Verizon Adds 77 New Channels to FiOS TV Lineup - Including 57 in HD - for Customers in Florida

TAMPA, Fla. - Verizon FiOS TV is now even better for customers in Florida as the company Tuesday (Oct. 7) launched a total of 77 new channels, which includes 57 additional high-definition (HD) channels.  FiOS TV customers in the area now have more than 780 HD choices available at any time, with 88 HD channels and more than 700 HD video-on-demand (VOD) titles offered each month.

As a result of this enhancement to the FiOS TV lineup, Verizon is now offering consumers here more HD than either Bright House or Comcast offers.  Verizon will continue expanding its FiOS TV channel lineup this year, with a major focus on HD content.  By year-end, Verizon plans to offer all available major HD programming.

To make the offer even sweeter, Verizon is offering a year's free use of either an HD DVR (digital video recorder) or an HD Home Media DVR to consumers who sign up for FiOS TV by Oct. 31.  With Verizon's unique Home Media DVR, customers can use one DVR to record programming that can be watched on up to six other TV sets in the home.  This includes viewing up to three separately recorded programs simultaneously on different TV sets, and the ability to pause recorded programming on one set and continue watching it on another.  FiOS TV's Home Media DVR is bundled with Media Manager, a feature that allows customers to access photos and music from their personal computers and play them on their TV.

Verizon is also offering new FiOS TV customers, or existing customers who upgrade to a bundled package, one free month of HBO and Cinemax, which includes more than 25 premium channels and access to hundreds of additional titles on VOD.  New customers who take advantage of this offer will save between $200 and $260 the first year, depending upon the DVR customers choose.

"FiOS TV is the only service to consider if you want the ultimate HD experience," said Michelle A. Robinson, president of Verizon's Southeast region.  "With our increased number of HD channels, along with HD video-on-demand programming and our current HD DVR and premium movie promotion, we're blowing cable away.

"There's HD on FiOS, and then there's everything else," said Robinson.  "The addition of new HD and sports channels, along with new multicultural content and more, is part of our commitment to lead the industry in the scope and quality of our programming."

Verizon Leads the Way With New HD Channels, and More to Come

FiOS TV customers in Florida now will get to see more of their favorite channels in HD, including Animal Planet, TLC, Science Channel and Smithsonian Channel.  Other new HD programming that FiOS TV customers in the region now receive includes CNN, CNBC, Lifetime, Bravo, TBS, History Channel, Weather Channel, USA and SCI FI.

In addition, movie buffs now can get 11 new channels from Cinemax and 13 new channels from HBO in HD.  FiOS TV's Movie Package also now has more HD, with 13 new HD channels from The Movie Channel, Starz and Showtime, including The Movie Channel Xtra, Starz Edge, Starz Comedy, Starz Kids and Family, Showtime, Showtime Showcase, Showtime Extreme and Showtime 2.

For sports fans in the area, Verizon has launched seven new HD sports channels.  Verizon has always placed a high priority on major sports programming and offering as much as possible in HD.

The company has now added top college basketball and football action with the Big Ten Network in HD, and comprehensive tennis coverage from the Tennis Channel HD.  Hockey and golf fans will find NHL games, PGA Tour events and original sports-related programming on the high-definition Versus/Golf Channel.

In addition, Verizon has launched four other HD sports channels: the Outdoor Channel 2, which provides high-definition programming that promotes traditional outdoor activities like fishing, hunting and shooting sports; World Fishing Network, which provides recreational and sport fishing enthusiasts with an entertaining and comprehensive lineup covering a wide range of programming; Mav TV, a 24-hour network targeting men and that features wrestling, fishing, roller derby and gaming; and ESPNU HD, a 24-hour college sports television network that will air all Thursday and Saturday college football games live as well as coverage of college basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling, hockey and more.

New Standard-Definition Channels, Including Multicultural Content

In addition to the new HD content, Verizon has launched 20 new standard-definition channels for customers in Florida.  New content includes Reelz, Veria TV and WAPA TV.  Verizon also is now offering two new standard-definition sports channels: Big Ten Network and Setanta Sports, a premium channel dedicated to bringing European and International soccer and rugby to U.S.-based fans.  Currently, no other cable provider offers Setanta.

Verizon also is offering customers in the area 15 new multicultural channels, including leading channels for Arabic, Portuguese and Russian audiences, among others.  These new channels continue to make FiOS TV an outlet for emerging and independent networks to showcase their diverse programming.

Much of the multicultural content comes from World TV, a division of content management and delivery company GlobeCast, which previously signed a distribution deal with Verizon for top-tier international channels.  The new GlobeCast World TV international television channels include MBT (Arabic), RTPI (Portuguese) and RTR Planeta (Russian).  In addition to the World TV content, Verizon will offer Filipino channel GMA Pinoy TV.

Verizon's FiOS TV service offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, with more than 500 total channels and 11,000 video-on-demand titles per month, 70 percent of which are free.  The VOD library also includes an increasing number of HD titles, and Verizon plans to have 1,000 HD VOD titles per month by year-end.  FiOS TV is currently available to more than 7 million homes in 14 states.  For more information on FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/fiostv.  Consumers can also call their local Verizon sales office or 888-438-3467.

[Note: A complete channel lineup can be found online at http://www22.verizon.com/content/fiostv/channel+lineup/channel+lineup.htm.]

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 nearly 69 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 employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####