Save Access

from: Eagle Tribune

Point: Cable competition means lower prices
Eagle-Tribune

Jack T. Yunits

The video franchise reform legislation now before the Massachusetts Legislature could power one of the greatest economic engines our state has seen in a long time. By streamlining the cable franchising process created 30 years ago, Massachusetts can finally introduce genuine cable competition, and welcome the myriad benefits of a growing broadband economy. The cable companies are understandably opposed to the bill - their monopolies will be forced to compete for now-captive customers, after all.

from: MetroWest Daily News

FiOS leaves public access out of the loop
By Galen Moore/ Daily News staff

Fri May 25, 2007, 12:32 AM EDT

The red-shirted Verizon salesman has been spotted in Marlborough, and soon may be knocking on doors Southborough. The new FiOS fiber-optic cable he is selling comes with high-definition channels and high-speed Internet, but not local public-access channels.

Mobilizing Your Community Against the Verizon Bill
In Time for the June 5th Hearing at the State House

from: Cambridge Community Television

Top 10 Reasons To Oppose the Verizon Bill

Massachusetts Senate Bill No. 1975, House Bill No. 3385
Read the bill here

1
The bill eliminates the power of LOCAL governments to negotiate cable franchises. negotiating power from the local to the state level. They are very mistaken. Read on to see why.

from: The Enterprise

Taunton council opposes cable TV bill

By Donna Kulpa, Enterprise correspondent

TAUNTON — The City Council voted Tuesday to oppose a bill that would allow a cable TV company to bypass negotiations with communities when setting up a new cable franchise.

from: AOTV13

Write To Senator Brewer & Representative Donelan Today

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Dear Friends of AOTV:

We are asking you to contact Senator Brewer and Representative Donelan to oppose Senate Bill 1975/House Bill 3385. The bill would take cable franchising authority away from local govenments and give this power to the state. This legislation would be harmful to consumers, because it would:

from: Braintree Forum

Views differ on cable franchise negotiations

By Robert Aicardi
GateHouse Media
Wed May 02, 2007, 04:22 PM EDT

Saying that he knows first hand how important local franchise negotiations are to a community, Michael Modestino, a former cable advisory committee chairman, believes that Verizon is attempting to bypass this process and avoid having to deal with communities where they wish to offer cable television services.

from: Freepress.net

Mass. Gov. Accuses Verizon of Making Threats in Tax Dispute

From Dow Jones, April 23, 2007
By Corey Boles

“Verizon says that without the exemption telecommunications companies will not build broadband in western Massachusetts. But we’ve had this exemption in place for more than 90 years and western Massachusetts still doesn’t have broadband in place.”

from: The Massachusetts Curmudgeon

Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Verizon is Scum

Verizon has been hard at work in Massachusetts finding new ways to screw over this state's residents. First off I notice that my phone bill has gone up by $2 for the last month. I check and find out that they now have no long distance plans that don't have a minimum fee. My wife and I never use Verizon long distance, so we get wacked a 2$ monthly fee because we don't use it. I want to find a business where I can send people a $2 bill for not using me. By the way if you are looking for this weasal fee, it's listed as a "shortfall charge" in the Verizon long distance portion of your bill. Currently I have phone and dsl service through them, but underhanded moves like this have me considering pulling out my landline all together and getting my internet through the cable company.

from: Boston.com

Verizon is pressured on network

By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff | April 21, 2007

Senator John F. Kerry and Representative Edward J. Markey yesterday said they would send a letter to Verizon Communications Inc. demanding that it finish building a fiber-optic network to deliver TV, phone, and Internet service throughout Massachusetts.