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huntandpeck
join:2002-01-01
Alexandria, VA
| reply to bbrlogue
Re: City of Alexandria, VA (not Fairfax Co)
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. | |
GeorgeJ2
join:2002-03-05
Alexandria, VA
| said by huntandpeck  :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. | |
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