Verizon to Baltimore: You'll get FiOS someday
Reader Robert asks: "When will FIOS come to Baltimore City? I look forward to the day I can leave Comcast." So I put the question to Verizon spokeswoman Sandy Arnette. Her response:"Regarding your reader's question about when Verizon will bring FiOS to Baltimore City, we have not yet announced a timetable for Baltimore. But, of course, that in no way means the city will not get FiOS. So, please ask your reader to stay tuned -- recognizing that we cannot build a fiber-optic network everywhere at once."Just so you know, urban areas, because of permitting, undergrounding and property access issues present unique challenges that are different from suburban areas. We'll work through these issues in Baltimore knowing it's a good market for us.
"It's also important to note that we're still in the early stages of our fiber-optic upgrade, which we'll be working on for the next several years. Just because we have not built our network or obtained a cable franchise in a particular area now is not an indication that we won't do so."
I take this to mean: Don't hold your breath. I suspect the city is also not a first priority for Verizon because of lower-income neighborhoods, which the company may fear wouldn't sign up for high-priced cable/Internet packages at the rate of affluent neighborhoods. Verizon could cherry-pick Guilford, Roland Park, Federal Hill & Mt. Washington, but that would leave it wide open to charges of redlining. On the other hand, Baltimore has many more residences per mile of cable than the counties.
Comments
Well, I live in the Baltimore neighborhood of Lauraville, and I for one, will sign up for FiOS the day it's available.
Posted by: jamie | August 1, 2007 11:33 AM
You are so right about the city being a low priority. It happened with broadband, and much earlier, with cable. I expect we will see FIOS when the counties have been plucked dry, maybe 5 years from now.
Posted by: Richard | August 1, 2007 4:31 PM
I agree about cable, but was DSL really late in coming to the city? Phones in the city tend to be very close to the telephone switches, making quality DSL connections much easier than out in the sticks.
Posted by: Hal Laurent | August 2, 2007 9:47 PM
The inner harbor neighborhoods would be a great place to start. Several new hotels in the area under construction, Albemarle Square, The View, little italy, and several affluent high density communities. Why not FIOS here now?
gino
Posted by: gino freeman | September 12, 2007 9:58 PM
I live in the Bayview neighborhood of the city and frankly I'm really getting tired of waiting for FiOS. I'm very eager to get it, but Verizon seems to be making little to no effort to keep people informed about their progress, just the usual "it's not available in your area yet". No kidding. Even if they can't "build a fiber optic network everywhere at once" they could at least make some effort to be a little more transparent with their plans and progress.
It would be nice to see Baltimore City treated overall as desirable a place for business and technologies as say, Montgomery County and the rest of Maryland. How about fewer pizza and sub shops and more Panera Bread? How about fewer dollar stores and more unique shops and such? Baltimore is a large, diverse city -- it would be nice to see more growth in goods and services to everyone, not just the very rich and the very poor.
Posted by: Brian | September 17, 2007 5:05 PM
To what degree can anyone confirm the rumors that the City of Baltimore is holding up Verizon in their Franchise Agreement negotiation (needed to provide HDTV) by making the demand that as quid pro quo to get the CFA approved, Verizon must provide free FIOS to City agencies and schools? If this were the case, is this SOP for other county jurisdictions that have granted their agreements to Verizon to start FIOS? If not, is this a legal demand by the City?
Posted by: Bernd | June 27, 2008 12:44 PM
I have worked in the telecommunications industry for over ten years and somewhere along the line I heard that Verizon is not moving into Baltimore city because they were unable to strike a deal with the city government that was cost effective. The same situation is what kept Comcast and then TCI from cabling the city for so long. I heard that the city won'ts to charge Verizon 20 dollars a foot for every foot of fiber the run to wire the city which priced it right out of this world.
Posted by: bobby | August 22, 2008 11:32 PM
I got tired of waiting for FIOS to come into our building in clipper mill off falls rd and certainly tired of comcast. I emailed DIRECTV, they had thier local MDU, yes they have a local, MDU office come out to the property and and install it, it cost the property nothing. There is no city approval or agreement needed. Its being installed as I type....can't wait to get my 100 channels of HD! If anyone is interested their local email is baltimorebroadband@yahoo.com. Good luck!
Posted by: bobbi denron | January 14, 2009 4:33 AM
I complained about verizons slow invation in Baltimore. If you want highspeed without comcast that is comparable to Fios, contact Believe wireless. It works without having to have the physical lines brought to the home and it is reliable.
Posted by: Matthew | January 14, 2009 1:49 PM
Free us from COMCAST - bring FIOS to Baltimore City!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 20, 2009 8:57 AM
FIOS come and let me cast the demon ComCast out of my home.
Posted by: Craig | January 22, 2009 2:15 AM
you know i am sick of dealing with the dum people at comcast. they are rude and no help. dont ever call them with an issue or you'll end up on hold for a really long time. not to mention deal with some of the most dummest people on earth. ask for a supervisor and you go to an deadmans land where calls go and no help is ever given but instead you get an anonymouse voicemail that never returns calls. i cant wait till fios comes to the city. i have found in my dealings with verizon that the people are friendly and know what they are talking about. fios please make the leap of faith and take me away from good for nothing comcast. their equipment sucks and always has something wrong it. fios please come soon and save us.
Posted by: anonymous | June 29, 2009 8:06 PM