Verizon Adds Shore Towns to TV Service
By David P. Willis, Asbury Park Press, N.J.
Mar. 2–Verizon Communications has expanded the number of towns in Monmouth County where residents can subscribe to its fiber-optic television service.
The telephone company, which began offering television service in New Jersey in late December, announced on Thursday that it will now sell its Verizon FiOS TV in 17 more towns in Monmouth County.
The new towns are Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Avon, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Brielle, Deal, Interlaken, Lake Como, Loch Arbour, Manasquan, Marlboro, Neptune, Neptune City, Sea Girt, Spring Lake and Spring Lake Heights.
They join 23 Monmouth County towns where the service became available earlier this year. FiOS TV is now available in 168 New Jersey towns. Verizon hopes to begin to offer FiOS TV in several Ocean County towns by late summer or early fall, Verizon spokesman Rich Young said.
Asbury Park resident Steve Wider, a Cablevision customer, said he was interested in switching.
“If they have something comparable in price and (it) gives a better performance, I would definitely consider that,” Wider said. “I am looking for value per dollar.”
Verizon was able to offer TV service after Gov. Corzine signed legislation, vigorously opposed by cable television companies, that allowed for a statewide television franchise, forgoing the more time-consuming process of getting approvals town by town. For more than a year, Verizon and its cable competitors waged intense lobbying campaigns.
The company is using its new fiber-optic network to deliver 200 digital channels, 25 high-definition channels and a video-on-demand library of 8,600 titles for $42.99 per month.
Verizon also has unveiled a package deal, offering television service with high-speed Internet access and unlimited telephone calling for $94.99 a month.
The offer takes on cable television’s so-called triple-play bundles. For instance, Cablevision’s plan costs $29.95 for each service for a total of $89.85 a month, according to its Web site.
Comcast’s similar bundle costs $33 for each service or $99 a month.
“We love our competitive position,” Comcast spokesman Jeff Alexander said. “We feel we continue to win (customers) because we offer better products at a better value.”
Verizon is signing up thousands of customers a week, and it has plans to expand the service to more than 200 communities by the end of the year, the company said.
In a related development, Verizon has told the state Board of Public Utilities that it is expanding its service territory from 316 to 341 communities.
“This is a clear indication that streamlining New Jersey’s antiquated video franchise laws was the right thing to do for consumers,” Verizon New Jersey President Dennis Bone said in a statement. “We’re knocking down the barriers to competition, bringing our premier service to the marketplace, and consumers will be the real winners.”
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