Competition for New York City’s TV screens heats up today as Verizon begins offering FiOS TV in the Big Apple.  As we launch, some 300,000 households in parts of the first 108 neighborhoods in all five boroughs will be able to order FiOS TV service.  By the end of 2008, we expect to make FiOS TV available to half a million homes in New York City toward our commitment to serve the entire City by 2014.  No other video company does that.  The news release is here.

Verizon enters the NYC market with 100 high-definition channels – more than Time Warner or Cablevision.  We’re also offering our industry-leading FiOS Internet service and reliable telephone service in a selection of power-packaged bundles, starting at $94.99.  This bundle includes FiOS Internet service with a maximum connection speed of 20 megabits per second downstream and 5 Mbps upstream; Verizon Freedom Essentials telephone service with unlimited local and long-distance calling; and FiOS TV service with 54 free HD channels.  Other bundles are available with an even faster Internet service of 20/20 Mbps plus all standard-definition and high-definition premium channels.

The New York Times has a good story on this in today’s paper.

One of the big challenges of wiring New York City with fiber is to serve the thousands multiple-dwelling units throughout the City.  We’re meeting that challenge through the use of bendable fiber that enables us to snake around curves and tight spaces without loss of the fiber signal.  We’ve already wired some 800 MDUs, and we’re in discussions with other building and property owners to bring FiOS to their properties.

If our pre-sale orders are any indication, FiOS TV has all the signs of being a hit with New Yorkers.  Our advance orders blew past all our projections, and thousands of New Yorkers have already signed up.  We’ll install the first customers on Wednesday, and will let you know how we’re doing in future blogs.