A New Cable in Town

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I got a newsletter from the township saying they have inked a 12 year deal with Verizon. Because Verizon intends to offer TV/Video along with the phone and internet, the township has jurisdiction. ...
This is welcome news, especially since comcast just raised rates while decreasing service..... again. ...
."Fiber to Premises" runs the fiber cable to every home, rather than to "nodes" with copper wire to homes. This is so they can bring me TV/Phone/Internet in fibrous splendor...... someday.

Verizon's original plan was to install fiber everywhere in four years. Well, some areas now may not get it. But finally, a monoply has competition. Previously, town would restrict cable service because with competitors the $8 per month cable price would rise.

Verizon estimated their installation cost would be about $600 per customer. Apparently it is higher causing Wall Street to downgrade Verizon debt ratings. But fiber to every home is even in the Cellar neighborhood. See pictures by UT some years ago. Doylestown PA was one of the first towns upgraded some years ago. The technology is finally that ubiquitous.

So why should each town have jurisdiction over who can provide cable TV. Why a government enforced monopoly? Well they get service for free. Enforcing a monopoly does have advantages.