBPON means, then this Q&A is for you.

Interesting tidbit from the techie answers include that Verizon FIOS has 207,000 FiOS TV and 687,000 FIOS data customers.
Verizon does not plan to license TiVo for their FIOS DVR and continues to improve their DVR product. FIOS TV currently supports video on demand with over 5500 titles.
Read more

Posted on Sat, 24 Mar 2007 12:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon announces Multi-Room DVR for FiOS TV

Topic:

Verizon announced Multi-Room Digital video recorder (DVR) system for its fiber optics delivered digital TV service FiOS TV.

The Verizon Home Media DVR features a multi-room DVR that enables up to three simultaneous viewings.
The multi-room DVR setup consists of Verizon’s DVR set-top box (the Motorola QIP6416), which functions as the media hub and its standard-definition set-top boxes (the Motorola QIP2500), which are the remote terminals. Read more

Posted on Tue, 15 Aug 2006 07:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon Expands FiOS TV Availability

Topic:

The via fiber-optics delivered FiOS TV services is now available in Woburn, Mass., and Massapequa Park on New York's Long Island. FiOS TV is already available in 14 towns in Texas, one in Florida and one in Virginia.

We had published user reviews of FiOS TV users, when it was only available in Keller, TX.
FiOS TV offers 180 channels, including 20 HD channels for a monthly $34.95.
FiOS runs on the Microsoft TV platform. The provided setop boxes feature dual tuner DVR functionality. Of course FiOS also supports Video on Demand. Read more

Posted on Tue, 24 Jan 2006 06:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS TV User Review Update

Topic:

The FiOS TV User review we published the other day was very popular and I received also couple more questions about the Verizon FiOS TV service. I found a 2nd FiOS user in Keller who gave me some additional details. Thanks Jason S. for the answers.

Q: What Motorola HD Setop Box is Verizon FiOS using?
A: Motorola DCT6414 HD DVR. Here is pdf document about this setop box. Jason S. also has 3 non-HD receivers (Motorola DCT2500) connected to the service.

Q: How much does Verizon FiOS TV cost. Jason S. has the expanded package, movie package (Starz, Encore, Showtime, Movie Channel) and HBO including the HD channels and HD receiver and pays $85 per month. Included is VOD of the subscribed channels in the package.

One I4U reader asked which company provides the EPG. The EPG is actually from Microsoft. Read more

Posted on Sat, 15 Oct 2005 10:36:07 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS TV User Review

Topic:

We reported in September that Verizon launched it's fiber optics FiOS TV service in Keller, Texas.
We asked in that story if anybody living in Keller is getting the FiOS TV service. Craig J. contacted us and answered a couple of questions about his new Verizon FiOS TV service for us. Craig also was kind enough to make a couple of photos of his setup (see below).
So, read on to learn about Verizon FiOS TV and why it sucks that you do not live in Keller.

I4U: How is the image quality of Verizon FiOS TV?
Craig: The picture is really the best that I have seen ever, even on non-HD channels.

I4U: What about the promised HD channels?
Craig: I have about 20 HD channels including all the major networks starting at 801 and working down to PBS HD, WB HD, TNT HD, UPN HD, NFL HD, ESPN HD & ESPN2 HD and to HBO HD. I even have some that I have not heard of like Wealth TV.

I4U: Anything that reminds you that it is not cable or satellite?
Craig: I know that it is not satellite because it rained over the weekend and we all know what happens then. It is not cable because the starter channel package is really affordable. Read more

Posted on Tue, 11 Oct 2005 02:03:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Verizon FiOS TV Launched

Topic:

Verizon launches FiOS TV in a town called Keller in Texas. The fibre delivered broadband service delivers a whopping 330 music an video channels at launch.

It is not cable, not satellite it is TV over light, says Verizon. Verizon has fiber optic cables running directly into households - this is of course very, very nice. I wish one of my local Telcos would do that. The available channels include HD channels and video on demand offerings. Read more

Posted on Mon, 26 Sep 2005 12:11:41 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr