User in our Verizon FiOS forum indicate that the company has been offering select customers a free year of triple play voice, broadband and TV service for testing the company's looming IPTV upgrades. As we've been noting, Verizon is planning a complete overhaul of the company's ONTs and gateways, the GUI and other aspects of the programming guide will be getting a major face lift, and the company will be introducing a number of new cable box options for FiOS customers. Verizon also plans to offer a pure IPTV TV platform, slowly moving away from its current QAM model.
"You’re invited to be part of a select group of consumers to participate in a trial of some of our newest in-home entertainment features," notes the e-mail being sent to select customers. "This is a unique opportunity to test-drive these exciting new TV features in advance of general availability to the public."
Users fill out a survey, and if selected will get to participate in a beta test of the new systems ahead of what's expected to be a later summer launch. This shift to new hardware and an all-IP delivery system has been six years in the making, and the new IPTV platform was spied in documents filed with the FCC nearly a year ago. Verizon says this new service will let Verizon introduce new features more quickly and stream content to most of the internet-connected devices in the home.
As part of the overhaul, Verizon's new gateway will combine standard router and optical network terminal (ONT) functionality into one device. Currently, FiOS customers have a gateway in the home, and an ONT (usually) in the basement or garage.
This thread in our Verizon FiOS forum has some additional detail on Verizon's plans.