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Consumers Want Say On Verizon Pay-TV Bid
By WILL RODGERS
wjrodgers@tampatrib.com
TAMPA - Verizon Communications Inc. is seeking the right to compete with Bright House Networks to offer residents of Tampa and other areas of Hillsborough County pay-television service.
The competition, if city and county authorities allow another pay-TV provider here, likely will be good for viewers, all agree.
Consumer advocates worry that Verizon is trying to skirt local pay-TV regulations, a move the advocates claim could short-circuit funding for public, educational and governmental programming and shortchange elderly, minority and low-income people.
Walter Dartland, executive director of the Consumer Federation of the Southeast, said he's not trying to stop Verizon from providing cable television in Tampa and Hillsborough County. He says he wants consumers to have a seat at the table when the city and county negotiate franchise agreements with Verizon - and any other pay-TV provider.
A franchise agreement, which Verizon has applied for in Tampa and Hillsborough County, is required for a company to offer pay-TV services in a city or county in Florida. In May, Temple Terrace granted Verizon the right to offer pay-TV.
``We need to have a real competitive market out there,'' Dartland said. ``To do that, we need to have consumer input.
``I just want to make sure the advantage goes to the public interest. ... There's a lot of concern that if we don't get involved early, then we'll have a hard time changing things.''
The federation hopes to raise awareness of residents and draw the attention of public officials to the pay-TV issue by holding a news conference near Verizon's downtown Tampa offices today.
Dartland wants to make sure consumers' voices are heard during negotiations for where and when Verizon will offer pay-TV throughout Hillsborough, and what the public gets in return for granting the company a TV franchise. He said he will do the same if Bright House Networks is allowed to renegotiate its franchise agreement.
Verizon plans to spend $200 million by the end of this year installing fiber-optic cable in parts of the Tampa Bay area. The fiber will allow the company to compete head-to-head with East Syracuse, N.Y.-based Bright House Networks, offering telephone, high-speed Internet and pay-TV services.
A flier put out by the federation Tuesday says Verizon wants to cherry-pick neighborhoods it will serve with pay- TV. The flier also says Verizon seeks to skirt local franchise requirements, refuses to tell officials where it will build the fiber, wants to be allowed to pull out of an unprofitable area and hopes to pay less than the going rate of funding for public, educational and governmental programming.
Bob Elek, Verizon's spokesman in Tampa, said the New York-based company intends to serve every possible customer. He said it just may take time to reach certain neighborhoods with the fiber.
``If you look at both our history as a company and our deployment patterns thus far, there really is no basis in fact in that concern,'' Elek said.
He said the company won't provide details on building out its fiber because of competitive reasons. He also said Verizon will support public, educational and governmental programming.
However, Elek said, the company is competing, and is seeking a clause to option out of areas if the television business falters.
``We think everyone will want it,'' he said. ``But if no one does, we want the option to leave.''
Mindy Snyder, the city's cable television manager negotiating the Verizon franchise, could not be reached for comment.
Consumers Want Say On Verizon Pay-TV Bid
By WILL RODGERS
wjrodgers@tampatrib.com
TAMPA - Verizon Communications Inc. is seeking the right to compete with Bright House Networks to offer residents of Tampa and other areas of Hillsborough County pay-television service.
The competition, if city and county authorities allow another pay-TV provider here, likely will be good for viewers, all agree.
Consumer advocates worry that Verizon is trying to skirt local pay-TV regulations, a move the advocates claim could short-circuit funding for public, educational and governmental programming and shortchange elderly, minority and low-income people.
Walter Dartland, executive director of the Consumer Federation of the Southeast, said he's not trying to stop Verizon from providing cable television in Tampa and Hillsborough County. He says he wants consumers to have a seat at the table when the city and county negotiate franchise agreements with Verizon - and any other pay-TV provider.
A franchise agreement, which Verizon has applied for in Tampa and Hillsborough County, is required for a company to offer pay-TV services in a city or county in Florida. In May, Temple Terrace granted Verizon the right to offer pay-TV.
``We need to have a real competitive market out there,'' Dartland said. ``To do that, we need to have consumer input.
``I just want to make sure the advantage goes to the public interest. ... There's a lot of concern that if we don't get involved early, then we'll have a hard time changing things.''
The federation hopes to raise awareness of residents and draw the attention of public officials to the pay-TV issue by holding a news conference near Verizon's downtown Tampa offices today.
Dartland wants to make sure consumers' voices are heard during negotiations for where and when Verizon will offer pay-TV throughout Hillsborough, and what the public gets in return for granting the company a TV franchise. He said he will do the same if Bright House Networks is allowed to renegotiate its franchise agreement.
Verizon plans to spend $200 million by the end of this year installing fiber-optic cable in parts of the Tampa Bay area. The fiber will allow the company to compete head-to-head with East Syracuse, N.Y.-based Bright House Networks, offering telephone, high-speed Internet and pay-TV services.
A flier put out by the federation Tuesday says Verizon wants to cherry-pick neighborhoods it will serve with pay- TV. The flier also says Verizon seeks to skirt local franchise requirements, refuses to tell officials where it will build the fiber, wants to be allowed to pull out of an unprofitable area and hopes to pay less than the going rate of funding for public, educational and governmental programming.
Bob Elek, Verizon's spokesman in Tampa, said the New York-based company intends to serve every possible customer. He said it just may take time to reach certain neighborhoods with the fiber.
``If you look at both our history as a company and our deployment patterns thus far, there really is no basis in fact in that concern,'' Elek said.
He said the company won't provide details on building out its fiber because of competitive reasons. He also said Verizon will support public, educational and governmental programming.
However, Elek said, the company is competing, and is seeking a clause to option out of areas if the television business falters.
``We think everyone will want it,'' he said. ``But if no one does, we want the option to leave.''
Mindy Snyder, the city's cable television manager negotiating the Verizon franchise, could not be reached for comment.