Verizon to Bring All-Fiber FiOS TV to Wilmington Residents

Verizon to Bring All-Fiber FiOS TV to Wilmington Residents

Company Files Video Franchise Application for City's Review, Approval

Application Includes Aggressive Deployment of Verizon's FiOS TV Throughout City Over Five Years

WILMINGTON, Del., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilmington residents and businesses are nearer to having more choice for their TV service as Verizon filed a video franchise application Thursday (Nov. 20) that would authorize the company to offer its fiber-optic-based FiOS TV in the city.

The Wilmington Cable, Video and Telecommunications Commission, City Council Finance Committee and full Council now will consider Verizon's application for a 10-year franchise and subsequently vote on whether to approve it.

The application follows several months of discussions between Verizon and city representatives. Based in part on those discussions, Verizon has committed to make FiOS TV available throughout Wilmington within five years of the date the service is first offered in the city.

The franchise application also provides the city with up to three educational and governmental access channels for use by the city; payment of franchise fees equivalent to 5 percent of gross revenues on cable TV service; financial support for the city's educational and governmental channels and institutional network; an extensive and appropriate set of customer service provisions; and a service center in the city where customers can obtain assistance with their FiOS TV equipment needs.

"Verizon is eager to offer Wilmington residents something they haven't previously had -- a superior choice for their cable TV information and entertainment," said William R. Allan, president of Verizon Delaware. "FiOS TV has superior picture quality and more high-definition channels than the competition, all delivered over the nation's most advanced, all-fiber-optic network by a name people can trust -- Verizon.

"We're looking forward to our first FiOS TV sales in Wilmington, and we encourage the city to approve this application expeditiously," said Allan.

As part of the franchise application, Verizon will offer service to a significant number of Wilmington subscribers within two years of the agreement's effective date, and to all residential areas within five years of the date FiOS TV is available for sale in the city.

The company currently offers FiOS Internet service in some parts of Wilmington, with more locations being added every week. Residents in these areas will be among the first to choose FiOS TV.

More information about Verizon and FiOS TV is available at www.verizon.com/de.

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 71 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 228,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Harry Mitchell, +1-304-344-7562, harry.j.mitchell@verizon.com,
or Sharon Shaffer, +1-215-963-6200, sharon.b.shaffer@verizon.com

Web Site: http://www.verizon.com/
http://www.verizon.com/de

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

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Profile: International Entertainment