• Verizon’s services expand in N.Y., Ind.
By Traci Patterson
Residents of West Seneca and Tonawanda, N.Y., and the Nassau County Village of Baxter Estates, N.Y., will soon have access to Verizon’s FiOS TV service, thanks to newly approved agreements authorizing the telco to offer its video service in the areas.
The votes make 113 the total number of New York communities that have approved video franchises for Verizon. Verizon’s FiOS TV service offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, 30 high-definition (HD) channels in the New York market and access to more than 10,000 on-demand titles, 70 percent of which are free.
Additionally, consumers and businesses in the Wyatt, Ind., area now have access to Verizon’s high-speed Internet offering, which is based on DSL technology. The service offers eligible customers downstream connection speeds of up to 3 Mbps.
• Verizon Business ups number, range of professional consulting services
By Traci Patterson
Verizon Business is set to increase the number and range of its professional consulting services.
The company is delivering a standardized set of more than 50 professional-service capabilities in 30 countries around the globe. The services will be delivered through 2,700 specially trained and experienced consultants in five key practice areas: Security Services, IT Services, Network Integration and Engineering, and IP Communications and Contact Center Services.
Verizon Business’ strategic services – which also include IP, Ethernet and optical-ring services – drove revenue of $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2008, up 23.5 percent compared with the first quarter of 2007.
• Actiontec intros new 54 Mbps wireless DSL modem
By Traci Patterson
Actiontec Electronics has introduced its new 54 Mbps wireless DSL modem – the GT724WGR – which provides residential DSL customers with enhanced versatility and connectivity options for their home network.
The modem is now available for retail sale at Best Buy, and it lets customers benefit from Actiontec’s enhanced performance and feature set “for far less than the cost of a basic leased modem from their DSL provider,” the company said.
The GT724WGR eliminates device clutter in the home network by combining a full-rate ADSL/ADSL2+ modem, four-port Ethernet switch and 802.11g wireless router into an easy-to-use device. Additionally, Actiontec’s new GT724R, also available at Best Buy, offers a full-rate ADSL/ADSL2+ modem and a four-port switch for those customers not needing integrated wireless capabilities.
More Broadband Direct:
• Time Warner Cable gets solo wings
• Cox freshens up ad campaign with Digis
• Cox dishes up ABC, NBC hits on-demand with MyPrimetime
• ACSI for Q1: Satellite fares better than cable
• Verizon ready to install fiber optic network in all 5 NYC boroughs
• AT&T ramps up 3G mobile broadband service
• NBCU, Dish Network hookup on interactive advertising