Verizon Expands FiOS TV to More Maryland Consumers With Bowie Launch

New Service Offers Bowie Residents Better Television Technology, True Competitive Choice and Greater Value; Video Franchises Cover 3 Million Households in Nine States

BOWIE, Md. - More Maryland consumers now have a true choice for their subscription television and on-demand programming as Verizon today 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.
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Two More Communities in Montgomery County Consortium Grant Verizon Cable Franchises; Choice, Competition Nearer for Residents

MONTGOMERYVILLE, Pa. - Residents of the Montgomery County townships of Montgomery and Hatfield are a major step closer to having a real choice for their cable television services, thanks to recently approved agreements authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV in those communities.

Verizon is the first company to offer such a communications network, connecting homes and businesses directly to fiber optics on a widespread scale.
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Cablevision Adds TNT in HD to Industry Leading High-Definition Line-Up

TNT In HD Marks 21st High-Definition Programming Service Available To iO® Digital Cable Customers At No Additional Cost

BETHPAGE, N.Y., July 26, 2006 — Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC) and Turner Network Television (TNT) announced today that the high-definition feed of TNT is now available to all iO: Interactive Optimum® digital cable customers throughout Cablevision’s New York metropolitan service area. The 24/7 high-definition presentation of the TNT East Coast feed offers iO customers an incredible array of dramatic programming in HD format, including TNT Originals, series, movies and sports.
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CEA Enthusiastic About Participating In NTIA’s Proceedings On The Digital Television Converter Box

Arlington, Virginia - The following statement was released today by Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) President and CEO Gary Shapiro in response to the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) call for public comment on its proposed rules to establish a national coupon program for digital converter boxes:

“This NPRM marks an important milestone in the nation’s transition to digital television. Thus far the transition to DTV has been extremely successful. CEA forecast that U.S. consumers will purchase more than 18 million DTV sets and displays this year, marking a 50 percent increase over 2005 sales. 2006 will also be the year that high-definition television (HDTV) outsells analog television set units. According to sales projections, HDTV sets will outsell analog sets by 89 percent in 2006, reaching total unit sales of 15.9 million and contributing to over $23 billion in total DTV revenue.
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“YES Interactive only on DIRECTV” Launches as First-Ever Interactive Content for Major League Baseball Telecasts

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 25, 2006–”YES Interactive only on DIRECTV,” the first-ever interactive television content for Major League Baseball, is now available as part of New York Yankees telecasts on the YES Network (www.yesnetwork.com) and broadcast by DIRECTV within the Yankees home television territory. Created to bring Yankees fans closer than ever to their favorite team and players, “YES Interactive only on DIRECTV” is a co-production of the YES Network, DIRECTV, Inc., and MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM).
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Thousands More Bay State Residents Now Have Choice for Cable TV

IPSWICH, Mass. - With the unanimous vote of the Board of Selectmen Monday night (July 24), Ipswich became the 12th community in Massachusetts to grant a video TV franchise to Verizon.

“Reaching a dozen communities in Massachusetts with FiOS TV in less than a year is a significant milestone for us,” said Donna Cupelo, Verizon region president for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “It means that we will be able to reach nearly 90,000 households with the most advanced TV network in the country. Consumers are demanding choice in their cable TV providers, and Verizon is giving it to them.”
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Montgomery County, Maryland, Continues to Block Competition, Making Unlawful Cable Franchise Demands

County’s Stalled Process Costs Households More Than $725,000 per Month in Lost Savings by Preventing Verizon From Offering Cable Choice

WASHINGTON — Montgomery County, Maryland, today filed court papers in an effort to maintain the status quo that protects the local cable television monopoly from competition and prevents Verizon from offering its FiOS TV to county residents. Verizon, which currently is offering the fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV to consumers in Howard County and much of Northern Virginia, filed a federal lawsuit on June 29 against Montgomery County. Verizon asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to require the county to negotiate a lawful franchise with the company. The following statement should be attributed to John P. Frantz, Verizon vice president and associate general counsel, who is leading the company’s legal team on the case.

“Montgomery County today made it clear it will fight to maintain the unlawful rules that protect the local cable monopoly from much-needed competition. The losers are Montgomery County citizens, who will continue to lose more than $725,000 a month in savings as a result of the county’s intransigent position.
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Two More Communities in Chester County, Pa., Grant Verizon Cable Franchises; Choice, Competition Nearer for Residents

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Residents of the Chester County borough of West Chester and the township of Thornbury are a major step closer to having a real choice for their cable television services, thanks to recently approved agreements authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV in those communities.

Verizon is the first company to offer such a communications network, connecting homes and businesses directly to fiber optics on a widespread scale.
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Network Moves to FiOS TV’s Most Popular Programming Package

NEW YORK - It’s a touchdown for National Football League fans as NFL Network moves to Verizon FiOS TV’s most popular programming package in time for the 2006 preseason.

Beginning Aug. 1, NFL Network will be found in FiOS TV Premier, the 180-plus channel, all-digital programming package selected by most FiOS TV customers. In addition to NFL Network’s regular programming, Verizon also carries NFL Network’s high-definition feed and NFL Network on Demand. NFL Network previously was part of the FiOS TV Sports package, which delivers more than a dozen different sports channels for $5.95 per month.
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CSTV and Comcast Team Up to Launch ‘The mtn.,’ MountainWest Sports Network

College Conference Network Will Premiere on Comcast in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico on September 1

NEW YORK and PHILADELPHIA, July 19 /PRNewswire/ — CSTV Networks, Inc. and Comcast are teaming up to launch The mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network, which will deliver to fans the full action and excitement of Mountain West Conference athletics. The announcement was made today by Brian Bedol, President and CEO, CSTV Networks, Inc., Jack Williams, President and CEO, Comcast SportsNet, and Craig Thompson, Commissioner, Mountain West Conference (MWC).

The mtn., which will bring unprecedented exposure to Mountain West Conference athletics, will initially premiere on Comcast systems in Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, including expanded basic service in the Salt Lake City market, and digital cable service in the Denver, Colorado Springs, and Albuquerque markets. These markets are home to more than half of the MWC’s nine members which include: the Air Force Academy; Brigham Young University; Colorado State University; San Diego State University; TCU; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; University of New Mexico; University of Utah; and University of Wyoming.
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