Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) in Verizon Fiber Optics http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r13451587 en Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:21:05 EDT Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:21:05 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13788805 GeorgeJ2 :
said by jpayne See Profile:

I got this from Rose Boyd of the Alexandria city council. "The Verizon staff has indicated that they plan to offer FIOS in Alexandria. Their business plan calls for Alexandria to be wired in late 2006 or early 2007. It appears that they are starting with jurisdictions that are not already served by an all fiber network."

So we will get fios, just not right away :hmm:
Jpayne, thanks for the update, and thanks for taking time to interact with Ms. Boyd and the City, as I truly believe this is what gets them moving on trying to reach an accord with Verizon to bring FiOS to our area.

The time-frame you cite sounds about what I might have expected. Naturally, I would like to have the service sooner, but at least it is good to know we are on the list to receive it.

Now, the next step is to find out just where in the City they plan to start, and lobby them for my location :)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13788805 Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:40:12 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13762948 jpayne : I got this from Rose Boyd of the Alexandria city council. "The Verizon staff has indicated that they plan to offer FIOS in Alexandria. Their business plan calls for Alexandria to be wired in late 2006 or early 2007. It appears that they are starting with jurisdictions that are not already served by an all fiber network."

So we will get fios, just not right away :hmm: ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13762948 Tue, 28 Jun 2005 06:12:09 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13517452 GeorgeJ2 :
said by janderia See Profile:

Vice Mayor Redella S. "Del" Pepper is also a member of the Information Technology Council. It would be interesting to know if Verizon has even started talking with the city. Comcast HSI's prices have really been getting ridiculous lately and I'd appreciate the competition. As a customer who does not subscribe to Comcast cable television, I'm paying over $55 a month for internet access. :mad:
Interesting article about Verizon and SBC seeking to not have to secure local franchise agreements in Texas for video service.

Knowing the City of Alexandria the way I do I can almost bet a big stumbling block right now is scope of what giveaways Verizon is willing to give them in keeping with the local cable operator Comcast.

»news.com.com/Telcos%2C+cable+com···368.html

Telcos, Cable Companies Face Off Over TV Franchises
By Marguerite Reardon, Staff Writer
CNET News.com
Story last modified Fri May 27 13:34:00 PDT 2005

A conflict in Texas between cable companies and phone companies will come to a showdown this weekend over a new bill that would allow phone companies to offer television services without negotiating contracts with local governments.

The controversial bill, which is being considered by the Texas Senate and has stirred up lobbyists on both sides of the debate, is now in a Senate conference committee. The measure's fate will be determined this weekend, as lawmakers try to bring it to a vote before the legislative session ends, on May 30.

If the bill is passed with the contested provision intact, it will have sweeping implications for the television market in Texas and could be held up as a model for other states, such as California and New Jersey, which are considering similar changes to their public utilities laws.
The battle over whether phone companies should be required to get local franchises to offer TV is critical for SBC Communications and Verizon Communications as they move forward with their plans to deliver television service to consumers later this year.
The proposed law is especially important to SBC and Verizon because it would streamline the franchise process and drastically reduce the time it would take to roll out service in a particular community.
"We will be able to offer competitive video service to consumers much faster if we can get a statewide franchise instead of knocking on every city's door," said Bill Kula, a spokesman for Verizon. "A franchise can take anywhere between six to 18 months to negotiate. The network itself only takes about 18 months to build."

Specifically, the bill in Texas would allow Verizon and SBC to apply to the Public Utility Commission for statewide approval to deliver television services to cities throughout Texas. The current law requires companies to negotiate franchise contracts with individual cities.
The cable companies, such as Time Warner, Comcast and Cox Communications, oppose this approach because, they say, it unfairly favors telephone companies. For example, under this law cable companies would still be subject to the old rules for securing local franchises. The cable companies would also still be required to provide free access channels to communities and free access to municipal buildings, while the phone companies would not be required to make either accommodation.
Cable companies also accuse the telephone companies of pursuing statewide franchises because they don't want to provide access to poorer residents.

"Our view is that a more streamlined process is preferred and favors consumers," said Kevin Belgrade, a spokesman for SBC. "The TV market today is void of any real competition. Big cable companies have a lock on consumers, which has resulted in double-digit price increases."

For Verizon, the battle in Texas is especially critical, since if it loses there it will have to wait two more years before it can introduce a similar bill to the reconvened state legislature. What's more, Texas is one of the states where Verizon is furthest along in its deployment of the Fios fiber-optic network.

It has already completed building the network in eight Texas cities and expects to start offering television service to residents in Keller, Tex., by the end of the year. It also has construction under way in about two dozen other cities, which it expects to complete next year.

Verizon says current franchise rules could seriously delay the rollout of new services.

"We're already lobbying in Washington to take a federal approach to franchising to replace the labor-intensive city-by-city approach," said Verizon's Kula. "And we will continue pursuing franchises."]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13517452 Sat, 28 May 2005 10:06:39 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13501819 janderia : Vice Mayor Redella S. "Del" Pepper is also a member of the Information Technology Council. It would be interesting to know if Verizon has even started talking with the city. Comcast HSI's prices have really been getting ridiculous lately and I'd appreciate the competition. As a customer who does not subscribe to Comcast cable television, I'm paying over $55 a month for internet access. :mad:]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13501819 Thu, 26 May 2005 14:49:57 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13495085 huntandpeck :
said by AlmightyOne See Profile:

That MD call center rep said there has been FIOS installs in Alexandria Fairfax county? Ive never heard anything of the sort.
There are some areas in Fairfax County that actually have an Alexandria mailing address (south of the Beltway), but they are not part of the incorporated City of Alexandria. It's those areas that getting FIOS now.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13495085 Wed, 25 May 2005 19:08:57 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13451609 GeorgeJ2 :
said by bbrlogue See Profile:

said by GeorgeJ2 See Profile:

Sounds good. So, who are the people to hammer and is there any template out there, sorta like a petition?
Rose Boyd, a longtime city employee has been involved with technology issues and is a person to let know you would like to see Alexandria work with Verizon to bring FiOS to the City. You might also let your thoughts be known to the Council Members. Rob Krupicka seems fairly into technology, so he might appreciate the value in having FiOS.

Alexandria has perfect geography and demographics for FiOS, so I really have to wonder if more is going on than meets the eye, either that Comcast is behind the scenes derailing the effort, or the City expects too much in the way of fees, freebies for the schools and their pet projects. But this is all speculation, it may just be that for whatever reason Alexandria has not been at the top of Verizon's FioS deployment chart. I hope this changes.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13451609 Fri, 20 May 2005 03:00:22 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13451587 GeorgeJ2 :
said by AlmightyOne See Profile:

said by GeorgeJ2 See Profile:

Ive never heard anything of the sort. If thats true I should find out if my place has it available (the neighborhood I live in is a fairly new community and all the cabling is underground). I dont believe Ive seen any FIOS layed on the poles outside my community though so I could be wrong.
The Annapolis rep. told me he remembered FiOS installation orders for Alexandria. In that Alexandria City is not currently seeing FiOS, my assumption was it was Alexandria, Fairfax County. This makes sense since other parts of Fairfax are receiving FiOS service. That being said you will need to run all of this down. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13451587 Fri, 20 May 2005 02:51:52 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13446861 AlmightyOne :
said by GeorgeJ2 See Profile:

A more optimistic received when I spoke to a FiOS rep. at an Annapolis, MD call center who thought Alexandria would see FiOS in late 2005-2006. In fact, he spoke of FiOS installs in "Alexandria," but it was of course Fairfax, County,Alexandria, not the City of Alexandria, two totally different entities.
That MD call center rep said there has been FIOS installs in Alexandria Fairfax county? Ive never heard anything of the sort. If thats true I should find out if my place has it available (the neighborhood I live in is a fairly new community and all the cabling is underground). I dont believe Ive seen any FIOS layed on the poles outside my community though so I could be wrong. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13446861 Thu, 19 May 2005 15:32:36 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13430425 bbrlogue :
said by GeorgeJ2 See Profile:

So, I think for now you are best to hammer on Alexandria city officials/bureaucrats, as I feel pretty certain that the logjam lies there.
Sounds good. So, who are the people to hammer and is there any template out there, sorta like a petition?

Last time I emailed Baier about a deteriorating traffic sign, it was replaced promptly. But then again, that's a really minor fix and the city charged me back with a $25 ticket for a newly expired state license plate (DMV didn't sent a notice), on a Sunday morning! Not to mention the real-estate tax rate is still higher than Arlington Co... where people do have FIOS. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13430425 Tue, 17 May 2005 16:37:07 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13424002 GeorgeJ2 :
said by AlmightyOne See Profile:

Has anyone in Alexandria actually called Verizon to find out any info? I would really like to hear an update about this.
I undertook this task a few weeks ago, and it was worse than navigating a government agency. I first started in Maryland and was told they basically are separate from Virginia, and are somewhat competing on the FiOS front due to finite resources. I then got an e-mail from some External Affairs guy in the Virginia hinterlands that said something about 2007 or later. A more optimistic received when I spoke to a FiOS rep. at an Annapolis, MD call center who thought Alexandria would see FiOS in late 2005-2006. In fact, he spoke of FiOS installs in "Alexandria," but it was of course Fairfax, County,Alexandria, not the City of Alexandria, two totally different entities.

So, I think for now you are best to hammer on Alexandria city officials/bureaucrats, as I feel pretty certain that the logjam lies there.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13424002 Mon, 16 May 2005 21:34:54 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13423957 GeorgeJ2 :
said by huntandpeck See Profile:

I suggested to one of the city council members that they should treat this as an economic issues there will be people who move to other municipalities in the area because they can't get FIOS here.
Good to see other Alexandrians querying City staff/Council as to why we are late to the table in seeing FiOS.

Requring Verizon to lay all cable below ground could indeed be a hangup. Perhaps the city could have allowed some overhead, with a proviso that by a reasonable time certain underground cable must be substituted.

I also suspect they are wrestling with the issue of taxes and franchise fees. Alexandria recently imposed a $3 cell phone tax, and even though awash in real estate tax monies seem to want to milk every tax it can find, including on communication services.

If enough of us raise heck, maybe they will 'get it' and find a way to cut a deal with Verizon to join the rest of the region in seeing FiOS.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13423957 Mon, 16 May 2005 21:28:47 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13421732 huntandpeck : I found a site that lets you send email to the mayor and members of the city council after I was unable to find any information on FIOS and Alexandria City on-line or by telephone, so I tried that route. I eventually got a response from a staff member of the city's Commission on Information Technology.

While I am not certain that I'm getting the complete story, this is essentially what I learned.

Verizon has yet to apply to the city for a franchise to lay fiber and provide FIOS broadband service. The staff member called Verizon, and this is what she relayed to me:

"...based on my most recent conversation (yesterday) with Verizon staff, they are looking at end of 2006 or 2007 for Alexandria."

This staffer also indicated that Verizon is not happy that the City of Alexandria is requiring all fiber to be underground. Again, quoting the staffer:

"The City Code requires that utilities be underground in all new developments and where other utilities are underground. Code also requires that where there is an intensification of use, the new service must be underground. If Verizon lays fiber, the fiber is considered an intensification of use, and the Code requires that the fiber be placed underground. Verizon also plans via the FI OS to offer video which falls under the definition of cable television services, and federal law requires the installation of new infrastructure to provide cable service in an effort to maintain a level playing field between cable operators and telephone service providers which offer video services."

I suggested to one of the city council members that they should treat this as an economic issues there will be people who move to other municipalities in the area because they can't get FIOS here.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13421732 Mon, 16 May 2005 17:06:35 EDT Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13375889 AlmightyOne : Im just as curious as you are to find out, although I do live in the Fairfax county part of Alexandria with Cox cable. There was a news article today »Fiber: It's Good For You that has a list of FTTH complete or planned communities »www.communitiesinfocus.org/US%20···1005.pdf . If you look up Alexandria VA it does say that an RBOC has completed this city (which I assume would be Verizon). I tried putting my number in the Verizon FIOS website and it didnt register anything. Has anyone in Alexandria actually called Verizon to find out any info? I would really like to hear an update about this.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13375889 Tue, 10 May 2005 16:05:08 EDT City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co) http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13335811 bbrlogue : Any update? Is there even any slightest possibility that Verizon will try within this year?

I wonder if Comcast's hold on the city has anything to do with this. After all, it was here that Jones Intercable first laid out the infrastructure and trialed cable modem 8 yrs ago, first one in the DC region. Just a speculation and nothing more...]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13335811 Thu, 05 May 2005 11:06:42 EDT