More Maryland consumers now have a true choice for their subscription television and on-demand programming as Verizon launched FiOS TV in the Bowie area. The company will begin taking customer orders immediately.

Verizon, the only company building a large-scale, all-digital fiber-optic communications network directly to customers' homes, already offers FiOS TV in the Howard County communities of Clarksville, Columbia and Ellicott City, and expects to launch the service in parts of Anne Arundel County later in August. The company has video franchises covering approximately 3 million households in nine states, and it currently offers FiOS TV in parts of California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and Virginia in addition to Maryland.

"This is not cable TV. This is not satellite. This is FiOS TV," said William R. Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland. "Customers who liked what FiOS did for their Internet connection will love what it does for their TV. We've harnessed the speed and capacity of broadband with the power of broadcast to create a revolutionary, new entertainment experience."

Service highlights include:

• A lead offer of more than 180 digital video and music channels for $39.95 per month. With an annual savings agreement, customers can choose either $5 off the monthly Movie Package price or waive the monthly standard set-top box fee of $3.95.
• More than 20 high-definition (HD) channels, with extraordinary clarity and theater-quality sound. Verizon plans to add even more HD programming in the coming months.
• Over 2,500 on-demand titles available to customers now, increasing to over 3,500 titles in the next several months.
• Channels grouped by programming genres such as entertainment, sports, news, shopping, movies and family entertainment, making it easy for audiences to find their favorite programming.
• An easy-to-use interactive programming guide that integrates HD programming, on-demand content and the digital video recorder along with broadcast television into a seamless user experience.
• A dual-tuner, HD-capable Digital Video Recorder (DVR) that gives customers the freedom to pause and rewind live TV, record two shows simultaneously, and fast forward to their favorite part of the program - all without a VCR, tapes or DVDs.
• FiOS TV Widgets, a free interactive feature that provides local weather and traffic information.

Information on packages and prices is available at www.verizonfios.com/tv. Bowie customers also can call 1-800-880-2943 to see if they're able to order FiOS TV.

Verizon, which obtained a cable franchise in Bowie in April, also has Maryland franchises in Anne Arundel and Howard counties, and in Laurel. The company currently is negotiating a franchise agreement in Prince George's County and has applied for authorization to negotiate an agreement with Baltimore County.

FiOS is delivered over Verizon's all-fiber network, which has industry-leading quality and reliability. Fiber 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. It also delivers Internet download speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbps as well as high-quality voice services.*

Since Verizon began building its fiber-optic network in Maryland, the company has placed more than 23.6 million feet of fiber and created hundreds of new full-time positions to build and support the network and FiOS services in the state.

Programming choices for Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Russian and other multicultural audiences are available in every market. Since FiOS TV has so much capacity, it is an outlet for emerging and independent networks to showcase their diverse programming.

In addition, sports fans subscribing to FiOS TV Premier, the lead Verizon FiOS TV offer, can follow regional teams and events through agreements Verizon has reached with Comcast Sports Net - Mid- Atlantic and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Featured teams on Comcast Sports Net - Mid- Atlantic include the Capitals, DC United, Mystics, Orioles, Ravens, Redskins and Wizards, as well as NCAA games. MASN features Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles games.