Verizon's FiOS TV Approved in Two More New York Communities

Verizon's FiOS TV Approved in Two More New York Communities

Choice and Competition Near for Residents of West Haverstraw and North Castle

NEW YORK, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents of the Rockland County village of West Haverstraw and the Westchester County community of North Castle are a major step closer to having a real choice for their cable television services, thanks to newly approved agreements authorizing Verizon to offer its FiOS TV service, delivered over the most advanced fiber-optic network straight to customers' homes. The Board of Trustees for West Haverstraw and North Castle's Town Board both voted Wednesday night (May 16) to approve video franchises for Verizon.

The North Castle franchise covers the town's unincorporated hamlets of Armonk, North White Plains and Banksville. Each incorporated area of North Castle, as well as all other incorporated areas of New York, must conduct its own negotiations with Verizon for a video franchise.

"This is great news for residents of West Haverstraw and North Castle, who now will have a new choice for their video entertainment," said Monica Azare, Verizon senior vice president for New York and Connecticut. "Verizon's FiOS TV offers consumers something they've never had before, with incredible pictures and sound clarity and innovative new services - all from a brand they know and trust."

West Haverstraw and North Castle join a growing list of New York communities that are paving the way for competition and choice in the television market. In addition to these two communities, Verizon has been granted video franchises in the Westchester County communities of White Plains, Rye Brook, Irvington, Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Eastchester, Mount Kisco, Elmsford, Port Chester, Tuckahoe and the Town of Greenburgh. Verizon also has video franchises in the Rockland County communities of Airmont, Piermont, Orangetown, Clarkstown, Nyack, South Nyack, Upper Nyack, Grandview-on-Hudson and the Town of Haverstraw; and on Long Island in the villages of Massapequa Park, Cedarhurst, Laurel Hollow, Lynbrook, Mineola, East Rockaway, Farmingdale, Valley Stream, Freeport, Williston Park and New Hyde Park, and in the towns of North Hempstead, Huntington, Smithtown, Hempstead and Oyster Bay.

As with all local franchise approvals in New York, the agreements approved for Verizon by West Haverstraw and North Castle are subject to review by the New York State Public Service Commission.

Verizon's FiOS TV is a formidable competitor to cable and satellite, offering a broad collection of all-digital programming, more than 20 high- definition (HD) channels in the New York market and access to more than 8,600 on-demand titles, 60 percent of which are free.

Verizon's fiber network delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound, and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming that is so clear and intense it seems to leap from the TV screen. In addition to FiOS TV, Verizon's fiber network also delivers Internet download speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbps, as well as high-quality voice service.*

*NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

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 60.7 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 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.

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First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Heather Wilner of Verizon, +1-212-321-8333,
heather.b.wilner@verizon.com

Web site:

http://www.verizon.com/

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http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

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