With DOCSIS 3.0 (and the corresponding 50Mbps download speeds) being deploying in varying parts of America, Verizon understands what it's up against. Reportedly, the carrier is gearing up to push its 50Mbps FiOS internet -- which is currently only available in a few of its more favored states -- to its entire US footprint. Best of all, we're hearing that all 16 FiOS-enabled states could have access to the service as early as next week, and if you're anxious to sign up, just know that it'll run you $139.95 per month with an annual contract. Thankfully, Verizon is also planning to boost speeds in the basic and middle tiers as well, with the former going from 5Mbps to 10Mbps and the latter going from 15Mbps to 20Mbps. Yeah, we like where this is headed, but we've still got aways to go before we can even sniff Sigbritt Löthberg's connection.

[Via Reuters]

Update: Here's Verizon's official release.

Starz Entertainment's own broadband video service is doing a special little jig for Verizon's customers, as the two companies have just inked a "comprehensive, multi-year agreement that will bring exclusive hit movies from Starz to Verizon's more than 8.5 million broadband subscribers and the full array of Starz products to Verizon's FiOS TV and FiOS internet / DSL customers." Of course, folks interested will still have to fork over $5.99 per month to access the subscription based service, but at least you can do so with the knowledge that "exclusive content" will soon be at your fingertips. Moving on, the two also expanded their current FiOS TV affiliation agreement, with the new deal securing delivery of all 16 Starz, Encore and MoviePlex premium channels, all of its HD channels and every VOD / HD VOD outlet. Now that's something we can really smile about.

Filling what is apparently an unfilled void in men's lifestyle-themed HD programming, the MEN7 network is planning to officially launch July 3 online and on ION Media Networks. To start, the HD will be available online with seven broadband high definition series: The Extremists, Beyond the List, Billionaires Car Club, Bikini Destinations and Eventurer. Only the flagship program The MEN7 Show is currently slated for an ION Media Networks station near you in its inaugural 26-week run, calling itself MEN7's SportsCenter. A quick peek at the website reveals only a registration for the upcoming beta and a promo trailer, although it counts all the online video players we could name (Joost, Hulu, Vuze, Adobe Media Player, Youtube etc.) as partners, so you should definitely be able to pull up these videos somewhere. Internationally, there are several distributors locked up, we'll definitely take a look once this launches and see how it stacks up in an already crowded field.

Look out, avid travelers -- LodgeNet is at it again. After announcing that it would bring HD to 17,000 hotel rooms in early 2007, the company is now talking up an agreement with Loews Hotels. The deal will bring a comprehensive HDTV and broadband internet solution to US and Canadian Loews properties, meaning that 8,000 rooms across all 18 Loews hotels will be upgraded. Guests who find themselves in one of these venues for the night will soon be enjoying HD movies and TV, video-on-demand and the DirecTV Sports package to boot. Unfortunately, there's no word as to when the new services will be implemented, but the sooner the better, we say.

We've certainly seen companies use the well-trafficked floors of Wal-Mart to springboard certain products and / or services before, but this one has us scratching our noggins, for sure. Apparently Time Warner Cable has secured a deal that will allow it to market its cable, broadband internet access and digital phone service in nearly 700 Wal-Mart locations. Reportedly, customers can sign up for any of the provider's services from within the store (at "Connection Centers"), but here comes the curious part: after they leave, they're required to either phone up TWC in order to complete the transaction and get their service(s) hooked up or wait 24-hours for the carrier to contact them. In essence, what we've got here is a bona fide marketing push -- from what we can tell, nothing about this process makes things noticeably easier for the customer than just phoning up Time Warner Cable from the comfort of their own home. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

Although we just heard that Comcast's DOCSIS 3.0 rollout was on track for 2009, folks in the Twin Cities region now have exclusive bragging rights for an undisclosed window of time. Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota have become the first markets to have access to an all new "extreme" broadband (or wideband, as it were) connection, which promises 50Mbps down / 5Mbps up. As expected, the carrier isn't being modest about the launch, claiming that users can suck down a 4GB HD movie "in about ten minutes," compared to "more than six hours" on a 1.5Mbps DSL connection. The newfound speed won't come cheap -- for residential users, look to lay down $149.95 per month for the privilege. Even if you aren't springing for the good stuff, current customers in the area will have their existing broadband connections hastened gratis, with 6Mbps / 384Kbps users moving up to 1Mbps uploads and 8Mbps / 768Kbps users seeing 2Mbps uploads. Kudos, Twin Cities -- you just made most of America sick with envy.

[Image courtesy of TheRedWoodMotel]

Considering that NSR thinks that we'll have access to 900 HD channels via satellite by 2012, we're not exactly sure why we'll even need to download high-def media in four years. All jesting aside, a recent report put forth by Parks Associates suggests that around 33 million US households will have 10Mbps+ broadband by 2012, essentially enabling an equal amount of homes to easily stream high-definition video. At the end of 2007, just 5.7 million -- or nine-percent of broadband-enabled domiciles -- had such speeds. Granted, just because speeds creep up doesn't mean that consumers will soon be ditching their packaged media and resorting to streams, but with cable companies gearing up for DOCSIS 3.0 rollouts, we'd say these figures aren't too far fetched.

[Via US News]

In quite an interesting development, California's own Marshall Media has teamed up with a leading telecommunications company in Asia in order to deliver HD "American infotainment" to broadband customers in India. More specifically, Marshall Media will dish out content such as its own "Road to the American Dream" alongside other programs that cover informative topics (i.e. healthcare seminars) and comedies. Notably, the high-definition media will be delivered using a "video-on-demand digital streaming system," and at least initially, it will require Windows Media Player for playback. Marshall Media is also toying with the idea of providing "live HD broadcasting for various types of events, with the help of VSNL's INMARSAT satellite communications services" in the future, but for now, we're still left without a clue as to when the service will actually launch and how much coin it'll demand.

Just as many analysts predicted following the two companies' failure to secure any spectrum during last year's FCC auction, both DirecTV and DISH-parent EchoStar have signed agreements with Craig McCaw's Clearwire to provide qualifying customers with high-speed wireless internet service (and by qualifying customers, we mean anyone who lives within a Clearwire coverage zone). What's more, current Clearwire subscribers will have the opportunity to sign up for satellite TV delivered right to their modems -- an American first, as far as we know. In other industry news, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that EchoStar and future DirecTV-owner Liberty Media are planning a multi-billion dollar bid for satellite-communications provider Intelsat, which would provide both firms with additional capacity and/or the capability to offer broadband from the heavens. So far all we know regarding a launch window for the Clearwire deal is that bundled packages will be available from all three parties later this year, once again making your satellite vs. cable decision a difficult one.

Update: D'oh! As several of you have noted, it's entirely possible -- nay, likely -- that Clearwire will simply be offering traditional satellite TV as part of a services bundle, rather than sending DirecTV / DISH content over its network.

Read - Clearwire
Read - Intelsat [Warning: subscription required]

Verizon may be upping the prices for DVR usage, but now we get the chance to see what that extra fee buys you. According to Dave Zatz, Verizon is launching FiOS Interactive Media Guide -- also known as FiOS 2 -- in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with rollouts occurring nationwide via software upgrades this summer. There are plenty of features to bullet-point, including an all-new 32-bit interface with 8-bit transparency, tabbed interfaces with a better central focus, global content searches (that also include local Media Manager content like photos and music), trailers and poster art for On Demand content, and traffic and weather widgets. See our gallery below for more screencaps from the FiOS presentation.

[Via Zatz Not Funny]

It's no secret that BD Live functionality hasn't been the standout feature that we had all hoped for, as a majority of the current players on shelves now don't even sport all the necessary equipment to fully take advantage, but it sounds like Samsung is hoping to change all that by getting serious with interactive niceties. In an admittedly poor translation of Korean, a recent report outlines Samsung's desire to "commercialize" BD Live "by the end of the year," aiming to get downloadable content and internet-enabled services to the end user before we all forget about this once hyped technology. Apparently, the firm is already in talks with major Blu-ray disc producers such as Sony, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount, and there was also hints that broadening the appeal of BD Live could indeed help Blu-ray gain an edge over HD DVD. Now we just hope that its second-generation lineup doesn't do something awkward like not offer up full support of BD Live, alright Sammy?

Everything's not exactly peachy in the world of DirecTV, but for those looking for even a hint of hope in regard to seeing HD video-on-demand via satellite, that time has (finally) arrived. Apparently, DirecTV is readying an HD VOD service that will initially include "more than a dozen programming services" such as Food Network and Discovery Channel. Interestingly, it looks like the satellite provider will utilize "a broadband connection to allow consumers to watch on-demand content in real time," and hinted at partnerships with a number of carriers that would be given "complete control over their own channel, including content and marketing messages." It was also stated that eventually, customers with an HD DVR and broadband internet "would have access to more than 2,000 on-demand movies," many of which in would be of the HD variety. Reportedly, the service will hit the beta stages sometime this month, and if no major hiccups are incurred, it could be rolled out to subscribers as early as July.

[Via DBSTalk]

Sony announced last month that they would be releasing products including their new Internet Video Link capabilities, which will allow users to stream free standard and high-definition content through their broadband connections directly to the television, bypassing any set-top boxes or computers. Providers will include AOL, Yahoo!, Sony Pictures, and Sony BMG music, along with user generated videos and RSS feeds. Now we've got more detail on the IVL box, along with a glimpse at the first sets to support it. Apparently the unit will display its wares in Sony's XMB Xross Media Bar format, as seen on the company's PSP and PS3 consoles. The IVL module will be sold separately for $300 starting in July, and it attaches to the back of a "majority" of Sony's 2007 BRAVIA sets -- currently including the new KDL-46S3000, KDL-40S3000, KDL-32S3000, KDL-26S3000, KDL-46V3000, KDL-40V3000 and KDL-32XBR4 LCDs, and the KDF-37E3000, KDF-50E3000 and KDF-46E3000 micro-displays. Looks like a regular ol' USB plug will do the honors, and the IVL saps power from the TV while sipping internet off of an Ethernet plug, so added cable clutter will be fairly minimal.

Although it's likely being overshadowed by the Queen's recent HDTV spending spree, the UK's BT Vision has quietly launched its own set-top box (dubbed V-Box) and IPTV service in hopes of carefully gauging response during the first few months. The company asserted that it wanted to avoid the manufacturing backlogs and "embarrassing supply delays," so it was waiting until "next Spring" to hit the ad campaign in full force. Nevertheless, the V-Box and its subsequent services are live and ready to go, and the pricing structure is quite desirable indeed. The IPTV package brings the entire suite of Freeview channels to the viewer at no cost, and the V-Box (capable of holding "about 80 hours" of content) is also delivered gratis save for £90 ($178) of connection / installation fees. The business model relies on users not being satisfied with the free programming at their disposal, and instead indulging in the plethora of on-demand movies, music videos, sports, and TV shows / replays at their fingertips. While we doubt this launch will steal too many customers away from Sky and NTL (soon to be Virgin Media), this price is most definitely right if you're content with free.