Even if IPTV isn't all the rage just yet, you can't deny the fact that it's coming. As faster connections make it into the home, more and more video content will be available online. eventually the worlds of television, and Internet are bound to intersect, and Verizon wireless plans to help that happen.

The New York based Telecommunications company continues to push it's FiOS TV service across the east coast, and parts of California, and Texas. Short for Fiber Optic Service, FiOS TV is Verizon's foray into the television business, and it's a pretty obvious attempt to oust traditional cable companies.

Verizon offers 200 channels, including HDTV where available for just $39.95 a month, and offers discounts when you bundle Internet, and phone services. The system behaves much like traditional cable and satellite systems. Users have a set top box (does anyone actually keep it on top of their set?) and remote for accessing a digital channel guide. I haven't shopped for cable TV service lately, but that seems like a pretty fair deal.

Verizon claims a potential download speed of 30Mbps, but some Google sleuthing revealed it's more like 16. I'm not complaining, as it puts my 6Mbs connection to shame, but it does illustrate a point, and brings me to one of the potential problems of current IPTV. Network slowdown can have a direct effect on your service. Although I found no complaints about FiOS TV service in particular, many early IPTV adopters have complained about lag when switching channels, and occasional caching.

In reality, each method of television delivery is fraught with problems of it's own. Whether it's adjusting the rabbit ears, shaking snow off the dish, waiting a second between channels, or just paying high rates, people seem to adjust. Verizon sliding on in an putting it's thing down is good for all of us. By offering a slightly better service, at a slightly lower rate FiOS will inevitably drive down the overall price of TV.

Link to Tyngsborough, Mass. Press release
Link to Riverside, California Press release
Link to Positive user review of FiOS TV