Cablevision is just amazing.  Confronted with FiOS TV launching in NYC with 100 HD channels, Cablevision announces it now has 60 HD channels.  While more than one observer finds the timing “amusing,” the cable guys tell reporters:

“Verizon has a lot of duplicates in their count.”  Not hardly.  The 100 HD channels offered to FiOS customers in the New York metro area are distinct.  Some providers like HBO offer a number of HD channels targeted at different audiences.  They also offer the East Coast and West Coast feeds of certain channels that provide the same content at different times of the day.  The industry counts these feeds as separate and distinct channels.

“At least 42 of Verizon’s HD channels are premium movies.”  Right.  Content Cablevision doesn’t offer or offers in only premium packages.

“Renting Verizon HD set top boxes costs several more dollars a month than standard Verizon set top boxes.”  Not true again.  Verizon set top boxes for either standard def or high def cost $5.99 for new customers in the NY Metro area.  No extra charge for the HD set top box.

Once again we find Cablevision out there making up facts to fit themselves.  They can do that all day long, but Verizon FiOS still has more HD, more variety, and superior picture and sound quality.