Verizon could have come up with a better brand name than “FiOS” when it hatched its plan to compete with the cable and satellite companies. Nevertheless, it’s common knowledge that FiOS’ TV picture is better than digital cable’s and that FiOS’ Internet access is faster than what you can get with a cable modem. How do we know this? Our brother’s brother-in-law told us, that’s how, which means that while the name is clumsy, the marketing’s been sharp. The CableFAX staff did some internal polling and came up with these signs that Verizon’s FiOS marketing is connecting with consumers.

1. Your retired mom, who still doesn’t know how to fast-forward her VCR tapes, asks you if she’ll need some kind of converter for her FiOS service after the Feb. 17, 2009, digital transition.

2. Your teenage children are too embarrassed by the anachronistic dish on your rooftop to invite their friends over.

3. The question of whether to switch to FiOS comes up during a painful silence on a first date.

4. When you call your cable company to cancel service, a customer service rep answers on the first ring.

5. When you call Verizon to sign up for FiOS, you’re left on hold for 20 minutes.

The Daily

Subscribe

AMC’s ‘Nautilus’ Explores the Origins of Captain Nemo

Captain Namo is one of the most famous characters in all of sci-fi. Yet, while Jules Verne’s ill-fated explorer has starred in many adaptations, none has dived so deeply into Nemo’s origin story as AMC’s “Nautilus.”

Read the Full Issue
The Skinny is delivered on Tuesday and focuses on the cable profession. You'll stay in the know on the headlines, topics and special issues you value most. Sign Up

Calendar

Sep 11
2025 Faxies Awards Faxies Nominations Open! Final deadline: 4/4/25
Full Calendar

Jobs

Seeking an INDUSTRY JOB or hiring for one?
VIEW JOBS

In conjunction with our sister brand, Cynopsis, we are offering hiring managers a deep pool of media-savvy, skilled candidates at a range of experience levels and sectors. The result will be an even more robust industry job board, to help both employers and job seekers.

Contact Carley Ashley, [email protected], for more information about posting a job on the website and our Jobs newsletter, sent twice weekly to 85,000 media professionals.