Verizon has teamed up with SES to test the latter company's Ultra HD platform as part of an effort to bring 4K content to FiOS customers. It's a welcomed move for UHD TV owners who have long waited for Verizon to offer such channels; many of the company's competitors have already introduced their 4K offerings. It is unclear when these tests will begin.
Verizon has announced the launch of Fios Prepaid, a contract-free and credit-check-free way to get a trio of Verizon services including Internet. This is the first ‘triple-play’ prepaid Fios option from Verizon, and gives those who can’t or won’t get the regular service an option with less restrictions. The service is said to be available anywhere the regular Fios plans are offered.
It looks like Verizon may be moving away from its FiOS brand, and replacing it with an all-new cable and internet service, according to a new report from Variety. Sources have said the service will be based on a model that uses a new set-top box based on internet technologies, as opposed to existing digital cable signals. At the earliest, it sounds like Verizon may debut the service in an existing FiOS market before the end of the year.
While cable companies and content providers are scrambling to remain competitive in an age of video and music streaming, Verizon seems to be moving away just a little bit. Although still without official confirmation on its website, users of its FiOS TV service have reported receiving notices that Verizon is killing off FiOS TV's presence on consoles as well as smart TVs. While that does still leave ubiquitous mobile devices on the unscathed, it is a move that is bound to be unpopular with many of Verizon's faithful.
Verizon is upgrading its Fios media streaming, adding complete DVR access to its mobile app while you're away from home. The iOS and Android software, launched in late 2013, was already capable of streaming select live channels, but this new version throws DVR recordings into the mixture too, meaning anything that you've saved to your set-top box can also be watched remotely.
Carriers are being held up to government scrutiny this week. Just days after AT&T was fined by the FCC for throttling data, it's Verizon's turn to be on the hot seat, this time with the New York City government breathing down its neck. The office of Mayor Bill de Blaiso says that Verizon has greatly failed to deliver on its promise back in 2008 to put high-speed fiber-optic connections throughout the city, under its FiOS service. Naturally, Verizon denies the allegation and even hints that this audit might have ulterior motives.
So Verizon is launching a new TV service that allows you to pick just a few channels instead of several hundred. So what? How does that compare to the rest of the TV services on the market today? What we're doing here is taking a run down the networks that offer similar services - the few that do - to show you what the real skinny is. Verizon's so-called "skinny bundle" is supposed to launch on the 19th of April - that's just a few days away. Before then, have a look at this.
Subscribers to the Verizon FiOS TV and internet service as well as the Xbox One's Xbox Gold program will find no less than a full-fledged app for the service. This means that users will be able to browse 74 live channels with next-generation console as easy as it would be to tap with any other app. This release is being pushed right this minute to the Xbox One.
As we first noted back in 2010, Verizon has allowed its FiOS TV users to watch live TV from their iPad while connected to their home wireless network, adding an element of mobility to its service. This service has finally been expanded, with Android and iOS users now being able to watch live TV from select channels from their mobile device while away from their home network.
It's been just over a year since Verizon unveiled FiOS Quantum, a new feature in Verizon's fiber optics offering that allows for even faster download speeds than the company's initial FiOS service. At the time, they revealed a 300 Mbps service that seemed absolutely insane, but this time around, Verizon has upped the ante even more, with a new 500 Mbps tier.
We all seem to have issues with our cable company. Whether it's because of weird charges on our monthly bill or unreliable service, there seems to never be a decent cable company out there that can provide a great experience for its customers. However, that's not all true. It turns out that Verizon FiOS is pretty good, as it topped the list of Consumer Reports' best internet/cable/phone bundles.
Verizon and Samsung announced today that an update has the official FiOS app. It includes support for even more channels (over 75 of them now), as well as support for more Samsung televisions and players, specifically the company's 2011 and 2012 lineup. The app, which was launch over the summer, allows users to access content without having a separate STB, as long as they have Samsung TV or Blu-ray player.
