Verizon launched Pandora Media's music-streaming service for no extra charge to FiOS TV customers in California, Texas and Virginia.
FiOS TV subs can access their existing personalized radio stations from Pandora, or create a new account with the popular service and stream the music directly to their TV from their Motorola HD set-top box or DVR. Verizon said it plans to roll out the Pandora app nationwide.
Verizon already offers other Internet-delivered content to FiOS customers, including YouTube clips and access to live audio streams from more than 800 radio stations nationwide, via a partnership with Clear Channel's iHeartRadio.com. Accessing those services requires downloading the Windows-based Verizon Media Manager software, which streams the content to set-tops.
A video showing a demo of Pandora on FiOS is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=okJZKzNPGKU.
Pandora topped 100 million registered users earlier this month, after the unprofitable Oakland, Calif.-based company went public in June.
As with the regular Web-based version, Pandora on FiOS lets users create personalized radio stations based on favorite artists, songs and genres; bookmark songs for purchase and rate songs with a thumbs up or thumbs-down using the FiOS remote control.
"Bringing FiOS TV and Pandora together creates another exceptional home-entertainment experience for our customers because FiOS networks your home and combines personalized Internet music with your entertainment center," Verizon vice president of product management Eric Bruno said in a statement.
Pandora, along with other interactive FiOS TV applications, can be controlled through the FiOS TV Mobile Remote app, available on more than 40 mobile devices, including the Apple iPhone and iPad and the Motorola Droid X.
Separately, Verizon in early July resumed deployment of its next-generation interactive program guide for FiOS TV, after a two-month hiatus.
