Based on a survey consisting of the thoughts and recommendations of 84,000 internet/cable/phone bundle subscribers, Verizon FiOS came out on top due to its reliability, great picture and phone call quality, and high service satisfaction. Of course, FiOS is only available in a select number of areas in the US, so some customers are out of luck if they’re looking for the best option.

However, Consumer Reports recommends some alternatives if you’re not looking for a complete “triple-play” bundle. For instance, they recommend DirecTV if you’re just looking for a television package, and they also mention Vonage and Ooma as great phone-only options if you’re already happy with your internet and television packages. Of course, many households are looking to cut the cable cord and just go with internet-only options, which many service providers are happy to do.

The report from Consumer Reports is rather extensive, and it features ratings of internet/TV/phone bundles from 14 different companies, as well as companies that offer individual phone, TV, or internet services. The full report can be found in the May issue of Consumer Reports, which is out now.

The update also includes “Flex View,” which brings video-on-demand to FiOS users, and it includes around 25,000 movies and TV shows right at your fingertips. This is on top of the 75 live channels that are available. Previously, Verizon only offered 26 channels through the app, and now, users have access to Comedy Central, HBO, Epix, TBS, and more.

However, Samsung isn’t the only company that Verizon is working with. Verizon has an app on the Xbox 360, which actually saw an expanded list of channels back in December, and the company also released an app for LG televisions as well, which brings those 75 channels, as well as Flex View video-on-demand.

The app is available to download through Samsung devices right now, and if you already have the app installed, it will automatically be updated the next time you launch it. It won’t be long before other cable providers offer apps for smart TVs, including Comcast, so Verizon better get ahead of the curve as much as possible before others step in.

Until today, the FiOS app functioned only as a sophisticated remote, allowing users to browse TV and Video On Demand guides and program their DVR. While convenient, it was more of a letdown than anything else. This new update, available via iTunes, now allows streaming when the device is connected to the user’s home wireless network.

In order to use the service, iPad users must have a FiOS router from Verizon, as well as a valid Verizon username and password. Users must subscribe to both FiOS TV and Internet in order to watch the live streaming channels, which must be part of the TV subscription; you can’t stream TV channels you don’t subscribe to, for example. In order to view guide and What’s Hot info, the user must have a set top box.

The total of 75 channels users will have streaming access to includes Nickelodeon, tbs, HGTV, BBC America, A&E, HBO, Cinemax, MTV, TVland, and FOX. For those with the appropriate hardware, the app can also be used to set up a DVR, including scheduling recordings, viewing show statuses, and monitoring hard drive space usage. Unlike live channel streaming, this feature can be used from anywhere you have an Internet connection.

[via iTunes]

Since the announcement that the app was being worked on back in January, we haven’t heard much about what was going on with the app. As of this week, Samsung has announced that the FiOS TV app is now available for download and installation on 2012 model Samsung smart TVs. The app can be downloaded via the Samsung Smart Hub.

Owners of compatible Samsung Blu-ray players can also download the app and access FiOS TV content. The app is offered for free on all supported platforms without requiring a secondary set-top box. It allows access to 26 different channels as of now. The channels include CNN, MTV, HBO, TBS, TNT, Food Network, and HGTV.

The channels are only available if the subscriber is paying for a package that includes the networks. The app allows users to access over 20,000 different movies and TV shows available each month through Flex View, which is an on-demand movie service. The app also has parental lock options requiring a PIN number to access mature content and to authorize the rental or purchase of on-demand content.

That’s based on a two-year agreement for the maximum-speed FiOS Quantum service. If you’re content to “make do” with 150Mbps downloads instead of 300Mbps (and the same 65Mbps upload rate) then you can pare it down by more than 50-percent, to “just” $100 per month.

Cheaper packages offer 75/35Mbps for $90 per month, and then carry on down the scale trading speed for price as you’d expect. All plans come with a wireless router – exact model may vary, Verizon warns – and the installation process will involve fitting a new fiber terminal box to the outside of your house and then any necessary wall jacks inside.

Add-ons include FiOS TV Prime HD, with various on-demand services, and of course phone service. You’ll need to be in a fiber-to-the-home supported area, of course, and can check whether you’re eligible for the high-speed service at Verizon’s site.

The top-of-the-line service for Fios users will soon be 300 Mbps speeds for download and 65 Mbps speeds for uploads. The leaked documents that have surfaced recently show that the high-end, speedy plan will cost users $204.99 a month. That is a lot of money for web access.

That extra 150 Mbps download speed will cost about $100 a month more than the existing 150/65 Mbps plan. Other changes are also coming to the Fios offerings, including a change on the 15/5 Mbps plan, which is going up by $10 a month to $64.99 monthly. The two faster plans offering 50/25 and 150/65 speeds will remain unchanged.

[via CNET]

If you already have the 150Mbps FiOS plan, then you will be eligible for a free upgrade to 300Mbps. The 50Mbps tier actually gets the best boost, tripling to 150Mbps. However, Verizon isn’t planning on any major expansions of its FiOS infrastructure, so if you’re in an area without FiOS, don’t expect to be getting it anytime soon.

The new speeds will be made available starting in June, but Verizon hasn’t revealed yet whether there will be any pricing adjustments. Instead, they said that existing users could choose to remain at their current speeds and not upgrade.

Verizon will offer to replace the older slower routers for existing users that choose to upgrade. The new routers can transfer data event faster than FiOS’s latest speeds. At the slowest tier of 15Mbps, it will take about 44.4 minutes to download a 5GB two-hour HD video, while at the highest tier of 300Mbps, that same video will only take 2.2 minutes.

[via ArsTechnica]

With your FiOS TV subscription and your 2012 Samsung Smart TV or Smart Blu-ray player, you’ll get instant access to 26 live TV channels, including HD channels. You’ll also be able to access more than 10,000 video-on-demand titles through Verizon’s Flex View service, which delivers on-demand content to TVs, PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

For the full lineup of Samsung Smart TVs as well as those from competing manufacturers that turned up at this week’s CES show in Las Vegas, make sure to check out our Smart TV Roundup. In particular, Samsung has a 60-inch model packed with Kinect-style motion and voice control. Samsung has also announced integrating DIRECTV, once again eliminating the need for additional set-top boxes.

The company is not offering much in the way of detail with the devise as far as a year away at this point. ZatzNotfunny expects that the device will pack in at least three tuners along with 1TB of storage. The central unit should have smaller extenders that can be placed in the home according to the Zatz.

A video giving a bit of details can be seen below if you are so inclined. One of the interesting parts to me of tech like this is that device you already have in your home and on your TV are being aimed at replacing the set-top box. The Xbox, PS3, and various tablets already common might save you from more box clutter in the entertainment system.

[via Zatznotfunny]

The FiOS internet connection will have you rolling out on 35/35 Mbps so you’ll have no lag when fragging, and a guarantee from the FCC in the form of tests which say FiOS internet is the #1 in delivering speeds as advertised. According to other FCC tests, says Verizon, FiOS connections provide customers with even MORE internet speed than they pay for as well, and not only that, Verizon claims that it’s America’s most advanced 100% fiber-optic network. How about that!

That’s of course now what you came for, of course, you came for the Halo, so have a look above at the Halo: Anniversary Campaign trailer and know what you’re getting into. Then note that you are, believe it or not, also getting more than just gaming-ready speed for your full Halo experience. With your FiOS TV Prime HD, you’ll get over 30,000 VOD titles per month, over 7,000 of these in HD, and 195 all-digital channels with 50+ of them in HD, and if you’re in NY, you get 315+ channels with FiOS TV Extreme HD, and 75+ channels in HD.

Then there’s the phone stuff, which is interesting since the last time I saw someone use a landline it was my grandmother, and that’s no joke. However, you do get phone coverage including unlimited nationwide residential calling as well as “crystal clear sound quality.” Sounds lovely! And of course if you’ve got your Xbox LIVE Gold membership, you can also access your Live TV app from your Xbox and get FiOS channels like ESPN, CNN, and TNT. You can check for availability of this whole situation by heading over to Verizon.

Company spokesman Rich Young spoke the words above and has said that they’ve sought out injunctions against strikers in Pennsylvania and Delaware so far and will continue to seek them out in any state where strikers are blocking buildings. Around 45,000 workers are involved in the strike, none of them dealing with mobile business in Verizon Wireless stores. Labor contracts have apparently failed and Verizon workers are marching for pay and benefits they feel they deserve as Verizon employees.

The CWA represents 35,000 of the 45k workers on the strike while the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers makes up the other 10,000. Verizon spokespeople maintain that Verizon workers have been unwilling to “negotiate on anything that’s critical” while CWA members note that they’re getting “serious about bargaining.” For more information on this strike, head back to our original post entitled Verizon Workers Strike, 45,000 Union Members Strong and see some rather poignant quotes as well.

[via Rueters]

Verizon noted today that the that the strike will not affect Verizon Wireless customers, instead noting that because it involves call center workers and field technicians, it could affect customers with Internet service, land line phones, and Verizon’s FiOS television. Verizon also notes that management and retirees are prepared to cover for striking workers as a contingency plan. Verizon spokesman Richard Young noted the following about the situation:

“Tens of thousands of Verizon managers and other personnel have been trained to perform emergency work assignments. They are trained in various functions including making network repairs, customer service, billing, back office support and other duties.” – Richard Young

Verizon notes that its wireline business has been declining over the past 10 years and that they’re asking employees in the business to “contribute” their healthcare plans amongst other concessions to make up the gap. Young continues:

“We’ve put important issues on the table and we’re willing to negotiate. However, the unions were unwilling to negotiate on anything that’s critical.”

Union workers have a different view of the situation of course, they speaking from the perspective of a middle-class worker as opposed to a multi-million-dollar CEO. CWA political director noted the following:

“A company with those kinds of profits, where the CEO Ivan Seidenberg makes 300 times the salary of the average worker — he made $18 million just last year — to demand the sweeping cuts that they have put on the table is outrageous and unacceptable. We’re saying to them, it’s time to get serious about bargaining; bargain in a constructive way and back off from these attacks on middle class jobs.” – Bob Master

Anita Long, a worker who has been with Verizon for 32 years, had similar comments:

“Why do the people at the bottom always have to give back concessions? Why is it not the top management giving back, when my CEO brings home $23 million in one year, I have a problem with that, but you want to take away my pensions, my medical benefits?” – Anita Long

We’ll continue to cover this situation until it’s resolved. The image at the top of this post was photographed by Mark Lennihan on August 7th in front of Verizon Headquarters in New York.

[via ABC News]

A smart search feature has been added that predicts and provides potential matches for what the customer is looking for and also has other sorting and filtering options.

In the area of customization, new parental control options have been added along with a guide customization feature that gives you a variety of settings with a mini guide on the bottom of the screen, a half guide on the right side, and a full guide.

Several DVR enhancements have been added which include a DVR chaptering function that lets you DVD-like capabilities to jump ahead or resume viewing at a specific moment of the recording by using onscreen thumbnails in 10-minute increments.

A 3D content software has also been added that will automatically detect if customers are viewing a 3D program so that it will change to the appropriate TV settings for watching 3D content.

This new version 1.9 of the IMG is their most significant upgrade since the guide was introduced back in 2007. So far, the update has been rolled out to FiOS TV customers in four markets—Harrisburg, PA as well as Syracuse, Albany, and Buffalo, NY. The remaining markets should see the new guide coming in May and June.

[via PRNewsWire]

Video demo after the cut

Verizon claims it was able to stream at 18 Mbps, double what many cable systems can handle, and good enough for 1080p HD as you’d find on 3D Blu-ray discs. Unfortunately, there’s no firm date on when the service will actually be available to FiOS subscribers, but with Verizon switching its FiOS broadcast backbone to IP it’s possible this could be part of the company’s upgrade for later in the year.

Press Release:

Panasonic and Verizon Demonstrate an Industry-First at the International Consumer Electronics Show: Full HD 3D Video Over Verizon’s FiOS All-Fiber-Optic Network

NEW YORK – Full-resolution high-definition 3D transmission via a premium TV service provider became a reality at this year’s 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show. Verizon and Panasonic, a leader in Full HD 3D technology, are streaming Full HD 3D, currently the highest-possible resolution of 3D video, via Verizon’s 100 percent fiber-optic FiOS TV service.

The first-of-its-kind demonstration (in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center Room S228) was made possible through a technical collaboration between the two companies, with content streaming over Verizon’s future-proof network to a Panasonic Blu-ray 3D player. Engineers from both companies worked closely to co-develop the required network, software and user-interface enhancements that make Full HD 3D possible over the bandwidth-rich FiOS service.

“We’re proud of our work with Verizon to develop this Full HD 3D streaming capability,” said EisukeTsuyuzaki, chief technology officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “Panasonic has always believed that the best way to view 3D is via a Full HD, 1080p resolution image, but until now the only option available has been on Blu-ray DiscTM media. Over Verizon’s high-bandwidth FiOS network, we’ve now shown that this kind of innovation can be accomplished by a premium television service like FiOS as well.”

Unlike some competing technologies, Full HD 3D transmissions preserve the complete 1080p picture resolution that consumers have come to expect from their HDTVs. Other solutions degrade the 3D image, typically reducing resolution by half. In a demonstration at the Verizon-sponsored Blogger Lounge, FiOS engineers showed a selection of 3D content streaming to a Panasonic Full HD Blu-ray 3D DiscTM player at a bit rate of up to 18 Mbps (megabits per second) — double the bit rate currently used by most cable providers.

Tony Melone, chief technology officer for Verizon, said, “Delivering full-resolution 3D content is a natural fit for Verizon’s FiOS network. Built with the future in mind, FiOS was designed with the bandwidth headroom to grow along with consumer demand for the latest technologies. Verizon continues to deliver the future of TV and is once again redefining the consumer’s at home-entertainment experience.”

Last year, Verizon televised the first National Football League game in 3D, the New York Giants versus the New England Patriots, as well as the first Major League Baseball games in 3D, between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners.

Verizon continues to drive the future of TV, with more than 140 HD channels and next-generation interactive services like social networking, DVR management via broadband or mobile phone, and an interactive media guide.

At launch, FiOS TV used IP for VOD and widgets but QAM for broadcast television; according to Ambeault there has been an ongoing effort to overhaul the infrastructure to unite all three on a managed IP network supporting multicast and interactive content. With that in place, FiOS TV could be leveraged as an app, even offered – if Verizon decided it was economically viable to them – as a streaming media service to non-FiOS internet subscribers.

More likely, though, is FiOS TV spreading out from the core TV experience at home, and being offered via apps on platforms like iOS, Android and internet-connected consoles. No timescale was given, but the development bodes well for those paying for expensive entertainment packages and wanting to view them on more than just their HDTV.

Meanwhile Verizon has promised to have the 150/35 option available to all of their existing FiOS small-business customers by the end of 2011. As for what you can do with it, a 2hr SD movie (around 1.5GB) will download in under 80 seconds, while the same HD movie (5GB) takes less than 4.5 minutes.

Meanwhile uploading 100MB of photos would take less than 23 seconds. Obviously not everyone will get the maximum speed the press release talks about, but it’s impressive stuff all the same. Unfortunately, while the speed is eye-watering, so is the price: $194.99 per month assuming a one-year agreement and Verizon wireline voice service.

Press Release:

New Verizon FiOS Internet 150/35 Mbps Offer Launches Consumers Into Broadband’s Fastest Lane

Powerful Speed Tier Becomes Nation’s Fastest Mass-Market Internet Service

Verizon is launching 150/35 megabits per second (Mbps) Internet service – the fastest mass-market broadband service in the nation – over the company’s all-fiber-optic FiOS network. The company has begun to roll out the ultra-high-speed service to the majority of the more than 12.5 million homes that the FiOS network passes, and will make the service available to Verizon FiOS small-business customers by the end of the year.

Verizon’s new Internet service surpasses competitors’ offers by pumping three times the downstream speed previously available to FiOS customers.

“By offering the fastest mass-market Internet service in the nation, we’re supporting the immediate and future speed needs of bandwidth-hungry consumers,” said Eric Bruno, Verizon vice president of product management. “The new 150/35 Mbps FiOS Internet offer establishes a new benchmark for high-speed Internet in America, and paves the way for a flurry of emerging bandwidth-intensive applications to reach mainstream status.”

The Difference for Customers

With a downstream speed of 150 Mbps, consumers can download a two-hour, standard-definition movie (1.5 gigabytes) in less than 80 seconds, and a two-hour HD movie (5 GB) in less than four and a half minutes.

Downloading 20 high-resolution photographs (100 megabytes) would take less than five and a half seconds using the 150/35 Mbps service. With the 35 Mbps upstream speed, consumers can upload those same 20 high-resolution photos in less than 23 seconds.*

The 150/35 Mbps residential offer will be available to the majority of FiOS-eligible households, and sold as a stand-alone service starting at $194.99 a month when purchased with a one-year service agreement and Verizon wireline voice service.

Verizon will continue to offer on a stand-alone basis its next-fastest FiOS Internet speed of 50/20 Mbps, as well as its 25/25 and 15/5 speed tiers. FiOS Internet speeds of 35/35 Mbps, 25/25 Mbps and 15/5 Mbps will continue to be available in double-, triple- and quadruple-play bundles matched with FiOS TV, FiOS Digital Voice and Verizon Wireless service.

Bruno said the 150/35 Mbps tier takes advantage of Verizon’s robust all-digital, all-fiber-optic network, which extends directly to consumers’ homes and will ultimately serve 18 million households. The new speed tier will provide immediate value to consumers already using applications that require high downstream and upstream bandwidth.

“Our new 150/35 Mbps offer will also support burgeoning bandwidth-intensive applications such as Internet video to TV and PC, 3D TV and movie downloads, high-definition and real-time video conferencing, and online data backup,” said Bruno.

Amy Lind, broadband research manager for the global technology market intelligence firm IDC, said: “This is about more than Verizon zooming to the top of the broadband speed chart. It’s a reflection of Verizon’s vision. Verizon understands that this kind of bandwidth will fuel new product and service development down the road and is poised to allow its customers to reap the benefits of those innovations in the future.”

Introduction of the new 150/35 Mbps FiOS Internet service follows recent Verizon field trials that achieved connection speeds of nearly 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), both downstream and upstream. When a more advanced XG-PON2 technology was connected to the network several weeks later, connection speeds of 10 Gbps were reached on Verizon’s fiber-optic network.

Once service is connected, Verizon FiOS Internet customers have access to the Verizon In-Home Agent, a free application that gives them valuable tools to set up services. In-Home Agent will help customers configure Wi-Fi links, set up and manage voice mail, auto-fix video problems, and trouble-shoot and correct Internet issues – all with the simple click of a mouse.

* Upload and download time estimates based on maximum connection speeds. Actual throughput speeds will vary.

Flex View content can be found on the FiOS device under the On Demand tab in the Flex View folder. Once you find the content you want to rent or purchase it can be sent over to as many as five different devices. Those devices include smartphones like Android devices, notebooks, and computers.

The set-top boxes in the home count as one device no matter how many are on the network. That will mean that buying the film once lets you watch in the house, on the computer, and on your smartphone. That is a pretty cool feature. Rentals give the user 24-48 hours to watch it. The content is downloaded to the device so no network connection is needed to watch the content.

Via Android Community

The user only needs a broadband connection to access more than 700 monthly hours of Cinemax programming from within the US. To access the content on the Cinemax website requires a FiOS TV login.

The streaming online service kicks off on September 13. Parents who don’t want kids accessing some of the content offered on the network will be able to add parental controls to the account. The service will work on Mac or Windows machines.

Verizon plans on utilizing the same technology that’s tucked inside their set-top boxes, and bring the same kind of entertainment to the iPad, as well as other mobile devices in the near future. The application, though, will only work from a customer’s home, which puts the usability tone on the fence, but still, it’s better than nothing. If Verizon can pull away from experiencing any extra licensing fees (which they think they can), then it shouldn’t be a problem for the service to launch in due time.

However, while that’s all well and good, what about video-on-demand? Apparently, Verizon’s got a plan for that, too. The service will actually be launched for Android devices, as well as the BlackBerry Storm (2?), and Windows Mobile 6.5 devices. You’ll have to buy the videos via your cable box, or from the website, but then you can download that video on up to five different devices.

Cloud storage didn’t get forgotten, either, as Verizon’s set to update their Media Manager service. This will let customers upload up to 70GB of goodies to the cloud, and then stream it to their TVs, PCs, or mobile phones. As far as releases go, the report suggests that live streaming TV should be up and ready to go by early 2011.

[via NewTeeVee]

Other hardware details are unconfirmed, but the Motorola tablet is expected to have two cameras – for photography and video calls – together with the ability to share its 3G connection among WiFi-enabled devices in a similar way to a MiFi.  Meanwhile the chassis is tipped to be thinner and lighter than Apple’s iPad, while also throwing Flash support into the mixture.

Motorola is Verizon’s supplier for FiOS set-top boxes, and the potential integration with the digital TV service is being seen as a key differentiator from the expected flood of iPad rivals.  Last month an analyst predicted a 10.1-inch Motorola slate for the Verizon network in November, complete with Android 3.0 Gingerbread.

YouTube joins blip.tv, Dailymotion and Veoh access through the Verizon service, though you’ll need to be using the Verizon Media Manager app on a Windows PC in order to do so.  Once it’s set up, though, you can either use the regular DVR remote to control it, or the recently launched Android remote apps.

[flv]http://assets.mediaseed.tv/37370_YouTube_FIOS.jpg.flv[/flv]

Press Release:

Verizon Enhances FiOS TV With YouTube and Internet Radio

Verizon Further Redefines Home Entertainment by Expanding Internet Content on TV and Making Media Manager Available to All FiOS TV HD Customers

NEW YORK –Verizon is taking the next step in redefining the way people watch TV by adding YouTube to its innovative FiOS TV Internet Video capabilities. Qualified customers can now simply use their remote controls to search for and enjoy any YouTube video — right on their TV screens. Verizon is also introducing Internet Radio, for FiOS TV subscribers, providing access to hundreds of stations nationwide and the ability to stream music from the PC to the TV.
Verizon’s Internet Radio and Internet Videos services are both accessible via Media Manager, which already allows subscribers to search and view on their TVs user-generated content from online video-sharing sites blip.tv, Dailymotion and Veoh. In addition, Verizon has expanded the Media Manager service, making it available to all FiOS TV HD customers. Previously, it was available only to DVR customers. The availability of YouTube, the world’s most popular online video community, will add thousands more daily videos to the service.
“Adding YouTube and Internet Radio to FiOS TV further expands our customers’ digital home-entertainment world by giving them access to an unprecedented amount of online content on the biggest screen in their home – their TV,” said Shawn Strickland, vice president of consumer strategy for Verizon. “When customers connect their homes to our all-fiber network, their TV and Internet worlds seamlessly come together to create experiences cable can’t deliver. We are working with some of the most popular companies on the Web to create a high-quality, engaging Internet-to-TV experience that will only grow richer with time.”
Internet Radio, Internet Videos and all other FiOS TV features can be controlled via Mobile Remote, which Verizon introduced in February. Customers who have a Droid by Motorola or HTC Imagio mobile phone can use those devices as a television remote control. The mobile remote has virtually the same functionality as the standard FiOS remote, plus additional features including instantly transferring photos from the handset to the TV screen.
According to Steven Hawley, principal analyst and consultant of the industry research firm tvstrategies, these latest additions will markedly increase the value of FiOS TV to its customers and move FiOS TV further ahead of competing cable TV products.
“While other providers see the Internet as something of a threat, Verizon has embraced it in order to deliver the kind of socially-enabled personal media experience that so many of today’s consumers want to see, and have been asking to have on their TV,” said Hawley. “Rather than blurring the line between TV and the Internet, Verizon has moved the line to embrace them both, and has raised the bar against its competition.
Setup Is Easy
To watch YouTube on FiOS TV, customers need a FiOS TV DVR or high-definition set-top box and Verizon’s Media Manager software – accessible for Window-based PCs. Users visit http://www.verizon.com/MediaManager to download and install free Media Manager software on their PC. They then access the service by selecting the “Media Manager” option on the FiOS TV Interactive Media Guide menu or through the Widget carousel. Subscribers already using Media Manager simply click on the upgrade prompt to receive the free software update, which will be automatically added to their service by Verizon.
Users can search YouTube and other available video-sharing sites individually, or all sites at once, using key words or by selecting “Most Watched” and “Top Rated” categories; view thumbnail screen grabs of videos that appear in search results and bookmark favorite videos –among other features. Consumers also have the option to watch videos in full-screen mode. Using the FiOS TV remote control, customers can log onto their YouTube account and view their favorite or self-uploaded videos stored with their online account.
In addition to the video-sharing features, Media Manager for PC includes Photo Manager and Music Manager features that help customers organize, manage and enjoy multimedia both on the PC and on TV. The service also includes a library of all personal videos, Internet videos from select websites, photos and music stored on a PC.
FiOS provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; social-networking, news and entertainment widgets; remote DVR management via broadband or cell phone; multi-room DVR; Internet videos on TV; streaming of personal videos, photos and music from home computers to the TV; and many others.
For more information on FiOS TV, consumers can visit www.verizon.com/fiostv or call their local Verizon sales office or 888-438-3467. Check out the new ‘Fans of FiOS’ Facebook page to get breaking news on upcoming product releases. For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

Bill Kula, the spokesperson we just mentioned, Verizon is planning on releasing a home WiFi router that works with their FiOS fiber optic service. This new router will support the 802.11 b/g/n WiFi standard, which means you’ll be able to browse the Internet even faster than you already are. Good news for all those FiOS customers out there, we’d say.

Right now, the new broadband router is being internally tested, as Verizon aims to get it fully integrated with its current systems without a hitch for its debut in July or August of this year. And, if 802.11n wasn’t good enough for you, it’s also going to include a Gigabit Ethernet connection. Unfortunately, probably because it isn’t close enough to a release date, Kula couldn’t divulge the price for the new home router.

[via DSL Reports]

Verizon has announced that the new service for the two mobile phones is available immediately. Along with controlling the TV from both of the smartphones, the new service also lets the user transfer photos directly from the handsets to the TV for viewing.

Verizon says that the same service will be rolled out to more mobile phones in the coming months. The new offering is called FiOS Mobile Remote and provides complete control over the DVR, My Photos feature, My Favorites for importing favorite channels lists, and Tele-TV Mute that mutes the TV when a call comes in. Verizon started offering a similar service for select LG phones last April.

It’s looking like Verizon is planning a quieter approach to their trial, and not surprisingly, are only going to offer two Time Warner-owned channels: TNT and TBS. It’s Time Warner that’s taking the boom-stick approach, and plans on offering their own channels, as well as HBO, IFC, SyFy, and several other high-profile networks. 5,000 subscribers will be included to start, but Time Warner plans on reaching several more areas in the coming months. And as deals come through, both providers will be adding more channels regularly.

This TV Everywhere plan is an almost last-ditch effort from TV providers to get customers to keep their existing TV packages. A lot of people are shying away from standard television now a days, considering you get the same shows via the internet without much hassle anymore. Both Verizon and Time Warner are hoping that by providing Internet TV with their current plans, it will get people to keep their plans and not drop them. Time Warner has been under some heavy opposition for putting on low bandwidth caps in trials, to either discourage the switch from internet-only television watching, or to make up for the lost revenues. Either way, the bigger question is will people keep paying for their television when they can get it for free, if not cheaper on the internet?

[via Electronista]

You can use Twitter and Facebook using the new widget system. Both are pretty limited at this point, though you can receive updates on what others are watching. Twitter can even stay on the screen while you watch TV, if you wish.

The only real drawback is only one Facebook profile is supported per system at the moment. Other widgets available soon include blip.tv, DailyMotion and Veoh. In six month’s time, 40 new apps should be available for FiOS customers.

In fact, those two locations will see their entry-level package jump to 25/15 Mbps, with the mid-tier package landing at 35/20 Mbps.   That sort of uplink speed is enough to upload a one-hour high-definition movie in around 20 minutes; according to recent research from In-Stat, Verizon says with no small amount of gloating, the average cable internet user sees upload rates of 2.68Mbps.

If sheer speed isn’t enough to lure you in, Verizon  are also offering gadget incentives to new subscribers.  Anybody subscribing to a triple package of 25/15 Mbps internet (or higher), Extreme HD TV and Essentials voice will get their choice of a Compaq Mini netbook or a Flip Ultra camcorder.  Anybody choosing the slower 15/5 Mbps (or higher) connection with TV Essentials and Essentials voice service will get a free Flip Ultra.  Those unable to get FiOS will have similar offers for Verizon’s DSL service.

Press Release:

Verizon Amps Up FiOS Internet With Increased Two-Way Speeds and Launches Free Netbook/Camcorder Promotion

Verizon Fast is ‘Two-Way’ Fast With Upstream Speeds That Optimize Today’s Interactive, Multimedia Internet Experiences

NEW YORK – Verizon FiOS continues creating the ultimate broadband and home-entertainment experience by introducing on Monday (June 22) new, faster broadband speeds – both downstream and upstream – for the most popular FiOS Internet services. The company is also offering compelling incentives for consumers to subscribe to FiOS. New customers who order qualifying FiOS bundles are eligible for a free Compaq Mini netbook* or a Flip Ultra™ camcorder.
“From its inception just five years ago, Verizon FiOS has transformed the American broadband and home-entertainment experience by delivering innovative services that our competitors can’t match,” said Mike Ritter, chief marketing officer for Verizon Telecom. “Today FiOS leaps forward again with faster two-way broadband speed options that free customers to fully participate in today’s interactive, multimedia Web.”
Verizon is doubling to quadrupling the upstream connection speeds and increasing the downstream connection speeds of its most popular FiOS Internet offerings. The company has raised the connection speed of its entry-level FiOS Internet service from 10/2 megabits per second (Mbps) to 15/5 Mbps, and has raised the connection speed of its flagship, mid-tier offering from 20/5 Mbps to 25/15 Mbps. In New York City, on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs, FiOS Internet is even faster with a new entry-level connection speed of 25/15 Mbps, and a new mid-tier offering of 35/20 Mbps, available only in bundles.
According to a survey of residential broadband users in the U.S. by the market intelligence firm In-Stat (“US Broadband Speeds on the Rise,” In-Stat, Feb. 2009), the average upstream connection speed used by cable broadband customers is 2.68 Mbps. Verizon is offering speeds two-to-seven times faster than this typical cable upload speed.
“From grade-schoolers to grandparents, no one wants to wait for long uploads any more than they want to wait for long downloads,” said Ritter. “Verizon has good news for people who want to enjoy interactive applications like video chat, quickly back up their hard drives, upload photos and videos to e-mail and social networking sites, or send large files to co-workers or clients: The ultra-fast downstream and upstream speed you need every day is here. It’s widely available, affordably priced, and there are no artificial limits placed on how much you can use.”
Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload 200 photos in about 90 seconds, a 20-minute high-def video in less than 7 minutes and a one-hour HD movie in about 20 minutes. (Listen to photographer and educator Kathy Halamka on why fast FiOS connections are important to her.)
New Promotion Provides Powerful Incentives
To encourage even more customer defections from cable to FiOS TV and Internet services, Verizon has also launched a compelling new promotional offer that runs through Aug. 15.
New customers who sign up for a triple bundle that consists of FiOS Internet with a connection speed of 25/15 Mbps or higher, FiOS TV Extreme HD service and FiOS Essentials voice service will receive their choice of a free Compaq Mini netbook* valued at $299.99 (customer only pays shipping, handling and taxes) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder, valued at $149.99.
New customers who order a triple bundle that consists of FiOS Internet with a connection speed of 15/5 Mbps or higher, FiOS TV Essentials service and Freedom Essentials voice service will receive a free Flip Ultra camcorder, or they can opt to purchase a Compaq Mini netbook* for just $99.99.
Verizon also announced on Monday the continuation of its price guarantee for stand-alone, DSL-based High Speed Internet — and a similar camcorder and netbook incentive offer for customers. See companion news release for more details.
“A free netbook or camcorder is the perfect companion to the amped-up speed of FiOS Internet,” said Ritter. “With faster downstream and unparalleled upstream connections, plus the latest in cool electronics, FiOS Internet customers can explore the unlimited possibilities of a fully interactive online experience.”
FiOS Internet also provides a gateway to other valuable Verizon services, including a suite of Internet security measures, premium technical support and backup and sharing.
Bundle pricing varies by market and starts at $99.99 for triple bundles and $79.99 for double bundles. Both double and triple bundles require a one-year service agreement; however, customers will receive a two-year price guarantee.
New and existing FiOS customers can opt to subscribe to the new services by calling Verizon at 888-GET-FiOS. For more information about FiOS, visit www.verizon.com/seefios.
Features of the Compaq Mini netbook include:
10.1-inch diagonal widescreen display.
Lightweight, one-inch-thick design that conveniently fits in backpack, briefcase or purse.
Intel Atom™ processor.
Windows XP Home operating system.
Features of the Flip Ultra™ camcorder include:
Pocket-size design with one-touch recording and digital zoom.
Up to 120 minutes of high-quality video.
4GB of built-in memory.
Two-inch anti-glare screen.
Built-in USB arm for direct connection to PC or Mac.
Pre-loaded FlipShareTM software that allows easy video organizing, editing and emailing, along with simple upload to social media sites such as YouTubeTM and MySpaceTM.

Connection speed refers to the speed between a user’s location and Verizon’s central office. Actual surfing speeds will vary based on many factors and be lower than connection speed.
Promotion Terms and Conditions:
*Compaq Mini netbook available with $299.99 coupon (or $200 coupon for $99.99 discounted-price offer) redeemable online at HP Home & Home Office while supplies last. Valid credit card required. Customer pays taxes, shipping and handling. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and install by Oct. 15, 2009. Must have service for 60 days and no past due balance. Coupon sent within 90 days of install date and requires redemption within 60 days of receipt. For residential customers new to FiOS TV and Internet.
Flip Ultra ™ Camcorder available while supplies last. Must have service for 60 days with no past due balance to qualify. Gift will be sent within 90 days of install date. Other terms and conditions apply.
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 86 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 237,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

Press Release:

Verizon High Speed Internet Experience Better Than Ever With Broadband Deals That Offer Cool Electronic Devices

Compaq Mini Netbook or Flip Ultra Camcorder Free to Qualifying Customers Who Choose Voice and High Speed Internet Bundles; Price Guarantee Extended for Non-Bundled High Speed Internet Service

NEW YORK – Consumers looking for the utmost reliability and value in broadband bundles can now choose Verizon’s latest super-fast connections of up-to-3 Mbps (megabits per second) or up-to-7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet bundle offers and get gear to take full advantage of the service.
Under a new offer from Verizon, qualifying new voice and broadband customers get either a Compaq Mini netbook* (valued at $299) or a Flip UltraTM camcorder (valued at $149.99) — two of the most popular electronic devices on the market today.
“Consumers get our highly reliable High Speed Internet service, which is perfect for surfing the Web, e-mailing, and sending and receiving large amounts of data,” said Susan Retta, Verizon vice president of consumer product management. “With Internet service, they also get a winning combination of all-digital-quality DIRECTV® service, and unlimited local and long-distance phone service delivered on our 99.9 percent reliable network. To make it irresistible, we’re offering hot electronics that customers can use to get the most out of their new High Speed Internet service.”
To encourage even more consumers to leave their cable provider and select Verizon, the company announced Monday (June 22) the launch of a compelling new promotional offer: New customers who select voice and High Speed Internet service and sign up for a one-year, double- or triple-play bundle that includes either the up-to-3 Mbps/768 kilobits per second (Kbps) or up-to-7.1 Mbps/768 Kbps** service will receive their choice of a free Compaq Mini netbook or Flip Ultra camcorder.
Existing Verizon voice customers who add either the up-to-3 or up-to-7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet service will receive their choice of a Compaq Mini netbook for $99.99 or a free Flip Ultra camcorder. These promotional offers continue through Aug. 15.
Verizon also announced on Monday higher FiOS Internet speeds and a similar camcorder and netbook incentive offer for new FiOS customers. See companion release.
“In addition, this new offer provides additional incentives for consumers, particularly cable company customers, to sign up with Verizon,” Retta said. ”The offer enables consumers to use their Compaq Mini netbook or Flip Ultra camcorder on the road, around town or anywhere on campus.”
Triple-play bundles that qualify for Verizon’s new promotion start at $99.99 per month for one year, while qualifying double-play bundles start at $69.99 per month. Features of the Compaq Mini netbook include:
10.1-inch diagonal widescreen display.
One-inch-thick, 2.35-pound design that fits in a backpack, briefcase or purse.
Intel Atom™ processor.
Windows XP Home operating system.
Features of the Flip Ultra camcorder include:
Pocket-size design with one-touch recording and digital zoom.
Up to 120 minutes of high-quality video.
4GB of built-in memory.
Two-inch anti-glare screen.
Built-in USB arm for direct connection to PC or Mac.
Pre-loaded FlipShareTM software that allows easy video organizing, editing and e-mailing, along with simple upload to social media sites such as YouTubeTM and MySpaceTM.

Additionally, Verizon will continue to offer its price guarantee for non-bundled High Speed Internet service (up to 1, 3 or 7.1 Mbps speeds), ranging from $17.99 per month to $39.99 per month with a two-year agreement. Pricing will remain the same for customers as long as they continue on the same High Speed Internet service plan and retain local voice service.
Verizon High Speed Internet, which uses digital subscriber line technology, is the company’s most widely available form of broadband data service. More than 25 million households in parts of 24 states and the District of Columbia can order the service. Verizon High Speed Internet subscribers are not subject to bandwidth caps that some Internet service providers assess, so there’s no penalty for heavy usage.
According to PC Magazine’s 2008 readers’ survey, Verizon High Speed Internet beat the average cable provider’s score in reliability, the likelihood of a customer choosing an Internet service provider, as well as the associated costs and fees for the service.
Verizon High Speed Internet customers also receive access to an extensive portfolio of value-added services, including 250 MB (megabytes) of free Verizon Online Backup and Sharing, which provides useful disaster-recovery support.
The company’s popular Verizon Internet Security Suite provides comprehensive online protection from spyware and viruses for as little as $5.99 a month and includes a firewall, parental control, a pop-up-blocker and privacy manager software to help keep customers safe from hackers and phishing attacks.
Customers can also obtain a combination offer of Verizon Online Backup and Sharing and Verizon Internet Security Suite for $8.99 per month.
In addition, customers can protect their home-entertainment and communications investments by subscribing to a comprehensive suite of device protection plans such as Protection Pak Enhanced, which, in cases of a malfunction, covers the repair or replacement of all eligible computers, telephones and TVs in a customer’s home, regardless of the device’s place of purchase or age. Coverage is less than $1 a day.
Consumers can obtain more information about Verizon’s High Speed Internet service by visiting www.verizon.net/highspeed or by calling 1-800-483-4000.
VERIZON PROMOTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
NEW VOICE + NEW HIGH SPEED INTERNET CUSTOMERS
Customers establishing new Verizon service who select a double- or triple-play bundle featuring either the up to 3 or 7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet service and Verizon Freedom Essentials qualify for a free Compaq Mini netbook (customer pays taxes, shipping and handling charges of approximately $50) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder (customer does not pay taxes, shipping and handling charges).
*Compaq Mini netbook available with $299.99 coupon redeemable online at HP Home & Home Office while supplies last. Valid credit card required. Customer pays taxes, shipping and handling. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and activate service by Sept. 30, 2009. Must have service for 60 days and no past due balance. Coupon sent within 90 days of activation date and requires redemption within 60 days of receipt. For residential customers new to Verizon voice and High Speed Internet service.

Flip Ultra ™ camcorder available while supplies last. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and activate service by Sept. 30, 2009. Must have service for 60 days with no past due balance to qualify. Gift will be sent within 90 days of activation date. Other terms and conditions apply.
One-year agreement required for bundles; a $120 early termination fee applies if the High Speed Internet or voice component of the bundle is cancelled or downgraded before expiration of term.
EXISTING VOICE CUSTOMERS
Existing voice customers ordering new up to 3 or 7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet in a double or triple play bundle qualify for a $99.99 Compaq Mini netbook (plus tax, shipping and handling charges of approximately $50) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder (tax, shipping and handling included).
* $99.99 Compaq Mini netbook available with $200 coupon redeemable online at HP Home & Home Office while supplies last. Valid credit card required. Customer pays taxes, shipping and handling. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and activate service by Sept. 30, 2009. Must have service for 60 days and no past due balance. Coupon sent within 90 days of activation date and requires redemption within 60 days of receipt.

Terms and conditions for the Flip Ultra ™ camcorder apply as presented for new voice plus new High Speed Internet customers.
One-year agreement required for bundles; a $120 early termination fee applies if the High Speed Internet or voice component of the bundle is cancelled or downgraded before expiration of term.
** Internet speeds refer to the connection speed between the user’s location and Verizon’s central office. Actual surfing speeds will vary based on many factors and be lower than connection speed.
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 86 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 237,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

But now, the update makes it so any phone that has a decent web browser can access the FiOS TV Central feature. This allows you to program your IPTV recorder while you’re away from home. You can even use it on non-Verizon phones like the iPhone.

Other aspects of this new feature include the ability to add or remove shows from your recording line up, manage up to three DVRs and more. You can access this latest FiOS TV Central feature for free. Though it’s currently in beta, the full version should be available soon.