I Want My FIOS
Marc Dashevsky
communities in Massachusetts? Neighboring West Newbury has had
it for more than a year, but Verizon will not tell me when it will
be offered in Newburyport. Do they need aproval from each
municipality? Are they still ramping up their infrastructure?
The ads are all over TV, true QAM, and they're driving me crazy.
--
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D. Kirkpatrick
Marc Dashevsky <use...@MarcDashevsky.com> wrote:
> What is behind Verizon's delay in providing FIOS service to many
> communities in Massachusetts? Neighboring West Newbury has had
> it for more than a year, but Verizon will not tell me when it will
> be offered in Newburyport. Do they need aproval from each
> municipality? Are they still ramping up their infrastructure?
> The ads are all over TV, true QAM, and they're driving me crazy.
I trie dinputting my phone number and cannot get a definitive response.
I have not seen any trucks to lay cable in my area of Boston.
Keep in mind that the TV market extends into NH and RI and west of
Worcester, and many of those communities have FIOS already.
I don't expect to see it in Boston for a while and even then only with
satelite TV as opposed to fibre TV until they can work the necessary
contracts with the state or city.
BreadW...@fractious.net
> it for more than a year, but Verizon will not tell me when it will
> be offered in Newburyport. Do they need aproval from each
> municipality?
Precisely.
Mass law requires VZ to apply for a video operating
franchise in each city or town. They can come in
with phone and data, but if they provide video, they
are subject to this.
Localities have been using this for years to squeeze
the cable companies either for money to operate local
cable channels/studios - or to make the cable companies
operate them. This is arguably a good thing, though
it's obvious that the costs just come out of the local
subscribers pockets regardless.
There is legislation being discussed at the statehouse
which would streamline this process (ie. let the State
deal with it rather than each of the 350+ localities).
After fighting for approval in 45 communities, Verizon
has publicly said that they are giving up until the
state gets involved. It's certainly got to be quite
costly to fight the same battle 350 times.
Naturally, many communities and the Mass Municipal
Association are fighting the streamlining legislation.
In the meantime, individuals like yourself lose out.
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Marc Dashevsky
> Marc Dashevsky <use...@MarcDashevsky.com> writes:
>
> > it for more than a year, but Verizon will not tell me when it will
> > be offered in Newburyport. Do they need aproval from each
> > municipality?
>
> Precisely.
>
> Mass law requires VZ to apply for a video operating
> franchise in each city or town. They can come in
> with phone and data, but if they provide video, they
> are subject to this.
>
> Localities have been using this for years to squeeze
> the cable companies either for money to operate local
> cable channels/studios - or to make the cable companies
> operate them. This is arguably a good thing, though
> it's obvious that the costs just come out of the local
> subscribers pockets regardless.
>
> There is legislation being discussed at the statehouse
> which would streamline this process (ie. let the State
> deal with it rather than each of the 350+ localities).
> After fighting for approval in 45 communities, Verizon
> has publicly said that they are giving up until the
> state gets involved. It's certainly got to be quite
> costly to fight the same battle 350 times.
>
> Naturally, many communities and the Mass Municipal
> Association are fighting the streamlining legislation.
I think I recently saw a Comcast commercial asking viewers
to "keep cable local." Natuarally it didn't really explain
what was going on, but they appear to be protecting their
virtual monopoly. I was glad when cable companies started
to offer phone companies competition for voice communication,
and I will be thrilled when TPC can return the favor.