Verizon hasn't abandoned Baltimore in its FiOS plans; it has just placed the city on a list of things-to-do, according to a Verizon exec. In a contributed piece for the Baltimore Sun, Tabb Bishop, regional vice president of government affairs for Verizon Maryland-Washington, D.C. called reports that Verizon is less than enthusiastic about putting FiOS in Baltimore "fiction," noting, "Such a suggestion is categorically untrue and contrary to Verizon's demonstrated commitment to the city."
The commitment doesn't include a quick FiOS TV fix for the city. "We have determined that we currently have enough cable franchises to meet our goal of 18 million homes. So, at this time, we are focusing our efforts on completing our deployment commitments and on increasing sales of FiOS Internet and FiOS TV in those areas where we have existing franchises," Bishop wrote. "For now, that means a number of communities, including Baltimore, are not targeted for video franchises."
Sounds like a customer service recording: "Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line and the first available representative will answer your questions."
Verizon also posted a blog item claiming it is "eight to 10 years ahead of cable" while agreeing with a blog item posted by Pike and Fischer Analyst Scott Sleek who noted that it was "reasonable to assume" that cable operators will have to migrate to deeper fiber in the next three to five years. Verizon said it made that decision five years ago... for some areas.
For more:
- see this op-ed entry in the Baltimore Sun
- and this story
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