Verizon officially launched their VCAST TV service, though the small screen entertainment offerings are only available in select markets.  In fact, the coverage map shows many more dead zones than hot spots when it comes to the new mobile television service.  The San Francisco Bay area is not on the map, so I won't be testing TV over VCAST anytime soon - though it does make sense that Verizon would want to test the service in smaller metro areas in order to iron out as many bugs as possible before stressing their networks with rollouts in the New Yorks and LAs of the world.

The service comes in three versions ranging in price from $13-25.  More information, including a list of the available cities can be found from this link.

In other news concerning the big V, it seems as though Verizon is eyeing a purchase of Alltel, the number five wireless provider in the U.S. and a fellow CDMA network operator.  A merger between the two would result in Verizon overtaking Cingular as the largest wireless carrier in the nation, with some 10 million more customers.  At least until the iPhone comes out on Cingular the new AT&T this June.