Bschneider
01-13-2006, 08:13 PM
Verizon, Bright House On Verge Of Rivalry
By RICHARD MULLINS rmullins@tampatrib.com (rmullins@tampatrib.com)
Published: Jan 13, 2006
http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGBCH5NXDIE.html
TAMPA - Tampa residents are a step closer to having another choice for cable TV service.
City officials Thursday said they are in the final stages of negotiating a franchise agreement with New York-based Verizon Communications Inc., allowing the area's largest phone company to start selling cable television service as well.
Bright House Networks sells the bulk of cable TV service in the Tampa Bay area.
Hoping to break into that market, Verizon is investing several hundred million dollars locally to build a high-speed fiber optic network to sell residents a combination of telephone, broadband Internet and cable television service.
The company's network already passes about 40,000 city homes and could pass 40,000 more by year's end if construction stays on pace.
Negotiations between the city and Verizon over a cable franchise agreement have dragged on for more than a year and reached a "near impasse" a month ago, City Attorney David L. Smith told city council members Thursday.
He said talks have "improved dramatically" since then, and a final deal could be reached within a month.
"We are encouraged that things are moving forward," said Alan Ciamporcero, Verizon's Southeast region president. "We're very anxious to get out there and compete."
Just last week, Verizon won a similarly encouraging step from Hillsborough County when commissioners asked negotiators handling their cable franchise talks with Verizon to wrap up a potential franchise deal or bring the issue up for a commission vote by the first week in February.
By RICHARD MULLINS rmullins@tampatrib.com (rmullins@tampatrib.com)
Published: Jan 13, 2006
http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGBCH5NXDIE.html
TAMPA - Tampa residents are a step closer to having another choice for cable TV service.
City officials Thursday said they are in the final stages of negotiating a franchise agreement with New York-based Verizon Communications Inc., allowing the area's largest phone company to start selling cable television service as well.
Bright House Networks sells the bulk of cable TV service in the Tampa Bay area.
Hoping to break into that market, Verizon is investing several hundred million dollars locally to build a high-speed fiber optic network to sell residents a combination of telephone, broadband Internet and cable television service.
The company's network already passes about 40,000 city homes and could pass 40,000 more by year's end if construction stays on pace.
Negotiations between the city and Verizon over a cable franchise agreement have dragged on for more than a year and reached a "near impasse" a month ago, City Attorney David L. Smith told city council members Thursday.
He said talks have "improved dramatically" since then, and a final deal could be reached within a month.
"We are encouraged that things are moving forward," said Alan Ciamporcero, Verizon's Southeast region president. "We're very anxious to get out there and compete."
Just last week, Verizon won a similarly encouraging step from Hillsborough County when commissioners asked negotiators handling their cable franchise talks with Verizon to wrap up a potential franchise deal or bring the issue up for a commission vote by the first week in February.