Cable operators struggling with the idea of paying higher fees for access to utility poles should be alarmed by the news that multi-faceted competitor Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is actually cozying up to the utilities industry.
Ernie Lewis, industry partner with Verizon's Global Energy & Utility Practice will deliver the opening keynote address at the Smart Grid Summit conference in Los Angeles Oct. 4 where he's expected to talk about how the two industries can work together to "bring about a Smart Grid evolution." While the link between a smart grid conference--and even the smart grid itself--and pole attachment fees is tenuous, the same could probably be said about the link between the smart grid and broadband, and that gap is narrowing quickly with government support.
"The goal of the Smart Grid Summit is to help telecom and smart grid communities create new opportunities and drive innovation with communications technologies," according to a canned statement from Jon Arnold, founder of Intelligent Communication Partners and co-producer of the summit.
For more:
see this news release
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