(December 3, 2008) - Washington, D.C.’s Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs approved a franchise agreement with Verizon Communications Inc. in November to bring its fiber optic-based FiOS television and high-speed Internet services to the District within 10 years, the Washington Business Journal reported.
Final approval of the agreement depends on the D.C. Council’s full vote in December.
Mary Chech, D-Ward 3, introduced the agreement on Oct. 7 after a 10-month negotiation between Verizon and the District’s Office of Cable and Television.
However, that negotiation would have resulted in a 15-year franchise agreement that would have only required Verizon to provide services to certain wards in the District.
The agreement approved by Cheh’s committee included multiple changes, including regulation requiring Verizon to make FiOS available throughout Washington, D.C. in nine years with a possible 12-month extension. FiOS is already available in several communities in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Verizon expects to have the service available to 18 million homes by 2010.