4K Testing Begins on Verizon Network

Those who have been keeping an eye on Verizon are likely excited with the latest news that the company is set to begin testing its 4K offerings. The 4K streaming tests will take place on its popular FIOS TV service, and it’s meant to be a trial in conjunction with SES, its satellite operator.

So, what does this mean for customers? The current plan is that SES will offer nine different 4K channels to FIOS TV subscribers, which are Nature Relaxation, Travelxp 4K, Fashion One 4K, SES Demo Channel, Insight, 4K Universe, NASA TV UHD, UHD1, and C4K360.

What makes the selection so interesting is the fact that none are big networks. At the time of writing, there are no plans to include any big networks in the trial offering, as those plans will occur in a much later rollout of 4K channels. Instead the selection of 4K channels for the trial period is meant to be more of a lifestyle selection of programming, allowing subscribers to get a sense of what 4K looks like, and how much it can improve their viewing experience.

Obviously, the company plans to get people hooked on the notion of 4K channels so that when the larger networks roll out their offerings, people will be quick to jump on and subscribe. As for when all this will be happening, there is no set date as of yet, but many are saying it could be a lot sooner than anticipated. Verizon currently has more than 4.5 million subscribers who have also just learned that later this year there will be a brand new internet-based set top box available.

Why Team With SES?

Digging a little deeper into the announcement and partnership as a whole, Verizon has clearly chosen SES for a number of reasons. The Ultra HD platform that is managed by SES is provided using dedicated satellite bandwidth.

What makes this so important is the fact the quality ends up being far superior to that of typical 4K offerings through the regular internet. The idea is that this dedicated satellite will prevent such things as delays and buffering from occurring, which obviously frustrates the customer.

SES is one of the top leaders in the world when it comes to satellite technology. The company currently has more than 50 satellites that are GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit), as well as 12 MEO satellites (Medium Earth Orbit). SES offers products to various government, mobile, enterprise, and video services.

The Announcements and Offerings Keep on Coming

While the 4K announcement is certainly a big one for the company, their news doesn’t end there. Sports fans are loving the fact that they can now watch MSG GO, which is the live streaming and on demand offering for the MSG Network. It will be available in an app form from the Apple and Google stores. In order to access the content, people will need to be current subscribers of the MSG Network through their FIOS TV plan.

The idea is that the app will work as a companion product so that viewers can enjoy sports action any time and from any place. MSG GO will feature coverage of the Sabres, Devils, Red Bull, Liberty, Islanders, Rangers, and the Knicks, pre and post-game programming, original MSG programming, and soon there will be local and regional sports coverage.

Giving Customers What They Want

One issue that Verizon has been hearing in feedback from their customers, is that for those with no credit or poor credit, it can be next to impossible to access a plan. This is exactly why Verizon has now introduced a pre-paid plan. This new plan includes the wildly popular FIOS high-speed internet access. The idea is that customers can pay in advance and then access whatever plan they want, even if they don’t have credit.

What this means is that there are now prepaid offerings in terms of the Verizon home phone service, cable, and internet access packages. When customers sign up for the prepaid plan, no credit card is needed, no deposit is required, and no credit check will be performed on them. There is a one-time $90 installation fee that they will be required to pay, and this will include the equipment that is needed to access Verizon products.

Just like one might expect, the prepaid service is on a month-to-month basis. If a customer doesn’t have the extra money for services one month, then they don’t have to purchase them for that timeframe. It provides a whole new level of flexibility that customers have been asking for.

While this prepaid option isn’t available country-wide at the moment, there are a number of major cities where it is available. These include Philadelphia, New York City, New Jersey, Washington, Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, and Rhode Island.

The way it works is that customers can visit a Verizon Wireless payment kiosk and pay for their plan using a debit card. If they’d rather, they can also set up a prepaid charge that will be billed directly to their debit card. Verizon is currently the first out of all the largest broadband and cable companies to offer this prepaid service, and it is already expected to be a huge success with customers.

Testing New Technology

It seems as though Verizon is always looking to improve, be the first to offer new technology, and break down those barriers. Just last week, Verizon Communications moved ahead with a drone test that was used to offer LTE from the air. The goal was to figure out how large of an area this wireless coverage could go with a “flying cell site”.

While it may seem far-fetched to some, it’s quite a big and very serious venture on the company’s part. The drone that was used is a special long endurance drone, rather than your typical drone that you are used to seeing and reading about. The drone had a 17 foot wingspan, making it a very large an imposing drone from the ground and the sky. American Aerospace Technologies were the ones piloting the large drone.

The test was performed at the Woodbine Municipal Airport out of Woodbine, NJ. The test was meant to take a look at what would happen should power be knocked out and suddenly the traditional communication devices were no longer working. This could happen due to severe weather or some other sort of disaster. Just imagine what a difference it could make if you could use your mobile phone during a natural disaster, despite the fact that the traditional networks are knocked out.

While the technology is far from being ready and viable for consumers, it certainly raises a lot of interesting questions and points to some intriguing developments. The idea of providing coverage from a flying cell site may not be so far-fetched and crazy sounding in another year or two. Of course, Verizon needed a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA), which was granted by the FAA.

A Look at Verizon

Verizon Wireless has now been around for close to 20 years, as it was founded in 2000 in Bedminster, New Jersey and was seen to be revolutionary at the time. This American company is a subsidiary of Verizon Communications and is known for offering wireless telecommunications here in the United States.

When it was first founded, it was a joint venture between Bell Atlantic, which was a U.S. company, and Vodafone, a British telecommunications company. Then, in 2014, Verizon Communications bought out the 45% stake that Vodafone owned, making it a fully American owned company.

Its services now include mobile broadband and Wi-Fi, wireless home phone, and wireless phone services. Customers have all kinds of plans and offerings to choose from, allowing them to pick the products and services that meet their specific needs.

Looking for a Deal?

For those who aren’t currently with the Verizon FIO network and have been holding off waiting for a deal, you may want to check out the various Verizon FIOS deals that are available. What’s great is that you can find a deal that works for your own viewing needs and interests. Some packages include all the extra channel packs such as the Home & Family pack, the Sports & News pack, and the Lifestyle & Reality pack, while other packages are more of a basic offering and act as a good introduction to FIOS.

Verizon Continues to Push and Offer Customers More

Verizon is very clearly hard at work and pushing to offer customers more so they can set themselves apart from the competition. Between the new 4K offerings, added channels, and mobile companion apps, the company has high hopes that its numbers will continue to grow. And let’s not forget Verizon is also hard at work testing out brand new technology – the flying cell site – that could provide emergency responders and the general public with the ability to communicate during a natural disaster or severe weather, even when traditional forms of communications are knocked out.

In the cutthroat world of telecommunications, Verizon isn’t backing down or showing any signs of slowing.