Verizon to Bring TV Choice and Competition to New York's Village of Ossining

NEW YORK - Residents of the Westchester County village of Ossining are a major step closer to having a real choice for their cable television service, thanks to a recently approved agreement authorizing Verizon to offer its FiOS TV service, delivered over the most advanced fiber-optic network straight to customers' homes.

The New York Public Service Commission on Wednesday (Jan. 16) issued an order confirming Verizon's video franchise with the village, which had granted the company a franchise in December.  The commission has the authority to review franchise agreements between local governments in New York and cable service providers, such as Verizon, to make sure the agreements comply with statewide rules and regulations.

"The PSC's confirmation of the franchise agreement for the village of Ossining brings us closer to providing the choice and competition that New York consumers demand," said Monica Azare, Verizon senior vice president for New York and Connecticut.  "Competition like this drives innovation and value, and puts the consumer in control.

"We look forward to launching FiOS TV in the village and offering more New York consumers the benefits and innovation that our service provides," she added.

The village of Ossining is joining 93 other New York communities that are paving the way for competition and choice in the television market.  Verizon also has secured video franchises Verizon in the Westchester County communities of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Irvington, the Town of Greenburgh, Eastchester, Mount Kisco, Elmsford, Port Chester, Tuckahoe, White Plains, Rye Brook, North Castle, Mount Vernon, Mount Pleasant, Yonkers, Scarsdale, Bronxville, New Rochelle, Cortlandt, Peekskill, Buchanan, Rye, Larchmont, the village of Mamaroneck, the town of Mamaroneck, Pelham Manor, Sleepy Hollow, Briarcliff Manor and the town of Ossining.  Verizon also has video franchises in the Orange County town of Newburgh; in the Rockland County communities of Nyack, South Nyack, Upper Nyack, Grandview-on-Hudson, Clarkstown, Orangetown, Piermont, Airmont, the town of Haverstraw, West Haverstraw, Chestnut Ridge, Spring Valley, the village of Haverstraw, Suffern and Hillburn; and on Long Island in the villages of Massapequa Park, Cedarhurst, Laurel Hollow, Lynbrook, Mineola, East Rockaway, Farmingdale, Valley Stream, Freeport, Williston Park, New Hyde Park, Sands Point, Bayville, Old Field, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Garden City, Nissequogue, Poquott, East Williston, Head of the Harbor, Mill Neck, Stewart Manor, Centre Island, Malverne, Huntington Bay, The Branch, Oyster Bay Cove, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Lake Success, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock, Thomaston and Bellerose, and in the towns of North Hempstead, Huntington, Smithtown, Hempstead, Oyster Bay and Islip.

Verizon's FiOS TV is a formidable competitor to cable and satellite, offering a broad collection of all-digital programming, 31 high-definition (HD) channels in the New York market and access to more than 10,000 on-demand titles, 60 percent of which are free.

Verizon's fiber network delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound, and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming that is so clear and intense it seems to leap from the TV screen.  In addition to FiOS TV, Verizon's fiber network also delivers Internet download speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 20 Mbps, as well as high-quality voice service.*

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 63.7 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of nearly 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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