More Southern California Consumers Now Can Say 'So Long' to Cable as Verizon Expands FiOS TV Availability

More Southern California Consumers Now Can Say 'So Long' to Cable as Verizon Expands FiOS TV Availability

FiOS TV Is the Only TV Service Delivered Over the Nation's Most Advanced, All-Fiber-Optic Network Straight to Consumers' Homes

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- More Southern California consumers and small businesses can join the FiOS revolution, as Verizon has expanded the availability of FiOS TV in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, delivered over the company's all-fiber-optic network.

FiOS TV service is now available to thousands of homes and businesses in parts of Baldwin Park, Hemet, La Puente, San Bernardino and Upland. Verizon has also made FiOS TV available to more customers in additional areas of Glendora, La Verne, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Montclair, Pomona, Thousand Oaks, Yucaipa and unincorporated Los Angeles County.

Verizon delivers all-digital FiOS TV over the nation's largest all-fiber network, which has earned certification from the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes and businesses.

"Verizon continues to bring FiOS Internet and TV services to more Californians, and the response has been great," said Shawne Angelle, president of sales channel operations for Verizon's South/West area. "Verizon is winning customers from the cable incumbents by providing the best, most reliable network available at a competitive price for voice, data and video services - all backed by the best employees in the business and a name consumers can trust."

Southern California residents who are FiOS TV-eligible can trim their monthly bills by bundling FiOS TV service, FiOS Internet service and the Verizon Freedom Essentials unlimited calling plan.

Southern California consumers can check online at www.verizon.com/fios for more information or to request that Verizon contact them when FiOS services become available. Customers also can call their local Verizon sales office or 888-GET FiOS (888-438-3467).

Consumers who sign up for FiOS TV between now and Dec. 31 are eligible to enjoy free access for 90 days to three premium entertainment packages - Cinemax, HBO and FiOS TV's Movie Package, which includes Showtime, Starz, The Movie Channel, Encore, Sundance Channel and IFC. This package also includes 40 HD premium channels as well as more than 9,000 free VOD titles per month.

                           FiOS TV Service Highlights             FiOS TV service highlights include:   --  More than 400 all-digital channels grouped by genres such as       entertainment, sports, news, shopping, movies and family, making it       easy for audiences to find their favorite programming.   --  More than 100 high-definition channels in the market, with       extraordinary clarity and theater-quality sound.   --  More than 14,000 monthly video-on-demand (VOD) titles and growing - 70       percent of which are free. In addition, the VOD library includes over       1,000 free HD titles per month.   --  100 percent digital quality on every channel and less pixilation       (distortion) than with cable or satellite.  Unlike some cable       providers, FiOS TV quality is not deteriorated by the recompression of       video signals before they are passed on to customers.   --  Multi-room DVR (digital video recorder) that allows customers to use       one DVR to record standard- and high-definition programming which can       then be enjoyed on six additional TV sets in the home.   --  An innovative interactive media guide (IMG) that helps customers       quickly and easily find and enjoy content from TV listings, VOD       catalogs and the Home Media DVR, as well as personal music and photos       from a home network.  Home Media DVR customers can remotely manage       their DVRs via the FiOS TV Central Web site and select Verizon       Wireless handsets.    

Programming choices for Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Russian and other multicultural audiences are available in every market, making FiOS TV an outlet for emerging and independent networks to showcase their diverse programming.

Sports fans in the local market can also receive a host of sports channels - including several ESPN channels, the Big Ten Network and the NFL Network - at no extra charge. Customers who subscribe to FiOS TV and FiOS Internet can enjoy football games online via free access to NFL Game Extra.

FiOS TV is delivered over Verizon's all-fiber-optic network, which brings the power and capacity of fiber optics directly into people's homes and has industry-leading quality and reliability. Fiber 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. This network also delivers Internet download speeds of up to 50 Mbps* (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 20 Mbps, as well as high-quality voice services.

The value of FiOS TV extends to the installation and customer support. Specially trained Verizon technicians will install the service and acquaint subscribers with FiOS TV features and services. Verizon is waiving the installation fee for up to three existing TV outlets, and there is no charge to install a needed optical network terminal at the subscriber's home. Charges for other installation services, such as additional outlets, may apply. Verizon provides 24 x 7 technical assistance by phone from its specialized Fiber Solutions Centers, including one in Oxnard, Calif.

FiOS Internet Highlights

Verizon's 50/20 Mbps FiOS Internet connection is the fastest available to U.S. consumers, and the company's 20/20 Mbps symmetrical service is the first of its kind commercially available to U.S. consumers on a mass scale. Pioneering a new category of broadband for the American consumer, Verizon's symmetrical FiOS provides the ultra-fast, two-way speeds crucial for such burgeoning online activities as video conferencing, social networking and super-fast uploading of electronic photo albums or home videos, as well as multiplayer gaming and online work collaboration.

Verizon's FiOS Internet service was named the top pick in PC Magazine's 2008 reader survey and also was named a winner in PC World Magazine's The 100 Best Products of 2008. It was the second year in a row that the broadband service made the reader survey and best product lists.

At 50 Mbps, downloading a 5 GB (gigabyte) file, such as 112-minute, high-definition movie purchased online, takes approximately 13.3 minutes, while a 50 MB (megabyte), or 60-minute, Web video takes 8 seconds, and a 5 MB MP3 music file takes less than eight-tenths of a second.

Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload a 250 MB file of 200 photos in about 90 seconds. A 3 GB file, such as a one-hour family video shot with a high-definition video camera, could be uploaded in around 20 minutes.

In California, FiOS Internet 50/20 Mbps service is available for $139.95 a month with an annual service plan; the 20/20 Mbps service is available for $64.99 a month with an annual service plan. FiOS Internet service is also available as part of a discounted bundle of multiple Verizon services.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

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: Jon Davies, +1-805-372-6969, jon.davies@verizon.com

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

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

---

Profile: International Entertainment