Government
of the District of Columbia
Executive Office of the Mayor
Office of Cable Television
3007 Tilden Street, N.W., Pod-P
Washington, DC 20008
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE October 7, 2008
Media contacts:
Kenneth Borden, OCT
202-671-0057
kenneth.borden@dc.gov
OCT web
page on The Application by Verizon to enter the Franchise
Process
Verizon has established a web page for DC www.verizon.com/dc
Document: Revised
Verizon Cable TV Franchise Application.
Sandra Arnette,
Verizon
202-392-1021
sandra.u.arnette@verizon.com
DC
Office of Cable Television, Verizon Negotiate Franchise Agreement;
Legislation Approving Franchise
Introduced for DC Council Review
WASHINGTON - Residents
and businesses in the nation's capital are closer to more choice
for their TV service with the introduction today of legislation
regarding a franchise agreement between the DC Office of Cable
Television (OCT) and Verizon Washington, DC. The Council of the
District of Columbia now will consider the agreement and subsequently
vote on whether to approve it.
The legislation, which was introduced today at the request of DC
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, was referred to the Committee on Public Services
and Consumer Affairs, chaired by Councilmember Mary M. Cheh.
"The District of Columbia is the epicenter of one of the country's
most technology-rich markets, and we look forward to the deployment
of the latest video and broadband technology in our community,"
said Mayor Fenty.
OCT Director Eric E. Richardson said, "Verizon and OCT over
the past 10 months negotiated a franchise agreement that ensures
Verizon's deployment will touch on each of the District's eight
wards over the next six years. The agreement also includes support
for public, educational and governmental access channels and strong
customer-service standards."
Subject to franchise approval by year-end, Verizon plans to begin
designing and upgrading its network in the District to all fiber
optics and could begin offering its fiber-optic-based FiOS TV service
in the District within about a year.
Councilmember Cheh said, "This bill will put the District on
track to reap the benefits of an advanced, all-fiber-optic network
that will offer additional cable TV competition and significantly
higher broadband speeds. We commend the Office of Cable Television
and Verizon for their hard work in reaching this agreement, and
I look forward to prompt review and consideration of the franchise
legislation by my committee and the full Council that should be
completed by the end of this year."
William R. Roberts, Verizon regional president for Maryland and
Washington, DC, said, "This franchise agreement paves the
way for more TV competition in the nation's capital - a market Verizon
has been proud to serve for more than a century. We're eager to
roll up our sleeves and get to work, and we urge the mayor and Council
to act for more choice and competition by approving this agreement
expeditiously."
Under the 15-year agreement, Verizon will - within three years of
the agreement's effective date - offer service to all residences
in an initial service area served by three Verizon switching offices
in the District's northwest and southeast quadrants. These offices
serve customers in parts of the following neighborhoods: Barry Farm,
Brightwood, Cleveland Park, Crestwood, Fort Stanton, Friendship
Heights, Historic Anacostia, Petworth, Shepherd Park, Sheridan,
Tenleytown, Van Ness and Woodley Park.
Within six years, Verizon will expand its services to an extended
service area that will include three more switching offices in the
northeast, northwest and southwest quadrants. These additional offices
serve customers in parts of the following neighborhoods: Adams Morgan,
Benning, Benning Heights, Buzzard Point, Deanwood, Dupont Circle,
Eastland Gardens, Ft. McNair, Lincoln Heights, Logan Circle, Shaw
and Southwest Waterfront.
Other franchise agreement highlights include:
" Nine initial public, educational and governmental (PEG) access
channels, with a provision for up to five additional PEG channels.
" Payment of franchise
fees equivalent to five percent of gross revenues on cable TV service.
" Financial support
for the District's PEG channels and institutional network (known
as an INET) equivalent initially to three percent of gross revenues
on cable TV service.
" An extensive and
appropriate set of customer service provisions.
The Committee on Public
Services and Consumer Affairs plans to hold a public hearing on
the franchise agreement before sending the legislation to the full
Council for review and consideration.
More information about Verizon and the franchise review process
is available at www.verizon.com/dc or www.oct.dc.gov.
####
For more information
regarding OCT, please visit the agencys website:
http://www.oct.dc.gov
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