The Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday (Sept. 15) unanimously approved legislation authorizing Verizon Pennsylvania to offer its all-fiber-optic FiOS TV service to city residents and businesses. As part of the 10-year cable franchise included in the legislation, Verizon will make FiOS TV available throughout the city within six years. The legislation now moves to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl for his signature into law. The following statement should be attributed to Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania:
"Today's City Council approval of Verizon's cable TV franchise will finally bring Pittsburghers the choice and competition they want and deserve for pay-TV service. And Verizon is eager to begin offering city residents FiOS TV, an award-winning, superior alternative to their current cable TV service, with more high-definition channels than Comcast and innovative interactive features cable companies don't provide.
"We commend Mayor Ravenstahl and his administration; the Committee on General and Government Services, under the leadership of Committee Chair Jim Motznik; and the entire City Council for its thorough review of the franchise, which brings significant long-term benefits to the city and its residents. We also thank the many Pittsburgh residents who provided testimony, or wrote or called their Council members to support competition and choice.
"We urge Mayor Ravenstahl to sign the legislation expeditiously so that Verizon can start bringing the many benefits of cable TV choice to Pittsburgh residents and businesses in the next few weeks."
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