January 5, 2006 Irving, TX -- Verizon today announced the launch of its FiOS TV service in seven more North Texas communities, bringing the number of Dallas/Fort Worth suburbs where consumers can obtain the fiber-optic based service to fourteen. The company says the service, delivered over its FTTP network, is designed to compete with comparable cable and satellite services.
According to a press release, effective immediately, the company's local telephone customers in the Texas communities of Colleyville, Grapevine, Murphy, Sachse, Southlake, Westlake, and Wylie are now eligible to receive the TV service. The company began offering its FiOS TV service in the town Keller in September 2005. In December 2005, the company expanded the service to the towns of Carrollton, Coppell, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Irving, and Lewisville.
According to the release, acting under a recent Texas law that granted Verizon a state-issued video franchise in October, the company will continue its roll-out of the FiOS TV service in the rest of its previously announced Dallas/Fort Worth markets by expanding the service to 11 more communities later this year, in addition to those announced today and previously. These communities include Allen, Denton, Double Oak, Garland, Hebron, Highland Village, Lucas, Parker, Plano, Rowlett, and St. Paul.
"Consumers win when they have a choice in video providers," comments Steve Banta, Verizon's southwest regional president. "The ability to select from multiple in-home video providers stimulates competition and produces greater value and better service for the public."
According to the release, by the end of 2006, as Verizon continues building out its fiber-optic network that already spans more than 17 million feet in North Texas, the FiOS TV service will be available to nearly 400,000 North Texas households, or 33 percent of Verizon's landline customers in Texas, with over 1 million potential viewers.
"We're very pleased at the early consumer response to Verizon FiOS TV," adds Banta. "We are equally satisfied that we have accelerated the roll-out of our new video service so quickly after receiving a state-issued video franchise. It has greatly increased our ability to compete with incumbent cable and satellite TV companies."
The company also recently began offering its FiOS TV service in Herndon, VA and surrounding parts of Fairfax County, VA, as well as in Temple Terrace, FL.