Middletown, Delaware, Consumers One Step Closer to Real Cable TV Choice

MIDDLETOWN, Del. - Middletown residents are a major step closer to real choice for their cable television services, thanks to Monday night's (Nov. 6) unanimous City Council vote authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV here.

Middletown is the seventh Delaware jurisdiction to grant Verizon a cable franchise.  The company already has franchise agreements in Bellefonte, Delaware City, Newark, Odessa and Townsend.  On Oct. 31, the Delaware Public Service Commission approved Verizon's franchise to serve the unincorporated areas of the state. 

Nationwide, the company has more than 200 franchises covering approximately 3.6 million households.  Verizon offers FiOS TV over its all-fiber-optic network in around 100 communities in parts of California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and Virginia.  New markets are added as the company obtains franchises giving it the legal authority to do so.

"Last night's City Council vote puts Middletown consumers a major step closer to true competitive choice in video service providers," said William R. Allan, president of Verizon Delaware.  "Competition drives innovation, value and service quality, and we will compete aggressively in Delaware for business with our FiOS services, which are fueled by our lightning-fast fiber-optic network."

Verizon currently is building its new, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network in more than half of the states where it provides landline phone service, including the First State.  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. And only Verizon's FTTP network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way customers' homes and businesses.

The company expects to launch its FiOS TV service in parts of Delaware by the end of this year.

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 supply 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 of up to 5 Mbps.* FiOS Internet Service is currently available to many consumers and small businesses in Delaware.

* 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 57 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 approximately 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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