Three More Long Island Communities Grant Cable Franchises to Verizon

NEW YORK - Residents of the Long Island communities of Farmingdale, Valley Stream and the Town of Huntington are a major step closer to having a real choice for their cable television services, thanks to recently approved agreements authorizing Verizon to offer its FiOS TV service in those communities.  The boards of trustees in all three communities voted last night (Oct. 16) to approve video franchises for Verizon.

Also last night, the Westchester County village of Irvington granted Verizon a video franchise, increasing the company's total number of franchises in the state to 19.

The Town of Huntington's franchise covers the unincorporated hamlets of Centerport, Cold Spring Harbor, Dix Hills, East Northport, Eatons Neck, Elwood, Fort Salonga, Greenlawn, Halesite, Huntington Station, Huntington, Melville and South Huntington.  Each incorporated area of the Town, as well as all other incorporated areas of Long Island, like Farmingdale and Valley Stream, must conduct its own negotiations with Verizon for a video franchise.

Farmingdale, Valley Stream and the Town of Huntington 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 three Long Island communities and Irvington in Westchester County, Verizon has been granted video franchises by the Long Island communities of Massapequa Park, Cedarhurst, Laurel Hollow, Lynbrook, Mineola, East Rockaway, Smithtown, the Town of Hempstead and the Town of Oyster Bay.  Verizon also has been awarded cable franchises by the Town of Greenburgh in Westchester County as well as the Rockland County communities of Nyack, South Nyack, Upper Nyack, Grandview-on-Hudson and Clarkstown.

As with all local franchise approvals in New York, the agreements approved for Verizon by Farmingdale, Valley Stream and Huntington are subject to review by the New York State Public Service Commission.

"This is great news for residents of Farmingdale, Valley Stream and the Town of Huntington, who now have a new choice for their video entertainment," said Monica Azare, Verizon senior vice president for New York and Connecticut.  "Competition drives innovation, value and service quality, and we will continue to compete for business on Long Island with our FiOS services.

"We look forward to similarly successful negotiations with other towns and villages throughout New York state," said Azare.

Verizon, which launched FiOS TV in September 2005 in Keller, Texas, currently offers the service in parts of California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and Virginia.  The company now has video franchises covering approximately 3 million households in nine states and more than 100 franchise areas.  As the fiber network is fully deployed in franchise areas, Verizon will provide consumers with the opportunity to choose FiOS TV.

Verizon's FiOS TV service is designed to be a formidable competitor to cable and satellite, offering a broad collection of all-digital programming, more than 20 high-definition channels, video on demand and more.  It is delivered over Verizon's fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, which has industry-leading quality and reliability.  Verizon is the first company to offer such a communications network, connecting homes and businesses directly to fiber optics on a widespread scale.

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 allows the company to offer consumers and small businesses high-speed FiOS Internet Service at download speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 10 Mbps.*  FiOS Internet Service is currently available in many New York communities.

* 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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