Verizon FiOS trying to change cable franchising in Pennsylvania
By Richard Lawler 
posted Aug 3rd 2006 9:19AM
posted Aug 3rd 2006 9:19AM
Currently in Pennsylvania, cable franchising involves negotiating a deal with each of the 2,565 municipalities individually. For Verizon, who has laid fiber in about 1,600 of these, getting deals done is a long, slow process making it nearly impossible to quickly move in on their cable competitors. Verizon hasn't actually started offering its FiOS TV service and the included two-dozen or so HDTV channels in Pennsylvania but when they do, they'd like to negotiate one deal for the whole state all at once. That's the idea of a bill submitted by State Senators Dominic Pileggi and Anthony Williams, proposing the creation of a single state-administered uniform agreement for anyone offering video services. The President of Verizon Pennsylvania stated their network could carry everything the cable companies have and up to 220 high definition channels at the same time, while cable in the area is limited to only twelve. Of course we're still -- anxiously -- waiting for there to be 220 HDTV channels but you get the point.Naturally, the resident cable companies sort of like the system the way it is, arguing that change will take power away from local communities, give Verizon an unfair advantage and don't see change as necessary. Any HD Beat Pennsylvania readers plan on stopping by Penn State's Delco campus August 8th and
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Local Communities need to get over this. It's bullshit that a company has to do this to get competition. The people who live there want another cable company. As with phone and power it should be changed to allow the state to regulate.
Actually the government shouldn't be involve at any level to ALLOW another business to make money and give the people what the want.
Verizon is trying to get into Montgomery County, Md. where Comcast is HATED VERY MUCH. But because one of the County Supervisors is getting his dick sucked by Comcast. He keeps blocking Verizon from even getting a Hearing.
Justin, the local franchise agents are no different from any other form of power-driven ego-based for-sale form of policy maker. And since it is the one thing that makes them feel like a 'big man', they will continue to fight for control of franchise authority at the local level.
I do not know why the FCC chose to push the responsability on such a local level. Its really as!niine and illustrative of how the FCC continues to fail. But not to worry, since the FCC is on the sides of ILECs and now the states see how they can get bribes and not allow the local levels have the money.
BTW, between USF and the educational system spending monies on transport, it is no wonder how some counties have rather high property taxes where an equally high percentage of collection goes to the educational system.
For instance, one of the biggest consumers of metropolitan-base ethernet is the public school system buying 100-1000 Mbps backbones to the schools. There isn't a font large enough to express my H-S response.
As a resident of PA I can say this with some sense of assurance: our state legislature will NEVER get anything done about this. They are about as worthless as it gets. As well the tiny township structure of this state is the most ass backwards way of conducting government. You will never wrestle that out of the hands of all the "home towners" that get some sort of power trip by presiding over themselves and 50 other people in their township.
More power to Verizon. I would LOVE to have FIOS -- and I didn't realize they had already laid that much fiber in PA. Bring it on!!
I have to agree with Bob's post. It appears that our state legislature couldn't vote to get out of a train crossing until 3 years after they get run over by the train. Comcast service is deplorable and Verizon could win over thousands of customers if they just went ahead and negotiated in good faith. Instead, they're stalling to see where this legislation goes...as usual, the consumer suffers over the short and long term. The franchise fees themselves are not what's driving the cost of service up...after all, it's a fixed percentage of whatever the providers decide to charge. The real problem here is that the industry was deregulated in the first place. They've been given the green light to charge whatever they want for what should be considered a public utility. It's a shame that people have to pay up to $100/month for a picture that many times isn't as clear as it used to be 30 years ago with rabbit ears. Any change in the law should require municipalities that collect franchise fees to accept responsibility for ensuring that the service providers actually provide the level of service that we are paying for. If they can't do that, then they don't deserve to collect the franchise fees at all.
Just to let you know verizon will be offering tv in the west chester/exton area this fall as well as malvern and levittown. you know the governor will never sign the bill since comcast puts cash in is pockets!!!!