ABC has launched the Watch ABC app for iOS devices and is offering a free preview for Philadelphia and NY area customers until June 30th.  After that time customers will be required to authenticate with a participating television provider to continue to watch live streams of the local news and live ABC programming.

Currently WPVI in Philadelphia is not listing FiOS TV as a partcipating provider that will provide authentication services after the free preview.  I find this odd since Verizon HD sponsors the local sports programming each night on WPVI.

Can someone please negotiate with ABC/WPVI to enable this so we can continue to stream the local programming in the Watch ABC app after the free preview?

ABC/Disney also offer Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior Apps that also offer live streaming capability but Verizon is not participating with those either.

The last I checked, FiOS is a paid monthly service. Marketing your customers to advertisers is a violation of customer trust and indicates the arrogant disregard and contempt you have for customers that PAY for your service. FiOS is a product. An arguably good product that I invest considerable funds in. To SELL me to advertisers is disgraceful.

When a service is FREE, that service commonly finances itself via advertising revenue (think Google, Facebook etc.). When you don't pay for a product or service, YOU are the product. However I PAY for FiOS. It is completely unacceptable for Verizon to even entertain further monetizing a service that I ALREADY PAY FOR, by sharing demographical data so that I can be exploited by voracious advertisers. Disgraceful. Here are some excerpts of the email I received today:

"

Verizon won't share any information that identifies you personally with advertisers as part of this program.

What information are we talking about?
The program will use:

• Your postal address
• Certain information about your Verizon products and services (such as broadband and video service features), and
• Interests and demographics information provided to us by other companies (such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner)"

Postal address is not personally identifiable? Plus gender and age range?

"You will receive ads whether you choose to participate or not"

Actually, no I won't, because I know how to avoid your schemes. But's it's sad because most people do not. Being subjected to advertising and sharing of customer data for a paid service is petty and insulting.

"Your privacy is important."

Laughable.

I'm guessing there was no copy editing on this email as it is filled with contradictions. This program has no merit and only succeeds in violating customer trust and loyalty. You all should be ashamed. Deeply, deeply ashamed.

Dan

Full email text below:

Dear Valued Verizon Customer, 

Verizon participates in a program that helps advertisers provide you with online ads that may be more interesting to you.

What is Verizon's Digital Direct Marketing Program?
The program will use information about the area where you live, your Verizon products and services, and your interests and demographics to determine whether you fit into an audience an advertiser is trying to reach.

Verizon won't share any information that identifies you personally with advertisers as part of this program.

What information are we talking about?
The program will use:

• Your postal address
• Certain information about your Verizon products and services (such as broadband and video service features), and
• Interests and demographics information provided to us by other companies (such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner)

What does this mean for you?
Certain ads you'll see while browsing the Internet may be sent to you based on this information so that these ads may be of more interest. National brands and local businesses will be able to tailor their online offers, coupons, and other incentives to specific audiences.

What are my choices?
You will receive ads whether you choose to participate or not. But, under this program, the ads you see may be more relevant to you. If you do not want to participate in this program, please let us know by clicking here. Please note that you will need your User ID and Password to access the opt-out page.

How does Verizon protect my privacy?
Your privacy is important. Verizon's privacy policy describes how we collect and use data and how we protect your personal information. You can learn about Verizon's ad practiceshere.

For answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click here.

Thank you for choosing Verizon. We look forward to serving you.

Sincerely,

Your Verizon Team

Verizon's set top boxes are to big and bulky.  They take up too much space.  Ugly to look at.  Get over heated and need to constantly reboot even if you don't reboot it!!!  I had to buy a  small table to place the cable boxes in my living room which is sad.   

Like the TV's the CRT's tube are out and the LCD/LEDs flat screen are in.  BIG and BULKY is out.  Verizon needs to invest in better equipment for this day and age.   A smaller set top box and one that could be mounted on the wall would be better.  How about that.  

For now thanks Verizon for your costly BIG and BULKY cable boxes.

JustBe

I was noticing that Comcast gives 2 free digital adapters and after that $1.99 - $2.99 per adapter... is there a way you can consider this as well because $5.99 per digital adapter is too much.

Wireless set top boxes might be nice like UVerse and DirecTV have. No idea if that would even be feasible for Verizon to do, but it gets my vote.

THIS IS A MUST ADD..... THIS SHOULD BE STANDARD. ITS 2013.  Digital Life is In Vogue.  Possibly a touchscreen. on it. if you guys dont have contacts solid enough on buying several cheap but seriously reliable remotes. make me an email and ill do the homework. just cut me in on this. like maybe free fios full pack for 10 years/ or lifetime. and a kickback on say .01-.02 cents on a dollar .RT-MWK06 Rii Mini Wireless Keyboard Universal Remote Control [Bluetooth] ( but buy them @100k units  or more  i canfns several more or have one made for verizon... but i want in!

The latest router for Verizon Fios is the Actiontec MI424WR 3rd Generation Rev. I,

according to the specs, it has only Moca 1.0/1.1 capabilities with "theoretical" 175 Mbps, when actual at home tests have been at 80 mbps. You cannot get GigE (Gigabit) speeds through Rev. I Moca interface, only through "normal" cabling it can be achieved. Moca 2.0 has been released since June 15th, 2010. Right now Verizon is almost 3 years behind in Moca technology. So please make the next Actiontec router have Moca 2.0 capabilities that will more than quadruple our current Moca speeds to 400 Mbit/s and 800 Mbit/s net throughputs throughout our home network, so that you will have more loyal/satisfied customers who like to manage and enhance their own home network.

For those who have no idea what Moca is, it is the ability to set up an additional actiontec router where you havea coaxial wall outlet to pl...

This is a guide for those who want to extend their ethernet/wireless network with the current Moca 1.0/1.1 con...

Thank you.

When selecting a single TV show to record from the Guide, why not have "Record Episode with Options" as a choice? If you want to record a "Series", you can choose "Record Series with Options" but you can't do the same for a single episode of a show.

During the baseball season, virtually every game runs over the 3 hours alloted to the game, which means the DVR either misses recording the end of the game or the viewer must individually extend the recording. This is currently done by exiting the guide, selecting " DVR", selecting "Scheduled Recordings", selecting the programmed ballgame from the list, selecting "Modify Start and End Time", extending the end time by 60 minutes, selecting "Save" and going through that process EVERY TIME a ballgame is programmed to be recorded. If "Record Episode with Options" was a choice, that recording can be easily extended in two easy steps.

C'mon Verizon, this one is a easy one to add. Pleeeeeease.

We recently switched to Fios from Xfinity and I have to say that I'm quite disappointed with the offerings for kids.  While you have the same offerings in terms of number channels available your "depth" of episodes that are offered in each channel is dismal in comparison to Xfinity. 

The biggest uproar in our household is that FIOS does NOT support the free Watch Disney app that allows you (with your own cable subscription credentials) to watch a variety of full episodes on Disney Junior, Disney XD and Disney Live shows.  There are 5 or 6 other cable providers that support this app- Xfinity included.  It seems like an easy way to suppliment what you lack in on demand offerings (in the Disney area anyway. 

PLEASE add this ASAP! 

I want Verizon FiOS Quantum bumper stickers? You know a good one, that is not made of paper. Something that will not fade. I believe Verizon should send out promptional products that are useful, and not bill stuffers that waist paper for things customers already have, but for things you have, and like? Perhaps a small yard sign like the alarm companies have. Alarm companies only charge about $4 for extras, I think they would be better given out at the stores, than the free bags, or if customers want promotional products provide them for free upon request. Made out of recycled products of course.

My idea would be some kind of software that would allow the customer to attach there home computer to the cable box and use there home computer as a drv. If we could hook the cable box and the router together by network cable then install software to allow our home computers to work, it would be great. Verizon then could make it from the user end even more an better interactive. Ok we'll have to pay for the software but make it a fair one time price. But then this may already exist - Verizon just has not let the customer in yet!!!