Consumers in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, Major Step Closer to Real Choice for Cable TV

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. - Residents of Spotsylvania County are a major step closer to real choice for their cable television services, thanks to Tuesday night's (Oct. 24) unanimous Board of Supervisors vote authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV here.

Spotsylvania County is the 14th Virginia jurisdiction to grant Verizon a cable franchise.  The company has more than 180 franchises nationwide, covering approximately 3.5 million households. 

Verizon offers FiOS TV over its all-fiber-optic network in around 100 communities in parts of Virginia, California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Texas.  It is adding new markets as it obtains franchises giving it the legal authority to do so.

Verizon currently is building its new, all-fiber network in more than half the states where it provides landline phone service, including Virginia.  The new technology uses fiber-optic connections - instead of copper wire - directly into homes or businesses to enable a broad array of voice, data and video services.  Verizon is the only company to connect homes and small businesses directly with fiber optics on a large scale.

The company expects to begin taking orders for FiOS TV in the next few weeks in parts of Spotsylvania County, including portions of the Lee Hill district.

"These recent agreements represent great progress for consumers who are eager for a true competitive choice in video service providers," said Robert W. Woltz Jr., president of Verizon Virginia.  "Competition drives innovation, value and service quality, and we will compete aggressively for business with our FiOS services, which are fueled by our lightning-fast fiber-optic network." 

Under the 15-year agreement in Spotsylvania County, Verizon will pay the county franchise fees based on the company's gross revenues on cable services.

Verizon FiOS TV provides an extensive array of digital video and music channels, high-definition channels, on-demand titles and features such as FiOS TV Widgets, which supplies one-touch, on-demand access to real-time local weather and traffic. 

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 of up to 30 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds up to 5 Mbps.*  FiOS Internet Service currently is available to many consumers and small businesses in Spotsylvania County and other parts of Virginia.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, 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 nearly 55 million customers nationwide.  Verizon Business operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks.  Verizon Telecom is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 252,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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