Verizon expands 12-tuner Quantum TV tier to Maryland, Virginia and D.C.

Now, 2.6 million residents and businesses spread across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. will be able to record 12 TV shows simultaneously.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) announced this week that it has expanded the rollout of its FiOS Quantum TV service to subscribers in these areas, building on a launch that began April 1 in North Texas and Harrisburg, Penn. The premium service is also available in Tampa, Fla., Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Delaware markets and will continue to launch in other areas in the coming weeks.

"With FiOS Quantum TV's premium DVR service tier, customers can record up to 12 shows simultaneously, eliminating worries about recording conflicts when customers' favorite shows or sports events are all airing at the same time," reads a Verizon press release announcing the latest expansion.

So, yeah, if a family the size of the Waltons finds itself polarized by differing viewer taste, problem solved.

The premium service tier is based on two Arris-manufactured whole-home DVRs that are configured with six tuners and 1 terabyte of storage capacity--enough wherewithal to store 200 hours of high-definition video.

If it seems like excess, Verizon claims it's merely giving the pay-TV market what it wants. In its customer surveys, 78 percent of respondents say they want more DVR storage and 63 percent want more tuners. 

"FiOS Quantum TV enables Verizon to further differentiate from the competition by redefining the total TV-viewing experience for our customers, allowing them to enjoy their entertainment on their terms," said Christopher Childs, Verizon's Potomac region president for consumer and mass business operations. "With FiOS Quantum TV, you'll look at TV in a whole new way." 

As of its first-quarter 2014 earnings report, Verizon touted 5.3 million FiOS video subscribers and 6.2 million FiOS Internet customers.

Promotional video for Verizon's FiOS Quantum TV. (Source: Verizon / YouTube)

For more:
- see this press release
- read this Multichannel News story

Related links:
Verison touts 12 tuners with launch of FiOS Quantum video media servers
Cablevision's marketing stunt: A DVR that can record 10 shows simultaneously