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Verizon reveals where FiOS really is in Orange County (Drumroll please…)

April 1st, 2010, 2:30 pm by

This is not an April Fool’s Day joke. After pestering Verizon for months, I finally got more details today about the availability of Verizon’s FiOS TV and Internet service in Orange County. Apparently, 70,000 households and businesses here can order the alternative TV service powered by fiber-optic lines.

The company offered a zipcode breakdown, which doesn’t necessarily mean you can order service if you live in that zip code. Apartment or condo dwellers need permission from the landlords or homeowner associations before FiOS can offer service.

So, where is Verizon FiOS in Orange County? Drumroll please… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Internet • Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • | 50 Comments »

Verizon FiOS ‘on track’ even as many wonder when can they order it

March 17th, 2010, 8:28 am by

We here in Orange County were one of the first in the country to get Verizon FiOS TV and Internet service. It excited many readers who looked forward to 50 mbps Internet service and an alternative to cable TV. Then last year, we found out that the company stopped expanding to new areas locally in order to concentrate on where it already built the infrastructure (read: “Verizon’s FiOS TV rollout slows in So Cal“).

Now it looks like the same is true in East Coast cities of New York and Philadelphia, where Verizon made a big push for FiOS after jilting us here in O.C. Bill Kula, part of Verizon’s media relations group, wrote in the company’s At Home blog that Verizon is focusing on “increasing FiOS availability in those areas where we already have video franchises in place.”

Some interpret this to mean that if you don’t live in an existing FiOS-friendly neighborhood, it’s not coming anytime soon. It’s difficult not to make that assumption especially if you’ve been checking the FiOS availability site for the last couple of years only to get the same “Not available, but we do have DSL…”

Still, Verizon is sticking to the interpretation that FiOS hasn’t slowed down. In fact, Verizon is right where it had expected to be. Kula emphasizes that the company is on track to meet its goal of reaching 18 million premises by the end of 2010.

“At the end of the last quarter, we had 3.4 million FiOS Internet customers and 2.9 million FiOS TV customers. That’s a national penetration rate of 28 percent for FiOS Internet and 25 percent for FiOS TV – a very healthy growth clip for a service that we began selling from scratch nearly five years ago. That makes us the 8th largest among cable and satellite providers, some of whom have been in the business for decades,” Kula writes.

A reminder: When FiOS does enter a new neighborhood and starts selling TV door to door, the local cable TV company does the same, matching or beating FiOS rates. And we know FiOS isn’t cheap. Verizon, apparently, isn’t getting the kind of reception it had anticipated as it discovers that potential customers just signed long-term contracts with their existing TV service.

But those contracts, especially in Orange County, are approaching the 2-year mark so Verizon is going after those customers again. We saw some evidence that FiOS really is still expanding when the company announced earlier this month that FiOS added 166,000 new households in California last year (read: Verizon says FiOS now available to 1.2 million in SoCal).

I’m awaiting the latest word from my Verizon sources on more specific availability here in Orange County. Perhaps now that Verizon is no longer concerned about applying for new video franchises on the East Coast, it can finish what it started here. In Orange County, FiOS is available in some parts of Brea, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Stanton, Westminster and certain unincorporated areas.

More on FiOS:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 4 Comments »

Verizon says FiOS now available to 1.2 million in SoCal

March 5th, 2010, 4:18 pm by

If it feels like Verizon has been taking its sweet old time to offer its fast and comprehensive FiOS TV service in Orange County, here’s a bit of an update. The company offered a progress report for Southern California.

Approximately $682 million of Verizon’s $1.2 billion investment in California last year went to wired services like FiOS TV and Internet. That helped add another 166,000 households and expanded FiOS’ reach to 1.15 million premises in 85 cities in Southern California.

Broken down further, FiOS is available to 1 million single-family homes, 90,000 apartments and condos, and 46,000 businesses in SoCal.

FiOS has been hotly anticipated by many ever since it launched in Orange County in May 2007. It offered residents an alternative to the local cable service and promised faster Internet speeds — up to 50 mbps — and more TV channels. FiOS currently offers the most HD channels in Orange County, at nearly 140.

I’m waiting to hear back from Verizon about whether the FiOS service has expanded to any new Orange County cities, but last I heard a few months ago, Verizon continues to focus on existing neighborhoods instead of new territories. There’s a greater chance you can order FiOS in Orange County if you live in cities: Brea, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Stanton and Westminster. But keep in mind, not even everyone in those cities can order the service.

The wired investment budget also went toward its non-FiOS Internet service, or DSL Internet that Verizon calls High Speed Internet because of its speeds up to 7.1 mbps. Huntington Beach was one of 15 cities — and the only one in Orange County — that received the extra Internet attention.

The company also mentions a whole bunch of discounts it’s offering mostly to new customers, including a free wireless router for new FiOS triple-play customers, a $20 monthly discount for ordering online and committing to 24 months, and $150 cash cards for new customers who order High Speed Internet along with another Verizon service. Read the press release HERE.

Recent Verizon FiOS news:

Posted in: Internet • Video & TV • • • • • • • | 18 Comments »

AT&T on a roll, improves cell reception in 5 more cities

January 21st, 2010, 3:24 pm by

AT&T WirelessAnother slew of cell sites are up and running in Orange County that improve iPhone and 3G cell reception for AT&T customers. The new sites, which come one week after 6 others in O.C. were turned on, mean better wireless coverage in those areas. So speak up with a comment below if you notice a difference.

The new sites are near these intersections:

  • Dana Point: Near the intersection of Camino Del Avion and Golden Lantern St.
  • Santa Ana: Near the intersection of S. Grand Ave. and McFadden Ave.
  • Orange: Near the 55 Freeway and E. Katella Ave.
  • Huntington Beach: Near the intersection of Bolsa Chica Street and Heil Ave.
  • Anaheim: Near the intersection of Van Buren St. and La Palma Ave.
They are among 20 new sites announced today. Other cities getting better reception include Los Angeles, Glendale, Woodland Hills, Encino, Covina, Rialto, Cherry Valley, Beaumont, Montclair, Paso Robles, Ontario, and Rancho Cucamonga

All of AT&T’s 3G cell sites have been upgraded to HSPA 7.2 software, which means faster mobile Internet if you have an HSPA device. Think 7.2 mbps!

This isn’t the next generation 4G service being tested by Verizon and Sprint in other parts of the country. This is High Speed Packet Access 7.2, sometimes called Turbo 3G. AT&T’s plans to begin testing 4G (using Long Term Evolution technology, or LTE) next year and will offer 4G service in 2011.

HSPA requires a software upgrade. This is supported by souped-up cell sites, which are being linked by fiber-optic cables for to improve speeds. But each site must be activated so it’s an ongoing project. Orange County and Los Angeles was picked as one of six markets that will get the faster Internet speeds first. AT&T won’t what chunk of our area can already use the faster speeds but the company confirmed that activation has begun  in Orange County. AT&T expects the majority of mobile traffic will utilize the new technology by the end of the year.

Earlier on AT&T and HSPA:

Recent mobile news:

Posted in: Cell phones • • • • • • • • • • | 41 Comments »

Psssst: Digital cable TV is cheaper than analog cable

December 17th, 2009, 9:22 am by

Time Warner Cable signHere’s a little known fact about cable TV service from Time Warner Cable: Digital cable is cheaper than analog.

In Orange County, Time Warner’s digital cable package includes 200 channels, on-demand video and one special tier of channels (movies, variety, sports, etc.) for $50.95. This is the published rate, not a special promotion. You will need to rent a digital cable box for $6/month.

Basic analog cable, which is $55.50 to $58 per month depending on what city you live in, offers much less. That number shrunk this week as Time Warner moved some of these analog channels (ABC Family, The Weather Channel, TruTV) to digital to make room for more digital services for the majority of its customers. Time Warner has said that 80 percent of its Southern California customers are digital subscribers. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 48 Comments »

Special Huntington Beach home gets Verizon FiOS

November 4th, 2009, 11:07 am by

greenhbhomeMany people here in Orange County want Verizon FiOS TV and Internet service badly but can’t order the service in their neighborhood. However, if you happen to be building the first “green” house in Huntington Beach, consider Verizon at your service.

The new Living Green home, which is being unveiled today in Huntington Beach, managed to get the highly sought-after TV and fast Internet service.

Our Huntington Beach housing reporter (yes, we have a reporter who covers real estate just in HB!) wrote all about the home Tuesday at “Grand opening for 1st Surf City green home.”

Built by Living Green Homes Construction & Development, the 3-story home at 319 21st St. has a few other notable perks. It was built on guidelines from Build it Green, uses 40 percent less water and 65 percent less energy and saves the owner $700 a month (What? That’s one huge monthly bill!) Plus, it’s just a few blocks from the beach. The kick-off party is today at 1:30 p.m. The home will be open for public tours before it’s sold.

But any techie in their right mind will gloss over these greenish facts and hone in on the 100 percent fiber-optic FiOS service. FiOS is an alternative to cable TVand offers Internet speeds of up to 50 mbps downstream, 20 Mbps upstream, plus it has the most high-definition channels available in O.C. In addition, FiOS service includes on-screen widgets to check your Twitter messages and Facebook status and other geeky things like that.

The “green-ness” of FiOS? It “increases a homeowner’s ability to reduce their carbon footprint through telecommuting, video-conferencing and on-demand entertainment,” says the company.

Good enough for me!

Of course, I should note that this near downtown Huntington Beach neighborhood was one of the first to even get Verizon FiOS services. Verizon didn’t have to go much out of its way to offer it.

You’ll have to check out the Register’s Green OC blog to get full coverage of Orange County’s green building scene. Added 12:50 p.m. - Here’s the story: “State’s green building program easier than national system.”

Recent Green OC news:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • | 10 Comments »

Verizon FiOS TV update: More in Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, O.C.

November 2nd, 2009, 8:26 am by

Verizon FiOS signFor anyone hoping to order Verizon FiOS TV service, the company reported some disappointing news last week: Fewer customers are signing up for service.

FiOS service does tend to be more expensive than cable, but you do get more HD channels, faster Internet and nifty TV widgets.

But  the most discouraging aspect for all who hope FiOS succeeds is that Verizon spent the quarter targeting homes already in FiOS territory. In Orange County and other parts of Southern California, the company slowed down on expanding in new neighborhoods. Rather, it focused on signing up more customers in existing FiOS locations.

One theory: People who want it, sign up immediately. Everyone else? You’ve got to have more enticing offers (read: cheaper than cable with no strings attached).

Still, FiOS continues to grow, just slower than many had hoped. Same is true in Orange County, which wasn’t completely shut out of expansion.

In fact, construction has just wrapped up in Seal Beach and Los Alamitos, Verizon’s Jon Davies confirmed.

The single family houses and apartment buildings were mostly in following areas in Los Alamitos:

  • The area bordered by Los Alamitos Blvd on the west, Katella on the north, Farquhar on the south and Lexington on the east.
  • The area north and south of Ball and west of Bloomfield.
  • The area around Cerritos and Humbolt.
  • The area north of Katella between Bloomfield and Florista.

WHERE IS FIOS IN ORANGE COUNTY?

View Verizon FiOS in Orange County in a larger map. If you have a place to add, you can do so in the comment area of this Google Map. You’ll need to log into Google. Or feel free to leave a comment below with specifics so I can verify and at some point in my life, I’ll update it on the map.

In addition, Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • | 12 Comments »

Time Warner continues to unify O.C., L.A. cable TV systems

September 28th, 2009, 8:35 am by

Time Warner Cable signIt’s been nearly one year since I spoke to Time Warner’s local president to find out what it was doing in Orange County. Essentially, the company was merging three different cable systems into one after previously acquiring bits of Adelphia and Comcast.

Unfortunately, the president is no longer with the company and the three cable systems haven’t been completely merged. But Time Warner continues to plow away to unify the different platforms, said Darryl Ryan, director of media relations for Time Warner’s West region. He’s not sure how much progress the company has made since acquiring Adelphia three years ago.

The benefit of having one system, like Cox Communications does in Orange County, means one cable TV system, one lineup of channels, one type of software and one billing system. This helps customer service employees stay focused and learn one system instead of three. Without the unity, customers are treated differently. For example, customers in Costa Mesa, or former Comcast territory, get 72 HD channels, while everyone else in Orange County,  including Huntington Beach, are at 60 HD channels (see charts below).

“Right now we generally have two HD lineups, former Comcast (customers some parts of Orange County the South Bay area, Santa Clarita and a portion of San Fernando) and everywhere else. In the former Comcast areas subscribers have a few more HD channels. We are working to get subscribers all of our subscribers up to the same number of HD channels,” Ryan said.

The company is testing ways to squeeze more channels into its system using switched digital video, which turns some regular channels into on-demand only. Time Warner has previously said it is planning to move the least popular channels to this technology and fill the opening with channels more people want. I’m fine with that because that’s good news for almost all customers, although TiVo users with CableCARDs will need to get an adapter.

Here are the available HD channels in Costa Mesa vs. rest of Orange County: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • | 9 Comments »

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