Verizon FiOS TV contractions: May 13, 2009
FTTP posts
Verizon ramps up for 100Mbps FiOS internet in 2009
Verizon has tested the 100Mbps internet waters before back when it was rolling out Actiontec routers in select locales, but now the outfit is gearing up to roll it out en masse. Speaking at the recent Lightwave's Optical Access '08 virtual conference and tradeshow, Vincent O'Byrne (director of FTTP architecture and design within Verizon's Technology Organization) affirmed that the provider would dish out 100Mbit/sec internet service next year. Currently, it offers homes downstream options of 5-, 10-, 15-, 30- and 50Mbits/sec with up to 20Mbit/sec upstream, though trials are already underway to get that maximum doubled in short order. No word on which regions will get gifted first, but we've a sneaking suspicion that Massachusetts has a good chance. The whole "teacher's pet" thing, you know?FairPoint offering free HDTVs for fiber trials in Portsmouth, NH
Call us crazy, but we suspect these 100 free HDTVs (and DVRs) will be snapped up in no time flat... if they aren't all claimed already, that is. FairPoint Communications is hoping to lure a hundred Portsmouth, New Hampshire homes into testing its new fiber-based (IPTV) programming technology as it looks to compete locally with Comcast. The 90-day pilot program is set to start in January and is open to all Portsmouth residents within the FairPoint fiber-optic service area. Depending on how the tests go, many communities could look to FairPoint to provide video services, though the initial trial will include just 45 channels as critics look to judge quality, not quantity. So, what exactly are you waiting for? Get on the horn and get your name on the list!WestTel bringing FTTP to Grand Cayman
Aspen Optics boldly predicts massive fiber adoption by 2010
Move over, 2012. 2010 is up first, and Aspen Optics is asserting that it'll be a banner year for fiber. Granted, we're taking all of this pretty lightly given the industry that it's in, but nevertheless, said company is proclaiming that FTTH (fiber to the home) will soon be known as FTEH (fiber to every home) while FTTO (fiber to the office) will morph into FTEO (fiber to every office). The proclamation does note that we're talking about "developed nations" here, and the release does tend to focus on the UAE in particular, but this provides good fodder for discussion if nothing else. Do you see fiber booming in just 18 months? We're guessing it'll take a few more years beyond that for it to really make a play for significant cable market share, but hey, we'd love to be wrong.[Via Developing Telecoms]
Provo, Utah sells iProvo fiber-optic network to Broadweave
iProvo, the largest municipally owned fiber-to-the-premises network in the entire United States, has just been sold to Broadweave Networks. The Provo, Utah-based network actually reaches all 36,000 residents and businesses of the city, and manages to connect homes, businesses, government buildings, schools and even traffic signals. The sale price was $40.6 million, which is plenty to retire the outstanding bonds incurred by Provo to build the system. The City itself seems quite pleased, as it gains the advantage of the sale and it continues to enjoy the benefits of the infrastructure. Under the agreement, Broadweave will act as the network owner and service provider, while Provo retains a license to keep on using the fiber as it has in the past. Best of all, the new owner has already promised to "invest heavily in network upgrades in order to increase capacity, features, and performance for commercial customers," though we aren't sure if that means more HD content is on the way.48000 more Portland-area homes getting FiOS services
Verizon begins rollout of FiOS Interactive Media Guide
AT&T's U-verse adds Showtime HD, The Movie Channel HD
AT&T's U-verse continues building steam towards its HD launch by adding the Showtime family of channels to the service. This includes both Showtime HD and The Movie Channel HD. Of course, HD over Project Lightspeed has been coming soon for quite a while now, but hopefully we are only a few months away. They've recently signed up channels like Starz HDTV, Wealth TV, Discovery HD, MTV Networks' MHD and others. That could be a very compelling package...whenever it's actually available.AT&T's U-verse TV signs up Starz HDTV
AT&T's U-verse FTTN & FTTP service may not actually offer high definition yet, that hasn't stopped them from adding additional programming for HDTV owners. The Starz package, including Starz HDTV and video-on-demand is the latest station to sign up with the service, which we expect will roll out HD in September or so.
