TV Choice and Competition Near for Residents of Cohasset, Mass.

TV Choice and Competition Near for Residents of Cohasset, Mass.

Vote Paves the Way for FiOS TV - the Ultimate Home-Upgrade for TV Service Delivered Over the Nation's Most Advanced All-Fiber-Optic Network

COHASSET, Mass., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents of Cohasset are a major step closer to having a real choice for their cable television services, thanks to a newly approved agreement authorizing Verizon to offer its FiOS TV service via the most advanced all-digital, fiber-optic network straight to customers' homes.

The Cohasset Board of Selectmen on Monday (Nov. 30) granted a cable franchise to Verizon, authorizing video choice for thousands of households here.

The board's authorization brings to 105 the total number of Massachusetts communities where Verizon's FiOS TV is or will soon be available.

"Our advanced network delivers the ultimate home-entertainment experience, with technology innovations like more HD, the FiOS multi-room DVR, and onscreen Twitter and Facebook applications," said Donna Cupelo, Verizon region president for New England. "These are benefits that traditional cable just can't provide. And this franchise agreement clearly demonstrates the customer demand for choice in broadband, television and entertainment services."

Verizon research indicates 87 percent of Massachusetts residents favor more competition and choice for video services. Independent studies have shown that competition in the video market brings enormous benefits to consumers in the form of reduced prices, better packages and improved service.

"As a result of this new franchise, consumers in Cohasset will be able to choose their cable provider as easily as they choose their phone company," said Cupelo. "Competition drives innovation, value and service quality, and it puts the consumer in control."

Verizon's license agreement with the city of Cohasset is for 10 years. The agreement contains provisions for the network's future growth; financial support and capacity for educational and government access channels; cable service to government buildings; and other important benefits to the city, including insurance, indemnification and enforcement protections.

Verizon soon will begin its door-to-door sales campaign in Cohasset, with sales representatives directly explaining the many advantages of FiOS TV to local consumers.

FiOS TV offers a broad collection of programming, with more than 600 all-digital channels in Massachusetts and 18,000 video-on-demand (VOD) titles each month including 2,400 titles in high definition. Verizon's all-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 allows the company to offer consumers and businesses high-speed FiOS Internet service at download speeds up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds up to 20 Mbps.*

To see more unique features and service advantages of FiOS TV and FiOS Internet, visit http://factsonfios.com/reasons.html.

Verizon also offers a range of fast, affordable DSL-enabled High Speed Internet service with speeds of up to 1 Mbps/384 Kbps (kilobits per second), 3 Mbps/768 Kbps and 7.1 Mbps/768Kbps* available, as well as wireline voice and all-digital-quality DIRECTV service. For more information on High Speed Internet and Verizon bundled services, visit http://www22.verizon.com/residential/highspeedinternet/.

For a list of the Massachusetts communities where FiOS TV is available, visit http://www22.verizon.com/about/community/ma/technology/matvtowns.html.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 89 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 230,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $97 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: Rick Colon, +1-781-849-2046, richard.b.colon@verizon.com, or
Phil Santoro, +1-617-743-4760, philip.g.santoro@verizon.com

Web Site: http://www.verizon.com/

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

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