Verizon FiOS TV Subscribers to See Films in Spanish, Chinese and Hindi From Internet TV Network SIVOO

Verizon FiOS TV Subscribers to See Films in Spanish, Chinese and Hindi From Internet TV Network SIVOO

International Films Are the Latest Addition to Verizon's Multicultural Programming

NEW YORK, March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon FiOS TV subscribers who speak Spanish, Chinese and Hindi now have more multicultural entertainment to choose from as Verizon adds films in the three languages to its lineup this month.

Verizon is offering the international films through an agreement announced Tuesday (March 6) with SIVOO Inc., the first Internet TV network of multicultural on-demand entertainment programming. SIVOO will provide 236 titles in Spanish, Chinese and Hindi to Verizon over three years. During March, Verizon will offer eight films each in Spanish and Hindi and three in Chinese, and SIVOO will refresh the selection monthly. Customers can order the films on demand for $3.99 each and play them for 24 hours. The in- language films join other channels and on-demand programming already available to FiOS TV's multicultural customers.

"We are committed to offering our customers a vast selection of multicultural content to satisfy various preferences for diverse programming," said Terry Denson, vice president of FiOS TV content strategy and acquisition. "SIVOO, which has agreements with many of the top international film producers, provides multicultural entertainment that subscribers can watch on their own schedules. SIVOO's catalog of quality international films is a great addition to our ever-expanding library of on-demand programming."

This is SIVOO's first distribution agreement with a multi-channel video provider to extend the reach of its multicultural content. SIVOO's on-demand programming can also be viewed on the SIVOO Internet TV Network (www.sivoo.com).

"We're excited to join with Verizon to bring high-quality multicultural entertainment to their growing base of FiOS TV subscribers," said Burhan Fatah, Ph.D., SIVOO's founder, president and chief executive officer. "With FiOS TV, Verizon has demonstrated its commitment to delivering innovative services to customers -- a quality that SIVOO also takes great pride in with respect to its programming."

Quality Entertainment for Multicultural Audiences

SIVOO is providing Verizon with a wide variety of quality films, some of which have received awards and industry recognition:

* A Hindi-language Shahrukh Khan film, "One 2 Ka 4," directed by
Shashilal K. Nair.

* An official selection of Spanish-language films from the 2004 Sundance
awards, including "Amor en Silencio" ("A Silent Love"), starring
Vanessa Bauche from the film "Amores Perros."

* A pair of Spanish-language films that won three Mexican Academy Awards,
including the comedy "La Mujer de Benjamin" ("Benjamin's Woman") that
won honors such as "Best First Work" and "Best Supporting Actor" for
actor Eduardo Palomo; and the drama "Vidas Errantes" ("Wandering
Lives"), which won awards for "Best Original Story" and "Best Actor"
for Jose Carlos Ruiz.

* A Chinese film "Cham Chau Chow Git Lun" ("Hidden Track"), which was
nominated for a Hong Kong Film Award for "Best New Artist."

FiOS TV features entertainment in a variety of languages in addition to its English-language programming. Spanish-speaking viewers can choose La Conexion, a package of 140 popular English and Spanish-language channels for $32.99 per month, or a Spanish-language package for $11.99 per month. Verizon also offers 17 international premium channels in languages such Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

Verizon's 8,600-title on demand library features hundreds of titles in languages other than English. For example, viewers can access almost 500 music videos from throughout the world, all at no cost. The catalog includes Indian, Asian, Japanese, Latin, European, Scandinavian and Slavic selections. Subscribers also can choose free on-demand Spanish-language children's programming; Spanish-language movies from the Lifetime Network; and other Spanish-language titles.

Verizon is providing FiOS services on the nation's most advanced digital all-fiber-optic network. Only this network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes and businesses. FiOS TV is now available in more than 200 communities in parts of 10 states: California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania Texas and Virginia.

About SIVOO

Founded in 2000, SIVOO, Inc. operates the first Internet TV network of multicultural on-demand entertainment. It serves the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population with more than 21,000 hours of quality on-demand content under contract that is delivered through an Internet browser to PCs, televisions, portable devices and mobile phones.

Only SIVOO gives consumers the choice of watching ad-supported on-demand multicultural entertainment for free or without ads for a nominal fee. SIVOO's proprietary system currently serves video through Microsoft Windows Media Player via any Web browser.

SIVOO is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, and has a production facility in Universal City, CA.

About Verizon Communications.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 59 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 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.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: steven.b.marcus@verizon.com

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Sharon Cohen-Hagar, Verizon, +1-908-559-3470,
sharon.cohen-hagar@verizon.com, or Jessica Grutkowski, Euro RSCG Magnet for
SIVOO, +1-212-367-6804, sivoopr@eurorscg.com

Web site: http://www.verizon.com/
http://www.sivoo.com/

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

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