Verizon adds more Net content to Fios

Starting Tuesday morning, Verizon Fios TV subscribers will be able to watch YouTube videos and listen to Internet radio from iHeartRadio on their big screen TVs via their Fios TV service. The upgrade, which adds to a growing catalog of Web content available through Fios TV, is free and automatically available for all subscribers.

Verizon is adding more Internet applications to its Fios TV service mainly to differentiate its service from cable providers such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable. But cable companies aren't the only competition. The company is also facing a threat from over the top providers such as Netflix and Amazon, which are also offering on-demand video viewing via consumer electronics devices, like Blu-ray players and game consoles. These devices are also offering access to other Net-based applications, such as Facebook and Pandora Internet radio.

The number of people canceling their TV subscriptions for over-the-top Internet video is still small, but research suggests that consumers are interested in alternatives.

For more on this story read Verizon adds more Net content to Fios on CNET News.