Verizon reportedly announced that its FiOS (News - Alert) all-fiber-optic network deployment has completed five years.

 

Transforming how people access the Internet and TV entertainment, Verizon’s (News - Alert) FiOS network, since its deployment, has made a huge impact on the residents of those six Eastern states, namely New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware, as well as other states where FiOS was deployed later, said officials with Verizon.

 

The FiOS platform has advanced the development of dynamic new on-screen TV widgets, by integrating Internet and TV functions, thereby enhancing the entertainment experience by linking Web resources to what appears on-screen.

 

Matt Davis, director of consumer and small-business telecom services research for the global market intelligence firm IDC (News - Alert), said, “FiOS has made an enormous impact on the consumer and small-business broadband markets, accelerating the change in both the basic delivery of these services while also laying the technological foundation for emerging bandwidth-intensive applications.”

 

 “Verizon has created a network with a current capability of 100 megabit-plus Internet service, with FiOS TV capable of expanding to higher-definition TV, including 3D HDTV programming,” said Mark Wegleitner, senior vice president of technology for Verizon.

 

Officials with Verizon said that Verizon’s FiOS network will pass approximately 15 million homes and businesses, with a final goal of 18 million. By the end of Q2 2009, the combined market share in those areas where FiOS is offered approached 30 percent for Internet and 25 percent for TV.

 

It is anticipated that by 2010, Verizon’s FiOS Internet penetration, in its combined markets, will be between 35 percent and 40 percent, while FiOS TV penetration will approach 30 percent, which is on higher-side as expected earlier.

 

First to be certified by the Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers’ homes and businesses, Verizon was the first one to offer 50/20 Mbps Internet speeds via FiOS network.

 

In 2005, Verizon introduction FiOS TV, which currently offers at least 115 HD channels in each market. The company partnered with various entertainment firms, such as Disney, ESPN (News - Alert), NFL Network and Starz, in order to bring sports, movies and children’s entertainment to customers via their FiOS Internet connection. Additionally, the FiOS TV interactive media guide is still enabling customers to pull content from broadcast TV, the Internet as well as their own private music, video and photo files onto a single system.

 

Furthermore, the multi-room DVR enables customers to use one DVR to record standard and HD programming that can be watched on up to six other TVs in a home, including up to three separate recorded programs simultaneously on different TVs. Even, remote DVR management is also introduced now along with FiOS TV Media Manager service, which allows FiOS DVR customers to access personal photos, videos and music from PCs and play them on their TVs.

 

Over the coming months, Verizon has plans to further enhance its FiOS, in order to provide more customers with more than just home information and entertainment. Verizon will leverage the dynamic home network built for every FiOS customer, to add household systems such as security, heating and air conditioning and various consumer electronics.