As part of launching its FiOS TV service in all five boroughs of New York City, Verizon also announced a new high-definition (HD) lineup that features 100 HD channels.
The new channel lineup, which Verizon said has more HD content than New York-area competitors Cablevision and Time Warner Cable, will also be offered to existing FiOS TV markets in the New York metropolitan area, which includes parts of Long Island, Westchester County and northern New Jersey.
With 100 HD channels and 400 HD VOD titles offered each month, FiOS TV customers in the New York metro area have more than 500 HD choices available at any time. Verizon said it plans to increase its monthly HD VOD titles to more than 1,000 by year’s end. In addition, Verizon said it will continue expanding its HD channel lineup and by year-end will offer all available major HD programming.
HD channels that will be available when the service launches on Wednesday include: Animal Planet, TLC, FX, USA, Bravo, TBS, History Channel, Weather Channel, Science Channel, SCI FI and Smithsonian Channel.
For news, Verizon is adding CNN, CNBC, Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel in HD. Additional HD shopping and leisure channels include QVC, the Travel Channel and Planet Green, while children’s programming in HD will be provided by the Disney Channel and Toon Disney.
As for movies, Verizon FiOS customers can get 11 new channels from Cinemax and 13 new channels from HBO in HD, plus FiOS TV’s Movie Package, which now includes 13 new HD channels from The Movie Channel, Starz and Showtime, including The Movie Channel Xtra, Starz Edge, Starz Comedy, Starz Kids and Family, Showtime, Showtime Showcase, Showtime Extreme and Showtime 2.
The new HD sports channels will include the Big Ten Network, Versus/Golf Channel, Outdoor Channel 2 and World Fishing Network.
In addition to the new HD content, Verizon also launched seven new standard-definition (SD) channels in the New York metro area; RFD TV, Reelz, Current TV, Veria TV, Setanta Sports and WAPA TV.
Verizon said it will soon offer New York metro area customers 14 new multicultural channels, including channels for Arabic, Portuguese and Russian audiences, among others.
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