On April 29, New York City government announced plans to take action on the proposed Verizon cable franchise agreement for New York City. Once approved, this agreement will allow the more than three million New York City households to access FiOS TV.

The City’s Franchise and Concession Review Committee is holding a public hearing on the cable franchise on May 20, 2008. A vote is expected on May 27.

After a few additional approvals within the city, and confirmation by the New York State Public Service Commission, Verizon could be positioned to offer FiOS TV to our first New York City customers later this year.

If you live in New York City and would like to have your voice heard in support of cable TV choice, now is the time to act.

Verizon has set up a website, http://www.nytvchoice.com, where you can send a message to your borough president and other officials asking them to support the Verizon franchise.

Why is this good for New York? In short:

• No one has made this extensive a commitment to the City of New York, its infrastructure, or its people. The cable companies haven’t.
• We will deploy thousands of miles of fiber optic cable across the city to get the job done in an unprecedented six years. The cable companies haven’t.
• The FiOS network will provide choice in cable TV service providers, the economic boost the city needs to grow jobs, and will ensure that future-proof fiber optic delivered broadband and television is available to all city residents, across all five boroughs.  The cable companies haven’t. 

Wiring New York City with FiOS is an historic undertaking, and this cable franchise approval process is just as unique. So we’re looking to a unique tool (and effort) to help bring cable choice

to the more than three million households in the Big Apple.

[Click here to see how FiOS is delivered to a NYC apartment.]