FiOS TV Hits Oregon

Verizon said it launched its FiOS TV service in Portland, Ore., Thursday, challenging incumbent cable TV operator Comcast.

The telephone company said FiOS TV is available to 152,000 households in the greater Portland area, representing 410,000 potential viewers.

Towns where FiOS TV is available include Aloha, Beaverton, Cornelius, Dundee, Durham, Hillsboro, King City, McMinnville, Newberg, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville.

Verizon took a shot at Comcast in Thursday’s announcement, without naming the nation’s largest cable company.

“This is liberation day for disgruntled cable TV customers in metro Portland,” David Valdez, Verizon senior vice president of public affairs, policy and communications for the Northwest, said in the announcement. “Based on consumer reaction in our 12 other FiOS TV states, we expect a huge weave of customers will leave their cable TV provider and jump on the FIOS TV bandwagon.

Verizon counted 717,000 FiOS TV customers and more than 1.3 million FiOS Internet subscribers at the end of the third quarter.