More Cable TV Choice for Consumers in East Providence and Woonsocket, R.I.

More Cable TV Choice for Consumers in East Providence and Woonsocket, R.I.

Thousands More Consumers, Small Businesses Now Can Order Verizon's FiOS TV, the Only TV Service Delivered Over Nation's Most Advanced Fiber-Optic Network Straight to Consumers

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- - Consumers and small businesses in East Providence and Woonsocket have more choice in cable TV providers now that Verizon has introduced FiOS TV -- the ultimate home-entertainment experience with a broad range of programming choices and superior picture quality -- in the two communities.

East Providence and Woonsocket are among 25 Rhode Island communities (see list below) where the company's new television service is offered -- the only TV service delivered over the nation's most advanced all-fiber network directly connecting to millions of individual homes and businesses.

Verizon FiOS TV offers more than 500 total channels, including 122 HD channels in Rhode Island -- more HD than any local cable TV company, including Cox.

"FiOS TV gives consumers in East Providence and Woonsocket an outstanding alternative for their video entertainment with superior picture-and-sound quality and innovative, interactive features that cable can't match," said Donna Cupelo, Verizon region president for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "Customers in these communities who liked what FiOS did for their Internet connection will love what it does for their TV. We've harnessed the vast capacity of our advanced fiber-optic network to deliver a revolutionary, new entertainment experience giving customers the best choice for TV."

Rhode Island residents who are FiOS TV-eligible now have the option to trim their monthly bills by bundling FiOS TV service, FiOS Internet service and the Verizon Freedom Essentials unlimited calling plan, for as little as $79.99 a month. They also can add a Verizon Wireless calling plan for a Grand Slam of communications and entertainment services.

East Providence and Woonsocket 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).

Small and medium-sized businesses interested in business-grade FiOS services can visit www.verizon.com/bizfiostv to see online rebate offers of up to $409 depending on the services selected, or call 877-FiOS BIZ (877-346-7249) for more information.

   FiOS TV Service Highlights    FiOS TV service highlights include:    --  More than 500 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.   --  A total of 122 HD channels available for Rhode Island customers, with       extraordinary clarity and theater-quality sound.   --  An industry-leading library of more than 15,000 video-on-demand (VOD)       titles each month, 70 percent of which are free. In addition, the VOD       library includes 1,400 HD titles per month.   --  An innovative interactive media guide (IMG) that gives customers a       rich, personalized television experience with content from TV       listings, VOD catalogs and the digital video recorder (DVR), as well       as personal music and photos from a home network.  Among the features       of the IMG are:       --  Multi-Room DVR -- Verizon's Home Media DVR allows customers to           stream recorded HD and standard-definition (SD) programs to up to           six other TV sets throughout the home.  This includes the ability           to watch three separately recorded shows on three TV sets at the           same time, plus pause recorded programming in one room and           continue watching in another.       --  Media Manager -- a feature that lets customers wirelessly bring           personal photos, music and slide shows to life from their           computers to their TVs.       --  Remote DVR management -- All FiOS subscribers can remotely control           their DVRs online, and Media Manager subscribers can use this           service via any cell phone with a data plan. Subscribers can use           the service to remotely review, change or add recording requests;           delete recorded programs; browse and search TV and video-on-demand           listings; set parental controls; and more.       --  Widgets -- Customers have one-touch, on-demand access to           personalized information such as local weather and traffic           reports, daily local and national news headlines, fantasy sports,           daily national sports headlines, and daily horoscopes, as well as           Twitter and Facebook, all while still enjoying their TV           programming.       --  Free casual games -- With the remote control and an HD set-top           box, customers can access chess, solitaire, sudoku and wordplay.       --  "What's Hot on FiOS TV" -- Features information on the           most-popular programs currently being broadcast in the region and           the most popular VOD titles.       --  "Return to Paused Programming" -- Allows customers to pause live           programming, change channels, and then return to the paused           program and pick up where they left off.       --  Channel sorting options -- Customers can create two separate lists           of favorite channels for family members.  Customers also can           filter channels in the guide by genre, for instances where a           customer may only want to see HD content, international channels           or kids programming, among others.        --  Fantasy Football -- FiOS TV customers who are registered users of           ESPN Fantasy Football will have instant on-screen access to           personalized NFL statistics, including rosters, box scores,           scoring leaders and player information.   

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.

Verizon's fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, the largest of its kind in the country, is currently under construction in more than half the states where the company offers landline communications services. The network 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. It 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 Fiber Solutions Centers in Providence and other cities.

FiOS TV is currently available to more than 10.3 million homes and businesses in 14 states: California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

(More information about FiOS TV and fiber optics is available in Verizon's online News Center at www.verizon.com/news.)

[In Rhode Island, FiOS TV is available in Central Falls, Charlestown, Coventry, Cranston, Cumberland, East Greenwich, East Providence, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Johnston, Lincoln, Narragansett, North Kingstown, North Providence, Providence, Pawtucket, Richmond, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Greenwich, West Warwick and Woonsocket.

* NOTE: Actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

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 87 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 235,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 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: Michele Cinquegrano, +1-401-525-2134,
michele.cinquegrano@verizon.com, or Phil Santoro, +1-617-743-4760,
philip.g.santoro@verizon.com, both of Verizon

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

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

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Profile: International Entertainment