Ed.’s note: Today marks the 137^th anniversary of the awarding of the first telephone patent to Alexander Graham Bell. Our company owes much to Bell’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. The Verizon Pioneers are one group of former employees who work tirelessly to keep Bell’s legacy alive through community service.

Would you be surprised if I told you that Alexander Graham Bell was disappointed with his invention of the telephone?

Although the telephone is considered one of the most valuable patents in history, Bell had envisioned his invention as a hearing device, as his true dream was working with people who had hearing and speech impediments. The telephone, however, ended up being something else entirely and Bell put his dream on hold.

The following is a guest blog by Monica Vila, Verizon FiOS Ambassador. Find her on Twitter @theonlinemom!

As we have become more reliant on apps and web-based services for both work and entertainment, we are learning to be more discerning about the networks that deliver those services. This is particularly true when we are on-the-move, with access to networks outside of our trusted home and office environments.

The following is a guest blog by Bob Elek, a Tampa-based member of Verizon's PR team.

My wife and I are pretty old-fashioned when it comes to technology.  But does that make us prehistoric techies?  Not exactly.

It’s Friday and that means it’s time for another look at all of the great television programming coming your way. In addition to the various dramas, comedies and reality TV, this week on FiOS we have a free preview for all the soccer fans. All this weekend, MLS Direct Kick is available to all FiOS TV customers, for free, on channels 1490-1499 and 1489 for HD. Watch all your favorite teams battle it out on the field. There’s Philly vs. Kansas City on Saturday (4 pm), LA vs. Chicago on Sunday (5 pm) and more. Now, here’s your look at a selection of other programs and sporting events airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

Nikita – 8 pm on CW

Portlandia – 10 pm on IFC

Banshee – 10 pm on Cinemax

Saturday:

American Ninja Warrior – 8 pm on NBC

Blackboard Wars – 9 pm on OWN

The Graham Norton Show – 10:15 pm on BBC America (guests include Richard Gere and Saoirse Ronan)

Ed.’s note: The following guest blog was written by Les Kumagai, Verizon PR’s Los Angeles-based Industry Analyst Relations guru and (sometimes) behind-the-scenes Hollywood reporter.

Now that the statuettes have been awarded, you’ve realized how many of these great movies you’ve yet to see. Don’t fret. Of the 14 honorees listed below, more than half, including Argo, the Academy Award winner for Best Picture, are available on FiOS On Demand weeks before the other guys have them. And in just a few weeks, more amazing films like Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty, and Les Miserables will debut on FiOS. Ready to watch? Press the “On Demand” button on your FiOS TV remote control, choose Video on Demand from the menu, or go to Channel 900. You can also learn more online at FiOS On Demand.

There's an interesting story unfolding about the growing importance broadband has in our daily life.

During the past week alone, we’ve seen the Federal Communications Commission issue the results of its third broadband performance tests, “Measuring Broadband America.”

The FCC’s most recent tests involved 14 of the nation’s biggest Internet service providers.  For the first time, the FCC included in its measurement some of our newest FiOS Quantum speeds (meaning 50 megabits per second or higher).  It shouldn’t come as a surprise that those speeds performed well, as did all our FiOS speed tiers.

Today, the average U.S. household has an average of seven Internet-connected devices; and that figure should easily reach double digits in just a few years.  But that’s not the only thing happening in households that’s driving demand for faster broadband.  Just as the total number of devices grows, so too is the number of those devices being used simultaneously.  The current figure is 3.8 per household, and that figure should keep rising too.

The Oscars are Sunday night! I’m ready for another awards show. Are you? What else are you watching this week? Here’s your look at a selection of programs and sporting events airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

Nikita – 8 pm on The CW

Kitchen Nightmares – 8 pm on FOX

CSI: NY – 9 pm on CBS (season finale)

Saturday:

Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? – 9 pm on WE TV (season 3 premiere)

UFC 157: Women’s Bantamweight Championship – 10 pm on Pay Per View

Film Independent Spirit Awards – 10 pm on IFC (hosted by Andy Samberg)

As you know, Verizon is all about giving our customers exactly what they need in order to live a borderless lifestyle, and today we have even more good news -- we’ve added 11 networks from NBCUniversal to your MY Verizon website. What does this mean? You can log on to the My Verizon website and watch the great programming that these networks offer right there, without getting redirected to another website. The networks are: Bravo, USA, Oxygen, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC News, NBC, Syfy, mun2, Telemundo and Cozi TV. And for you news buffs – CNBC is offering a live stream.

Ed.'s note: The following is courtesy of Verizon FiOS Ambassador Monica Villa. Tweet her @TheOnlineMom.

I have always thought that the ultimate luxury in mobile entertainment would be lying in bed watching live TV on my iPad. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not averse to curling up on the couch either, but there is something particularly appealing about getting under the covers to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones or to catch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last thing at night.

In addition to a variety of season premieres, finales and your usual dramas, comedies and reality TV shows, FiOS also has a free preview this week. From today through next weekend, http://www.foxsoccerplus.com/ is free for all FiOS TV customers. You can find all the soccer action on FiOS TV Channel 1009. Here’s your look at a selection of other programs and sporting events airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game: From Houston – 7 pm on ESPN (also airs on TNT on Saturday at 8:30 pm and Sunday at 8 pm)

The History of the Eagle – 8 pm on Showtime

Shark Tank – 9 pm on ABC

CSI:NY – 9 pm on CBS (Josh Groban guest stars)

Saturday:

Pastor Brown – 8 pm on Lifetime

Life Is But a Dream – 9 pm on HBO (watch Beyonce in this documentary and earlier in an interview with Oprah airing on OWN at 8 pm)

Saturday Night Live – 11:30 pm on NBC (Christoph Waltz hosts with musical guest Alabama Shakes)

As you can imagine, Verizon is hard at work making sure its ready for whatever Super Snowstorm Nemo brings its way. Residential customers should contact Verizon online at www.verizon.com/outage or call 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) to report any service-related issue, while business customers should contact their regular customer service centers or account teams as needed. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter @Verizon and @VerizonSupport online or on your mobile devices for the latest news and updates.

It’s all about love this week. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of your favorite TV shows are getting ready to celebrate. For example, FOX is all about the love Sunday night, starting with “The Cleveland Show” at 7:30 and ending with the 9:30 episode of “American Dad.” There’s a lot more to look forward to as well. Here’s your look at a selection of other programs airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

The Job – 8 pm on CBS

Touch – 8 pm on FOX (season 2 premiere)

The Jenny McCarthy Show – 10:30 pm on VH1

Saturday:

Twist of Faith – 8 pm on Lifetime (original movie starring Toni Braxton)

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown – 8 pm on ABC

Saturday Night Live – 11:30 pm on NBC (Justin Bieber hosts)

Living in the Northeast you'd think I'd be sick of the cold and snow by now, but nothing warms this geek's heart more than knowing that "Winter is Coming" (again!) on March 31 with the Season 3 premiere of HBO's Game of Thrones. Even more exciting? Verizon FiOS is offering fans of the show a chance to win a grand-prize trip for two to the Los Angeles red carpet premiere on March 18. Hey, it's not a shot at the Iron Throne, but it's definitely the next best thing. There's only one week left, though, to enter for your chance to win the whole pot of golden dragons!

As you may have read on our news center site, Verizon is celebrating Black History Month with special programming for FiOS TV customers. This year, Verizon has created a special video-on-demand folder dedicated to Black History Month that includes more than 60 free titles available throughout the month of February.

Here at Verizon, we’ve brought together some of your favorite networks, along with some networks you may not know as well, to deliver a one-stop shop for a variety of programming related to Black History Month. Networks include ESPN, BET and Music Choice as well as ID Discovery and the Military Channel. You’ll find ESPN’s Michael Jordan special “Jordan Rides a Bus,” a BET special on Maya Angelou and Common, and a variety of music videos from Music Choice. You can also watch “Betty & Coretta,” the Lifetime movie starring Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige playing the widows of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.

Hey, what's the deal with these Roman numerals for the Big Game? Time to go.

The Super Bowl is here! Whether you’re watching the game or you’re in it for the commercials and Beyonce’s half-time show (maybe with a Destiny’s Child reunion?), Sunday night is certainly a night for television. Here’s your look at that and a selection of other programs airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

The 44^th Annual NAACP Image Awards – 8 pm on NBC

Shark Tank – 9 pm on ABC

Blue Bloods – 10 pm on CBS

Saturday:

Betty & Coretta – 8 pm on Lifetime (Angela Bassett & Mary J. Blige play the widows of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X)

2^nd Annual NFL Honors – 9 pm on CBS (hosted by Alec Baldwin)

Austin City Limits – 9 pm on PBS (Tim McGraw performs)

The sound bite, “innovate or die,” stated by Consumer Electronics Association president/CEO Gary Shapiro during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) rings true.  Those three simple words serve as a battle cry for our industry’s need to keep developing new applications and bringing new services to life for consumers.

During CES, attendees from all walks of life let loose with “oohs” and “aahs” at the large display of cool 4K Ultra HD TVs.  While my jaw couldn’t help but drop at the gorgeous (but ultra pricey) TVs, the theme of interconnectedness between multiple devices and companies was the big takeaway for me at my seventh CES.

But there was another big difference for me at CES this year.

What I’ll never forget is seeing the mammoth show (150,000-plus attendees) from the lens of two Verizon customers.  Long-time followers of the Verizon Community Forum know the two men with whom I spent a lot of time at CES not by face or name, but solely by their online handle as Forum community leaders.

It’s a rare sight to find a Bell System telephone truck from the 1960s cruising down the road today. But if you’re in the New York area, you just might.This 1967 Ford Econoline van, originally used by New York Telephone to run service calls, was completely restored and restocked by Verizon technician John Stallone. To find the truck, Stallone, a local manager for installation and maintenance in New York, took to the one place where you can find just about anything these days: eBay.

If you love football as much as I do, you’re well versed in some of the best (worst?) football clichés around – those tried and true phrases to which broadcasters ‘round the league turn to color their commentary. From the wide receiver that’s “deceptively quick” (instead of “obviously quick” considering how he blew by the entire secondary) to somehow giving more than 100% effort, we all have our favorites. This year, we decided to turn the world of football clichés on its head and assign new meaning to some of them. That way, as you’re enjoying the Big Game Sunday and get one cliché after another thrown your way, you can recall just why football is better with FiOS.  And for the non-football fans, enjoy the commercials since this is the one time a year we don’t fast forward through them since they can be more entertaining than the actual game!

For me, this coming week is all about the SAG Awards on Sunday and the 30 Rock series finale on Thursday. Farewell Liz Lemon! But there’s plenty more to watch. Here’s your look at a selection of sporting events and other programs airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

Gold Rush – 8 pm on Discovery

Kitchen Nightmares – 8 pm on FOX

Spartacus – 9 pm on Starz (season premiere)

Saturday:

U.S. Figure Skating Championships – 8 pm on NBC

My Big Redneck Vacation – 9 pm on CMT

Saturday Night Live – 11:30 pm on NBC (Adam Levine hosts with musical guest Kendrick Lamar)

Last week, we took a look back at the invention of the telephone and its evolution through the decades since. For today’s Throwback Thursday, I’ll look at other telecommunication machines that were an integral part of Verizon’s legacy of innovation.

It’s a good thing we’re not all made exactly alike.  If that were the case, our personal and professional life would be incredibly boring not to mention weird.

Having played sports of all types since I was a kid, athletic events involving teams and individuals are very enjoyable for me to watch in person and on TV.

But sports is not everyone’s cup of tea.  In fact, we have many customers for whom watching sports is akin to me watching a fashion or dance program (not fun for me at least).  As my paternal grandfather told me hundreds of times about the importance of how all people are not alike, “Different strokes for different folks.”

And so it is with our FiOS TV offers.  Consumers interested in TV service, but not wanting to pay for more than they need have a new option starting today.

We have a few shows returning this week, like tonight’s premiere of Real Time with Bill Maher, the mid-season premiere of Glee, and season 11 of Project Runway. Plus, FiOS TV is offering three free previews this week. You can find all of the details on that in the One More Note section below. Here’s your look at a selection of sporting events and other programs airing on TV during the coming week. 

Friday:

Fringe – 8 pm on FOX (series finale)

Oprah’s Next Chapter – 9 pm on OWN (part 2 of the Oprah interview with Lance Armstrong, also available live, online here)

Real Time with Bill Maher – 10 pm on HBO

Saturday:

Prosecuting Casey Anthony – 8 pm on Lifetime

Stuff You Should Know – 10 pm on Science

Saturday Night Live – 11:35 pm on NBC (Jennifer Lawrence hosts with musical guest The Lumineers)

On Dec. 17, Verizon hosted a special event at its corporate headquarters in Basking Ridge called “Legacy of Innovation: A Celebration of Our History,” where Verizon employees and retirees gathered to celebrate the long history of Verizon telecommunications. Verizon veterans and historians brought historic industry artifacts including iconic wireline and wireless phones, an operator switchboard, a teletype machine, a digital base station, and even copper cable samples taken from the New York City vault that were destroyed after Hurricane Sandy.Throughout this month, I will be writing about the evolution of telecommunications and different telephony artifacts and the stories behind them that make up the rich history of Verizon, dating all the way back to 1876 with Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone.

NHL hockey is back this Saturday! Fans won’t want to miss a minute of the season, and the best way to catch all of the action is with NHL Center Ice. The sports package features up to 40 out-of-market games each week during the regular season, as well as replays, a mosaic channel and more.

FiOS TV customers can check out NHL Center Ice during a free preview that starts with the first games this Saturday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. ET. Tune to FiOS TV channels 1475-1488 for non-stop hockey action, available free on FiOS through the end of the month.

There is so much TV excitement coming your way this week! NFL Divisional Playoffs. The Golden Globes. The return of some of your favorite Showtime and HBO series. Plus, Verizon FiOS TV customers are getting a free preview of Showtime and The Movie Channel all weekend. More on that in the One More Note section below. Here’s your look at a selection of sporting events and other programs airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

Last Man Standing – 8 pm on ABC

Fringe – 9 pm on FOX

Banshee – 10 pm on Cinemax (series premiere)

Saturday:

NFL Football – 4:30 pm on CBS (Ravens vs. Broncos, followed by Packers vs. 49ers at 8 pm on FOX)

Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual – 9 pm on WE TV

The 2013 Miss America Competition – 9 pm on ABC (tune to ABC at 8 pm for a special 20/20 called “Pageant Confidential”)

The next two weeks are full of brand new shows as well as season premieres of old favorites. Check your listings and some of our suggestions, including the EPIX free preview that begins today (I’ll have more free previews to tell you about next week).  Also, don’t miss the One More Note section if you’re a football lover.  Here’s your look at a selection of sporting events and other programs airing on TV during the coming week.

Friday:

CSI: NY – 9 pm on CBS

Portlandia – 10 pm on IFC (season 3 premiere)

Merlin – 10 pm on Syfy (season 5 premiere)

Saturday:

The Hunger Games – 3:30 pm on EPIX (watch this and more during the EPIX free preview, Fri. through Sun. on FiOS TV Channels 395, 895, 896 and 150)

NFL Football – 4:30 pm on NBC (Bengals vs. Texans, followed by Vikings vs. Packers at 8 pm)

Redneck Island – 9 pm on CMT (season finale)

Welcome to the New Year’s Eve edition of What to Watch. Lots of repeats, movies and specials on TV this week, along with a few new episodes of some of your favorite reality TV shows. Here’s your look at a selection of sporting events and other programs airing on TV during the coming week. And, happy New Year!

Friday:

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas – 8:30 pm on FOX

Say Yes To the Dress – 9 pm on TLC (Joan Rivers helps a friend’s daughter)

Teen Trouble – 10 pm on Lifetime

Saturday:

She Made Them Do It – 8 pm on Lifetime (Jenna Dewan-Tatum stars)

The Mob Doctor – 9 pm on FOX

Is there an all-time greatest Christmas movie? With a long list of worthy contenders, it’s a challenge to pick just one. I’ll lay out my top choices and you can decide for yourself.