CenturyLink deepens its IPTV footprint in the Phoenix area

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) has extended the reach of Prism IPTV into Phoenix and three surrounding markets, including Queen Creek, Ahwatukee, San Tan Valley and Mesa--marking the first of its legacy Qwest markets to receive its IPTV service.

The carrier's expansion into these areas is part of a broader move to deepen service throughout the Phoenix market this year.

"Many of our customers in Phoenix have been asking for an alternative TV service so we're proud to announce that Prism TV is here," said Ken McMahon, CenturyLink vice president and general manager in Phoenix, in a statement. "We continue to upgrade our network and look for ways to better serve our customers with high-quality, affordable entertainment options that include voice, Internet and Prism TV bundles."

Last December, the telco began a soft launch of the Prism IPTV service in Chandler and Gilbert, Ariz. In March, it announced plans to hire 90 more field technicians to help it continue building out the Phoenix IPTV market.

Outside of Arizona, CenturyLink initiated a soft launch in Colorado Springs during the first quarter with plans to soft launch in Omaha as well, where it is building a 1 Gbps-capable fiber to the premises (FTTP) pilot deployment.

The telco, reports the Phoenix Business Journal, expects to complete the fiber network buildout that will backhaul IPTV traffic by the end of next year.

While it clearly was the late bloomer in the IPTV race, Prism IPTV bundle has proven to be a winner for the telco thus far. In Q1 2013, it added adding 13,400 Prism TV subscribers, bringing it to a total of 120,000 subscribers.

For more:
- Phoenix Business Journal has this article

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