[Discuss] Competition of broadband

[Richard Pieri]

On Dec 6, 2011, at 6:08 PM, Bill Horne wrote:
> 
> Well, if Verizon is so eager, why isn't FiOS available in a /very/ well-to-do bedroom community like Sharon?

Because the residents of Sharon as a majority didn't wanted FiOS and rebuffed Verizon's FiOS offers.  They liked getting their Comcast franchise fees.  In other words, it's exactly the same reason that Boston and Somerville don't have FiOS: money.

From what I gather (I don't live there but I used to live nearby), the residents have finally gotten fed up with Comcast's rising costs and declining service.  The town has reached out to Verizon -- which basically said, "we'll get back to you once we're finished with the towns that didn't shut us out".  That's why nearby towns like Easton (where I did live and my brother does live) and Mansfield have FiOS and Sharon does not.


Regarding Verizon Wireless: VZW isn't Verizon.  It's a separate company owned in part by Verizon, with separate everything from billing to infrastructure.  Verizon (aka Verizon Communications) is exclusively wired communications.  It would be accurate to say that Verizon *is* the legacy wireline business reaping the rewards of a very profitable wireless business and investing those profits in expanding the wired business.  I do find it amusing and a bit ironic that Verizon is the incumbent telco but the competing cableco.

--Rich P.