Verizon adds Windows Live services

Verizon users will soon have more choices when setting up their broadband service.

Microsoft and Verizon announced Tuesday that Microsoft Windows Live services will be available to Verizon DSL and Verizon Fios customers early next year. In the meantime, MSN Premium services will continue to be offered to current subscribers, according to a joint statement from the companies.

"With the co-branded offering, customers get the best of both worlds. The broadband users have the applications that they can use their speed for. They get a lot of premium services to add extra value for the customer, and our research has shown that customers who use our co-branded services are much more loyal customers and they are more satisfied," said Bobbi Henson, a spokeswoman for Verizon.

Windows Live is Microsoft's new host of applications and services, which in some cases overlap and compete with Yahoo and Google applications. Many of these applications have been offered for free, with additional services offered at a premium.

As part of the deal between Verizon and Microsoft, Verizon customers will have the option of using a co-branded Verizon-Live.com home page, a Verizon-Windows Live Search page, and can use Windows Live Mail as their Verizon e-mail account. They will also receive a Windows Live Toolbar, a co-branded version of Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live OneCare safety scanner--a feature of Microsoft's antivirus software.

Verizon has had a partnership with Microsoft since 2002, when the companies first agreed to offer a co-branded service with MSN 8. MSN 8 evolved into MSN Premium, and now it's evolving into Windows Live, Henson said. This latest agreement is simply an upgrade of the partnership because of the new Microsoft Live services that are available, she said.

Henson noted, however, that the contract is not exclusive and that Verizon users will not automatically be led to the Microsoft Windows Live services portal. When Verizon customers sign up for services and register their online preferences, they're presented with a menu offering a choice of portals with Verizon partners. While customers can set their portal preference to anything they like, the menu presents Verizon, Microsoft and Yahoo as their initial choices. If customers choose nothing then they default to Yahoo, per Verizon's agreement with the company.

[Captain_Spock]

Let The "Battle" Begin!

"Windows Live is Microsoft's new host of applications and services, which in some cases overlap and compete with Yahoo and Google applications. Many of these applications have been offered for free, with additional services offered at a premium"; Ha! Ha! Coming Soon To A Computer Near You and Introducing "........ Live" with yours truly at the controls (Top Secret) to do battle with Microsoft's Windows Live, Google and Yahoo. ;-) ;-) ;-)

[Captain_Spock]

"Coming Soon To A Computer Near You"...

... or; rather, Coming To An "eComStation" Near You!

http://www.ecomstation.com/openoffice.phtml

"OpenOffice.org for eComStation and OS/2"; and, going "GOLD" it is SHOW TIME with: "IBM Lotus Sametime 7.5"

http://www-142.ibm.com/software/sw-lotus/products/product3.nsf/wdocs/st75home

;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

[Silver_2000]

Dont bother sending Verizon an email asking how to get access to this....

As a FIOS customer I sent Verizon Support an email asking about how I would change my portal to this option.. The Web page limits the description of the problem to 70 characters because it appears the email support is strictly automated - I have recieved 3 generic "read these possible solutions emails " NONE of which have ANYTHING to do with the question. At the bottom it says "If we did not provide you with a solution, you can reply to this email with a new description of your problem. Please do not change the subject of the email as we use this for tracking purposes." Whne you reply the system simply sends out a different automated reply ... What a complete waste of customers time...

[Silver_2000]

After 4th automated email...

As it turns out if you continue to reply to the 3 automated emails the 4th one ( if they havent already driven you to a new vendor ) tells you to call support.

"Thank you for submitting your help request to Verizon.

Please visit Verizon Help & Support or Call techincal support at 1888 553 1555 for additional assistance with your problem."

The sad thing is the Live technicians that come to your house are GREAT - the phone and email support needs help ...
As a triple play customer it makes me wonder ... Of course the cable companies are MUCH worse ..

[WJeansonne]

Sure Wish They Had Given Advance Notice!

Essentially, I quit Verizon for MS Live services and now they come out and say they will support Live. Well, a day late and dollar short as the saying goes. I already switched to Comcast's Triple Play. Moreover, I asked them repeatedly both at the staff and management levels if they planned on supporting Live (as they do MSN Premium) and they were clueless.

[n.moore]

comcast???!!!!!!

Are you kidding me? Comcast doesnt hold a candle to Verizon, technologically, price, future, quality, reveiws, or anything else. Its a no brainer. Read the blogs.

[retirement60]

Hey almost all your news blogs are written by liberal columnists. I am fed up with this and suggest if you want to keep customers you even things up. Do you really think people don't know your agenda? Fair and balanced is a much better journalistic approach.

[retirement60]

Hey almost all your news blogs are written by liberal columnists. I am fed up with this and suggest if you want to keep customers you even things up. Do you really think people don't know your agenda? Fair and balanced is a much better journalistic approach.