Verizon Eager to Bring Philadelphia Residents Choice for Their Cable TV Service

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia residents are one step closer to more choice for their TV service with the introduction Thursday (Nov. 13) of an ordinance to grant a franchise agreement between the city and Verizon Pennsylvania.  The City Council now will consider the ordinance and subsequently vote on whether to approve it.

As part of the 15-year agreement, Verizon has committed to make its fiber-optic-based FiOS TV service available throughout the city within seven years of the franchise's effective date.

Subject to franchise approval by year-end, Verizon plans to begin designing and upgrading its network in Philadelphia to all fiber optics and could begin offering its fiber-optic-based FiOS TV service in portions of the city within the first year.

"Philadelphia residents for too long have suffered from a lack of choice for their cable TV news, information and entertainment," said Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania.  "We will change that in a big way, with a significant investment over the next seven years.

"FiOS TV is the gold standard, with superior picture quality and more high-definition channels than the cable incumbents - all delivered over the nation's most advanced, all-fiber-optic network," said Given.  "We're looking forward to getting to work, and we encourage the mayor and Council to act for city residents by approving this agreement expeditiously."

Under the agreement, Verizon will offer service to approximately one-third of the residences in the city within three years of the agreement's effective date, and 70 percent within five years.  The initial service area will include parts of West, North and South Philadelphia, as well as Germantown and the Greater Northeast. 

The franchise also provides for up to 15 public, educational and governmental (PEG) access channels for use by the city or its Public Access Corporation; payment of franchise fees equivalent to five percent of gross revenues on cable TV service; financial support for the PEG channels; an extensive and appropriate set of customer service provisions, and four local service centers.

More information about Verizon and FiOS TV is available at www.verizon.com/pa.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 71 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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