FIOS Channel re-alignment

Looks like the first roll-out includes 26 new HD channels, plus a couple new SD channels, plus an HD PPV channel, Setanta, MLB EI, and NHL CI.
 
I assume this means it's only a matter of time before this is rolled out to all FiOS markets?

Or, are there technical limitations that could delay some regions?

I'm in the NY/NJ region and have been holding out switching until there was an HD PPV channel (I'm a UFC nerd), and MLB EI (displaced BoSox fan).

...So, this is exciting news if it will be delivered to my region in a reasonable timeframe.
 
I assume this means it's only a matter of time before this is rolled out to all FiOS markets?

Or, are there technical limitations that could delay some regions?

I'm in the NY/NJ region and have been holding out switching until there was an HD PPV channel (I'm a UFC nerd), and MLB EI (displaced BoSox fan).

...So, this is exciting news if it will be delivered to my region in a reasonable timeframe.

There is a technical limitation in some regions that will delay the roll-out to those areas until the fall. Basically, Verizon is doing two things concurrently - they're eliminating analogs, and they're expanding their network. They are doing those on a region by region basis, and within each region they have to make the change at each individual cable office. They came out with a schedule for this transition per each VHO (regional office) - e.g. here in the Philly market (which includes Southern NJ and Northern DE) we're set to lose our analogs starting on 6/23.

I believe Northern NJ is set to lose their's at the same time, and I think (if I remember right) NY has already been done. Which means that NY/NJ/SE PA are going to be earlier in the process for getting these new channels - I keep hearing end of July for our region - this would make sense.

Unfortunately some states - TX, FL, CA - aren't set to lose their analogs until October, which would delay the roll-out of these new channels. They're starting with IN and OR for two reasons - first both have been analog-free for some time (OR was created, along with Pittsburgh, without any analogs to begin with, and IN lost their analogs very early in the process). Second, they're both pretty small markets, making them ideal test-beds for these changes.

If I had to guess, I would say that we would start seeing these new channels in this region by the end of July.

As an aside, when Verizon is done with this expansion, they'll have ALOT of room. They're migrating their system to use the full 870MHz bandwidth spec'd to QAM currently. Which comes out to 135 QAM channels. Each QAM channel can carry 2 HD channels, or 9 - 10 SD digital channels, based on Verizon's set-up (meaning running MPEG-2, and without Verizon doing any compression on the signals). Verizon is talking about 150 HD channels by end of 2008. Assuming they reserve that much space for their HD channels, based on their architecture, that works out to 75 QAMs dedicated to HD. That leaves 60 QAMs for SD - which works out to close to 600 SD channels. All without additional compression (great PQ).
 
biggest surprise is MOJO

The Ft. Wayne channel lineup pdf shows MOJO among the Hi-Def channels to be added, totally unexpected because the men's lifestyle channel is owned by a consortium of the biggest cable companies in the industry, who have every reason to hate FiOS competition.
By the way, Verizon's been tweaking its digital channel lineup in the NYC suburbs since eliminating analogs a month or so ago, putting the Hi-Def city stations and their SD subcarriers in the clear on QAM, which my Sharp Aquos set couldn't receive last time I did a channel-scan a couple of weeks ago. Now if only they'll print a channel guide to the hundreds of QAM video and music-only channels whose arbitrarily-assigned numbers (The Weather Channel is 66.50!) bear no relation to the channels assigned to them.
 
The Ft. Wayne channel lineup pdf shows MOJO among the Hi-Def channels to be added, totally unexpected because the men's lifestyle channel is owned by a consortium of the biggest cable companies in the industry, who have every reason to hate FiOS competition.
By the way, Verizon's been tweaking its digital channel lineup in the NYC suburbs since eliminating analogs a month or so ago, putting the Hi-Def city stations and their SD subcarriers in the clear on QAM, which my Sharp Aquos set couldn't receive last time I did a channel-scan a couple of weeks ago. Now if only they'll print a channel guide to the hundreds of QAM video and music-only channels whose arbitrarily-assigned numbers (The Weather Channel is 66.50!) bear no relation to the channels assigned to them.

Sounds like they fixed your clear channels, then. You should have always been getting: locals (SD, HD, and digital subchannels), and digital music. I know some areas have had issues with local HD channels not coming in in the clear, which Verizon is supposed to fix.

As for the mapping to the QAM channel - good luck :) No cable provider gives that, that I'm aware of. I think Verizon should fix the PSIP information, so that things map correctly (e.g. if I want Philly's ABC affiliate's HD feed, I should just be able to put in 6-1). Comcast seems to do a much better job of providing that mapping.
 
Looks like FIOS is ramping up for the HD rollout scheduled for July, see the two links below. One link is the PDF for Fort Wayne (IN) new channles lineup and the other is the FIOS website with the new channles numbers.



Verizon | FiOS TV

Both of the new channel listings (Ft Wayne, and Portland) have been updated at the linked page above, and NEITHER now show MLB-EI on the listing.
 
New channels are on in Ft. Wayne, apparently. Based on a count that I've seen, they added 23 new HD channels. Including BTN and Vs. - both of which were initially on the list of channels to be added at this point, but were later removed. Also, Vz updated their website for channel listings. In addition to Ft. Wayne, IN (effective today) and Portland, OR (effective 7/21), they've also added listings for the following markets:

New York - effective 7/23
Northern NJ - effective 7/30
Pittsburgh - effective 8/6
 
Does this expansion include HD PPV events?

I seem to recall seeing that in an earlier version of the new channel listing... it doesn't seem to be there, anymore...
 
There are a bunch more PDF files out there for new channels in upcoming markets. The list currently stands at:

6/30 Fort Wayne IN
7/21 Portland OR
7/23 New York
7/30 Northern NJ
8/06 Pittsburgh
8/13 Richmond VA
8/14 Hampton Roads VA
8/20 Massachusetts
8/21 Rhode Island

Looks like some of the dates have moved up a bit - looks like a good sign. Hopefully SE PA will follow right after RI.
 
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