• by Wayne Friedman , November 10, 2010

Verizon will now allow its FiOS TV customers to download content to non-TV portable devices.

The IPTV video service has started up Flex View, which lets its FiOS customers take TV/movies to their smartphones, tablets and laptops. Verizon says the difference with Flex View versus other video services is that viewers can download entertainment content to devices and view them without Internet access.

Verizon says there are more than 1,400 movie titles available now, and this will grow to 2,000 movies by year's-end. Some 6,000 will be ready by the end of 2011. Next year, Verizon will add more functions to Flex View, allowing customers to access photos, videos and music. There is no additional subscription fee required to use Flex View for FiOS customers.

FiOS consumers can use Flex View on up to five devices per account -- where they can, for example, rent or buy a movie. Once a FiOS customer rents a title, they have up to 30 days to play the movie, and will have 24-48 hours to watch it once it has started.

Shawn Strickland, vice president of consumer strategy and planning for Verizon, stated: "This is a valuable extension of our FiOS TV VOD service, enabling customers to rent or purchase video programming and enjoy it anytime, anywhere -- even outside of Verizon service areas."