Verizon Expands FiOS TV Availability in Hillsborough County

Verizon Expands FiOS TV Availability in Hillsborough County

More Than 22,000 Households in Keystone, Alafia Areas Can Experience Better Television Technology; New Service Offering Provides More Competitive Choice and Greater Value, Including 24 HD Channels

TAMPA, Fla., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon today expanded its FiOS TV service in Hillsborough County, providing more than 22,000 households in the Keystone and Alafia areas with a broad range of programming choices and superior picture quality. The two communities join nine others in the county, as well as the city of Temple Terrace and southern Manatee County, as the first markets in Florida for the company's new fiber-optic television service. In total, over 55,000 households in Hillsborough County now have access to FiOS TV. The service is delivered over the only all-digital, fiber network that is being made available, on a mass scale, to millions of individual homes and businesses.

Verizon also announced the addition of two new high-definition channels in its Florida lineup, bringing the total HD channels to 24. The new channels, with an estimated availability date of March 30, are MTV HD (Channel 823) and National Geographic HD (Channel 822). Customers need an HD-ready TV set and an HD set-top box to receive HD programming.

Verizon launched FiOS TV in Keller, Texas, last September and began taking orders in Temple Terrace in December, Manatee County in February and Hillsborough County earlier this month. The company also has begun offering the service elsewhere in Texas as well as in parts of Massachusetts, New York, California, Virginia and Maryland.

"FiOS TV gives Keystone and Alafia consumers -- in fact, all who are in communities in Florida where we are offering the service -- an outstanding, superior alternative for their video entertainment," said Alan Ciamporcero, Verizon's Southeast region president. "Customers who liked what FiOS did for their Internet connection will love what it does for their TV. We've harnessed the speed and capacity of fiber-based broadband with the power of broadcast to create a revolutionary, new entertainment experience," said Ciamporcero.

Service highlights include:

* A broad collection of all-digital programming and compelling
consumer choice -- with more than 350 total channels and more
on the way.

* A lead offer with more than 180 digital video and music channels,
for $34.95 a month with Verizon FiOS Internet Service or a
qualifying voice plan or $39.95 as a stand-alone service.

* Over 2,200 On Demand titles available to customers now, increasing
to over 3,500 titles in the next several months.

* Channels grouped by genres such as entertainment, sports, news,
shopping, movies and family, making it easy for audiences to find
their favorite programming.

* An easy-to-use interactive programming guide that integrates HD
programming, On Demand content and the digital video recorder along
with broadcast television into a seamless user experience.

* A dual-tuner, HD-capable DVR that gives customers the freedom to
pause and rewind live TV, record one show while watching another,
and fast forward to their favorite part of the program -- all
without a VCR, tapes or DVDs.

Information on packages and prices is available at www.verizon.net/fiostv. Keystone and Alafia customers also can call 1-800-880-2941 to see if they're able to order FiOS TV.

Verizon obtained a local video franchise in Hillsborough County in February and is currently in negotiations with four other communities in the Tampa Bay region to obtain additional franchises. Under current state law, potential competitors to the incumbent cable-TV operators must obtain video franchises in each community they seek to serve. Verizon is also working with BellSouth and AT&T in support of state-issued franchise legislation.

More information about FiOS TV and fiber optics is available in Verizon's online News Center at www.verizon.com/news.)

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million customers nationwide; one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks; and one of the nation's premier wireline networks, serving home, business and wholesale customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Bob Elek of Verizon, +1-813-483-2541, or bob.elek@verizon.com

Web site: http://www.verizon.com/
http://www.verizon.com/news
http://www.verizon.net/fiostv

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

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