Microsoft and Verizon announce new FiOS Xbox TV deal

By Tom Warren, on 5th Oct 11 4:16 pm with 14 Comments

Verizon announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Microsoft to offer a new FiOS TV-powered experience for the Xbox 360.

Verizon has developed a special software application that will be available to Xbox LIVE Gold members. The application will provide access to live TV channels through the Xbox console without the requirement for additional hardware. Verizon is planning to offer a selection of its live TV channels, including multichannel streaming HD TV.

The TV channels will be integrated to Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect accessory, allowing viewers to control their viewing with their voice or hands and without the need for a remote control. “By bringing the technologically advanced Verizon FiOS TV service to Xbox 360 and Kinect, we are advancing our vision to provide the best in entertainment in extraordinary new ways,” said Tom Gibbons, corporate vice president of the TV & Service Business for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Xbox 360 brings all your entertainment, friends and family together in one place, and we look forward to introducing Verizon FiOS TV to the console this holiday.”

Microsoft is expected to announce similar deals on Wednesday with other TV providers.

  • http://www.Nave360.com Sebastian Gorgon

    Sounds like US only… always…

    • GP007

      Uhh, hold on before you jump in panic.  Verizon is a US only company who offers their FiOS in the US only.  This deal can’t be anything BUT a “US only” deal.    It’s not MS who controls the content or the service, they’re just pumping it to you through their hardware like another set-top box.

  • Anonymous

    Will there be a cost to use it?  

    • GP007

      Maybe not, you already pay for the Verizon FiOS right?   Basically you’re getting a new setop box without extra cost.  I know cable companies like to “rent” their boxes to people for a fee.

  • Anonymous

    sweet. Too bad verizon still hasn’t piped FIOS to my house.

  • http://twitter.com/jbs2886 Justin B. Stone

    @Sebianoti:disqus Check out the last line: “Microsoft is expected to announce similar deals on Wednesday with other TV providers.” That would lead me to believe that perhaps non-US countries will be receiving similar treatment. Notwithstanding, isn’t Verizon Fios only in the US?

  • http://www.mainstreetchatham.com/ JimmyFal

    Hey Europe had the HDTV for YEARS before us, time for some payback! Seriously though, hope they expand all this to overseas asap. I can’t wait to see how greedy Comcast is going to be on their end… waiting, waiting…

  • http://twitter.com/efjay01 Ef Jay

    Hope something is in the works for Comcast as well.

  • http://twitter.com/jbs2886 Justin B. Stone

    MSFT announcement, MANY more than just Verizon Fios http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2011/oct11/10-05XBTVPR.mspx

  • Jallopy

    How is this different than the AT&T UVerse system, that allows the 360 to be used as a cable box?  I’m doing that currently, and am pretty happy with it…

    • J A

      I don’t know about U-Verse, my perception is that they don’t have a good lineup of cable TV channels and AT&T does not push it as strong as Verizon pushes FiOS. This is great news for cable TV providers because they do not need to have physical presence where they deliver IPTV. A good example is that FiOS is quite expensive and time-consuming to deploy because Verizon has to dig all the way to the premises they need to get to. But with IPTV delivery to Xbox as long as the users have the required internet service they can subscribe to FiOS cable service.

  • Anonymous

    FiOS,, as in Fuck iOS?!! sweet :P

    • Anonymous

      Haha. Cleaver.

  • http://123kinect.com/ Clemens

    This has the potential to be really big!

    There’s also a video for those interested: http://123kinect.com/xbox-live-tv-partners-kinect/25660/