Verizon Offering FiOS Multi-Room DVR

Verizon introduced its first digital video recorder product for its FiOS fiber-optic television service Monday, hoping to take advantage of a quickly expanding market for such services. The multi-room DVR would enable viewing of recorded programming on up to three televisions at the same time, and also allow for dual-tuner operation.

Much like TiVo's broadband services, Verizon has also included software that would permit users of the DVR to access collections of pictures and music stored on networked computers. Copy-protected content is currently not supported, but would be in the future, Verizon said.

FiOS is the telecommunication company's next-generation communications platform. Verizon is spending billions of dollars to provide direct-to-home fiber connections, which makes super-fast Internet and multimedia functionality possible. The television service is only one component of this new offering.

"We've deployed the best platform in the industry, from the core of our fiber-to-the-premises network right through the home to every device on the network. Now we're adding cool new features that capitalize on the speed and interactivity that the FiOS platform makes possible," Verizon's video vice president Marilyn O'Connell said.

The DVR service will cost $19.95 USD, plus an additional $3.95 USD per set-top box that would receive recorded content. In the future, Verizon plans to increase the number of available DVR boxes, as well as add support for copyrighted and home video content stored on networked PCs.

Verizon's FiOS service is now offered in parts of seven states, according to the company: California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Texas. Verizon says the service also benefits cable subscribers, as rates for cable service have been shown to drop when FiOS enters the market.