Verizon Picks Microsoft TV as Software Platform for TV Service

Verizon (www.verizon.com) announced today that Verizon will use the Microsoft® TV platform for the commercial rollout of Verizon's FiOS TV service, planned for later this year.

The Microsoft TV platform will support high-definition television, digital video recording and on-demand programming offered by Verizon on the FiOS platform. In addition, it will provide FiOS TV customers with an interactive programming guide that is attractive, intuitive and easy to use.

Verizon and its third-party partners will use the Microsoft software to add advanced applications for future FiOS TV services, differentiating Verizon in the marketplace and bringing consumers the benefits of voice, video and data convergence.

"With FiOS TV, Verizon will be able to offer its customers more channels, more choices and great value," said Bob Ingalls, president of Verizon's Retail Markets group.

"The Microsoft TV platform not only provides us with advanced digital TV capabilities that are designed to serve the millions of Verizon subscribers we ultimately expect will choose FiOS TV, but it gives us virtually unlimited potential to evolve our interactive services into the most seamlessly integrated offering in the industry."

"Verizon's FiOS and FiOS TV initiatives are examples of the innovative services and exciting new consumer experiences that forward-thinking service providers will be bringing to their customers starting this year," said Moshe Lichtman, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV division at Microsoft.

In addition to the robust television offering to be launched later this year, Verizon's FiOS platform gives consumers faster data speeds, and crystal-clear voice, as well as innovative new services and applications, via a single broadband connection directly to the home.

FiOS TV will use the Microsoft TV software platform and Motorola hardware platform to provide an expanded channel lineup, high-definition programming and hundreds of video-on-demand titles.

The Microsoft TV platform will work in parallel with Verizon's iobiSM service delivery platform, which allows information to be shared across many different networks, applications and devices.

"Microsoft understands IP and the possibilities of two-way broadband connectivity like no one else in the television software business. We believe it is best positioned to help us leverage the bandwidth that FiOS will bring to the home," Ingalls said.

The Microsoft TV platform is a family of software solutions that help network operators create and deliver new digital TV services that delight consumers.

Designed to help cable providers and telecommunications companies derive more value from their digital video and network infrastructure investments, the Microsoft TV family supports a full range of services including interactive program guides, digital video recording, high-definition TV, on-demand programming and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) services.