Latest On FiOS
Jan 24, 2008 9:16 - 17 Comments
Rockville Central readers know that getting FiOS (Verizon’s fiber optic tv/phone/Internet/everything system) into Rockville is an interest of mine. Reader Neal B. recently asked for an update on how talks between the City and Verizon were going, and I asked City Manager Scott Ullery for a status report.
Here is what he reports:
After some promising progress several weeks ago, the negotiating teams got bogged down again. As a result, I’ve gotten personally involved in these negotiations with a higher level Verizon official. We’ve spoken twice on the phone, and after rescheduling a couple of times, he and I will meet next week.
I am optimistic about getting this on track and to a conclusion. We’re just trying to get Verizon to bear the city’s cost of reviewing the plans and inspecting the work. We really want Verizon to build the system in Rockville. Verizon needs to use the public’s right-of-way to carry out their business, and the city is responsible for ensuring that’s done properly and at minimal expense to the taxpayers. We’d also like Verizon to commit to a more aggressive construction schedule. The company claims it wants to serve Rockville, but won’t commit to building the system for several years.
Stay tuned (pun!). Things appear to be moving, possibly.
I want my FiOS.
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Why can’t Rockville city officials agree to the same ROW pricing structure that Montgomery County has agreed to? It’s the same job performed by people with similar skills. Why would it cost more $/foot to inspect fiber cable being installed in Rockville than it does in Bethesda? It shouldn’t and Rockville is simply trying to make a little extra $$ on the back of Verizon. Wake up Rockville you’re still stuck in the 1980’s while every other jurisdiction around us is zooming ahead! It’s time more of us speak up at the Citizens forum and make our opinions heard.
I’m a Rockvile resident who is impatiently awaiting FIOS in Rockshire. We need to petition our council members. I will be sending my councilperson an email.
I’m Rockshire resident as well and I need FIOS as well.
However I got feeling that our city officials are more concern on maintaining Comcast monopoly on Highspeed internet and TV.
I’m new to this area, so if any one can tell me what I shoul do (call, email , send regular mail and etc) I would really appreciate it.
Hi, all. I just moved to Rose Hill Falls (off Great Falls Rd in Rockville) from Maine, where I was an activist in the access-to-broadband issue for rural areas. The problem was more acute there, to be sure, but I would love to freed from my current Comcast chains.
Obviously Rockville’s town government needs to recognize that it will do more for the town if it makes it easier for Verizon to offer FIOS here. Inserting extra costs in hopes of bringing in some revenue for the city is not in its long-term best interests.
I just made a short post over on broadbandreports.com:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/fiberoptics?r=759
Maybe a few more folks will join the discussion here and we can formulate a plan.
Anyone know where to find political contribution’s that were made to the Rockville City council and the mayor?
Hey everyone, thanks for commenting. As you know I want FiOS as much as the next guy, maybe more so.
I do happen to know that negotiations between city and Vz are going well and in a recent forum the city manager said that Verizon had come around (or was close to coming around) on most of the relevant points. I do not know the details, but I am hopeful and I will invite the city manager to give an update.
Hey guys, see here.
Nothing makes me laugh the hardest than when I see “cable brought competition” commercial. Are they delusional and mentally ill? They have no competition; they will die a quick death when they have competition. If everyone living anywhere can get Fios or satellite or get competition from other cable companies in a specific region, what do you think will happen? Cable brought competition? They will kill themselves when they GET competition.
Has Verizon done any FiOS installations in Rockville, yet? Is there a link to a map or timetable chart? Colleague in Silver Spring has it already.
Would love to see some competition from Comcast.
Ryan F, I live in Rockshire, over the summer they laid a lot of fiber to the junction boxes in Fallsmead that is adjacent to my neighborhood. I expect they’ll continue in the spring.
I am the VP on the Condo Board of The Fitz Condo in Rockville Town Center and we have a multi year contract with Verizon for all of our 221 units and are stuck with DSL.
Is there anything we can do to petition Verizon or Rockville to get this moving! This is just Corporate and Government bureaucracy at its worst! I don’t think either the City of Rockville or Verizon knows how visible this has become and it is making both the City of Rockville and Verizon look bad!
Well, one thing to do is e-mail them at md-fios-dpcc@verizon.com
The problem is with Cable companies; Comcast in Rockville, throwing lobbying and roadblocks for Verizon. That’s what this whole thing is about. They will die a quick death when Verizon finally gets to do their God given right to do business and allowed to compete!!! I loathe cable companies with a passion!!! Finally, work being done on Rockville Pike for FIOS. Yipee !!!
Ironically, the very same people who extol competition and the free market as the solution spend most of their actual working life in these near-monopoly entities, neither of whom has a good track record in customer service or quality. They get away with this behavior because they have destroyed competing local carriers and ISPs with the aid of the government which has (mostly unwittingly) contributed to this situation.
Dang, Fallsmead is just across I-270 from Rose Hill Falls, but I guess it must be difficult to lay fiber across an existing highway (in this case, I presume they would follow Falls Road (MD-25) thereby crossing I-270 in perpendicular fashion).
Verizon says they expect FiOS to become available in Rose Hill Falls and Rose Hill in October 2009.