The NY Public Service Commission decided to approve Verizon's petition for a Certificate of Confirmation yesterday, removing the final hurdle to FiOS eventually becoming available in all five boroughs. Details from the PSC's release (warning: PDF link) indicate the franchise agreement is for 12 years, and grants Verizon waivers on a few usual requirements intended to give it time to build up service in the city. It could take up to six years to reach fiber to the entire city, and has also been granted 180 extra days to add public, educational and government channels. No word on exactly when New Yorkers expect that all digital, uncompressed competition for their local cable company (Verizon's PR indicates only "in the coming weeks"), but with the last hurdle out of the way it should be sooner rather than later.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Verizon press release
Read - State of New York Public service Commission Approval

We've never been ones to count our chickens before they hatch, but there's a very, very interesting tidbit snuck into the New York Public Service Commission's July 16th meeting agenda. The very last bullet points on the very last page of the notice reads as shown above, which leads us to believe that the carrier may receive the approval it needs in order to string FiOS TV to the entire Empire State, New York City included. Cross your fingers -- we have all ideas that Verizon will be trumpeting its success the moment this goes down (should it go down, of course). Our biggest fear? That everyone breaks for an extended lunch just after Page 10. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Thanks, Vin P]

It has been a few months since the Brooklyn / Queens areas of New York had any high-def news pointed at 'em, but Time Warner Cable has quietly announced a few newcomers in the midst of shuffling its lineup around. Beginning on July 23rd, HD Theater will be shifting from slot 718 to 767 (so don't freak out), while Biography HD will launch on 763. Furthermore, Starz HD, Starz Comedy HD, Starz Edge HD and Starz Kids & Family HD will get lit on slots 676, 681, 677 and 678, respectively. For the latest list of local chances, tap the read link and input your zip code. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Vin]

After Windexing our spectacles and finding that Verizon actually was on a mission to bring FiOS TV to New York City, we still yearned for more proof that a formidable opponent was indeed looking to take on TWC / Cablevision in the Big Apple. Announced today, NYC's Franchise and Concession Review Committee (FCRC) has "voted unanimously to approve a proposal by Verizon to provide TV service to all five boroughs of the city." From here, the proposed agreement "must be confirmed by the Mayor's Office of the City of New York and the New York State Public Service Commission." Mmm, so close you can taste it, can't you Manhattan?

While some have said that Verizon is tiptoeing around downtown Boston, the carrier has just made clear that said scenario definitely isn't happening in the Big Apple. Believe it or not, Verizon has just filed an application to bring its FiOS TV service to all five boroughs (yes, Manhattan too) of New York City. More amazingly, the provider says that it hopes to "reach every neighborhood" in the city within a six-year time frame, though the initial go-live date is expected to occur "later this year." Make no mistake -- Verizon is well aware of Time Warner Cable / Cablevision's grasp in the city, and launching a fiber-based alternative could certainly turn things upside-down. Beyond that, we also hear of plans to dish out 150 HD channels by the year's end, and if the proposal is approved, Verizon will too provide a fiber-optic institutional network (INET) to "support the City's public safety needs." Check out the read link for lots more details, and keep those fingers crossed.

Lookee here, it's all coming true. The bits we heard about a massive HD rollout coming to Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, NY (not to mention New Jersey) are now being confirmed by Time Warner Cable. On April 30th, the three previously highlighted areas will have access to 50 HD channels, while those very stations will be available to all digital subscribers in Manhattan (!!!), New Jersey, the Hudson Valley region and Mt. Vernon "later this year." Additionally, TWC is gearing up to add over 250 HD VOD options, launch Enhanced HDTV (which includes Start Over) and position itself "to carry 100 high-definition channels" in NY and NJ by the close of 2008. Progress is a wonderful thing, innit? Check the full list of upcoming HD channels in the read link. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

We're sure it'll come as no surprise to anyone who has been keeping an eye on the progress of Thompson Hotels' forthcoming Lower East Side, but nevertheless, the five-star facility will indeed boast HDTV. Announced today, RCN has signed a multi-year deal to provide digital cable TV and high-definition services to all 140 guest rooms of the new hotel, which is set to open in Manhattan, New York in early 2008. Notably, we're not told whether any sort of HD VOD will be included, but the tricky part will be affording a single night stay to personally find out.