Brookhaven approves Verizon FIOS deal
Brookhaven officials, including Supervisor Dan Panico, discuss a tentative deal to add Verizon FIOS service last month. Credit: Thomas Hengge
FIOS is coming to Brookhaven.
Town officials voted 7-0 on Thursday to approve a five-year franchise agreement with Verizon, which will add the fiber-optic cable service in about one-third of the town. The deal leaves the possibility of expanding service to the rest of Brookhaven in the future.
Brookhaven officials hailed the move as a way to help control costs by providing competition with other television services, such as Optimum, formerly Cablevision.
“This is a long time coming,” Supervisor Dan Panico said before the vote, adding that FIOS will be "great for the ratepayers."
“We are happy Verizon is coming into Brookhaven,” he said.
Altice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The deal requires approval of the state Public Service Commission before Verizon can offer the service. Agency officials said last month the town had to approve the franchise agreement before it could consider approving the plan.
Brookhaven officials announced a tentative deal with Verizon in March. The deal would add FIOS in about 38% of the town, mostly along the North Shore, where Verizon laid cable years ago but hadn't completed construction of the fiber-optic infrastructure.
Panico and Town Attorney Annette Eaderesto said Verizon plans to expand to other parts of Brookhaven if there is enough interest from potential customers.
Pamela Goldstein, general counsel for Verizon NY Inc., who appeared at the town board meeting, said customers will receive FIOS service "in a few months” after the commission's approval. She added that Verizon would be operating in Brookhaven “for the first time in 40 years.”
“I’ve waited a long time to be here today,” she told the town board.
Verizon had declined to provide FIOS in Brookhaven more than a decade ago, saying the company preferred to focus on other towns where there were already franchise agreements in place. Such agreements must be in effect before a cable system can be offered in a municipality.
Brookhaven officials said they were relieved to strike a deal with Verizon, adding that they struggled to explain to constituents that Verizon previously opposed offering FIOS.
“This has been a topic we’ve encountered for many, many years,” Councilman Neil Foley said.
Councilman Jonathan Kornreich said he had received “numerous, numerous, numerous complaints” in recent years from residents who characterized Optimum as a “monopoly.”
Goldstein and town officials said Verizon would provide public, education and government, or PEG channels, including a dedicated channel for Brookhaven news and events.
Goldstein added the company would make a one-time $120,000 payment to the town to support educational programs.
Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.
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