Verizon Still in Local Calif. Franchise Talks

VERIZON STILL IN LOCAL CALIFORNIA FRANCHISE TALKS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
Despite the fact that implementation of statewide-franchising rules is less than two months away, Verizon Communications is still negotiating local franchising agreements in California. The telco received franchise approval for the unincorporated areas of Riverside County, southeast of Los Angeles, Nov. 14. Verizon already has agreements for its Verizon FiOS TV service with several cities within the county, including Beaumont -- the first city in the state to grant the telephone company a video franchise -- Chino, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta and Temecula. Verizon already had a fan on the Riverside Board of Supervisors, which approved the pact. Supervisor Jeff Stone noted at the meeting that he subscribes to Verizon’s fiber-to-the-home-delivered services at his residence in Temecula. He praised the clarity of the signal and stated that competitive services will be a boon to consumers. The telco will compete with four incumbents in the county, the largest of which is Time Warner Cable.
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