Verizon on Monday began offering FiOS (News - Alert) TV service in New York City. The move is symbolic in part because it represents an intensification of direct competition between Verizon and Time Warner Cable and Cablevision Systems (News - Alert) Corp., and in part because New York is such an important media market.

 

Verizon (News - Alert) will offer 100 high-definition channels to the metro New York market, more than Time Warner or Cablevision, Verizon says.

 

Verizon is initially offering FiOS TV to parts of each of the five New York City boroughs, in108 neighborhoods representing about 300,000 households. By the end of 2008, the company expects to have half-a-million homes open for sale in New York City. Over the next few years, Verizon will place fiber down every street and avenue across all five boroughs to reach all 3.1 million households in the city.

 

Nationally, FiOS Internet is available in parts of 16 states, and FiOS TV is offered in parts of 13 states.

 

To help launch FiOS TV in New York City, Verizon is offering a selection of power-packed bundles of services, including one for just for just $94.99 a month that features FiOS Internet service with a maximum connection speed of 20 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream; telephone service with unlimited local and long-distance calling and FiOS TV service with 54 free HD channels.

 

Other bundles include even faster Internet service of 20 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream, plus all standard- and high-definition premium channels.