Verizon FiOS in New York: Queens Public Forum on Verizon's FiOS Rollout

NEW YORK, NY (09/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Common Cause New York, Consumers Union, and State Senator Michael Gianaris, as well as Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, Councilmember Daniel Dromm and Councilmember Costa Constantinides are co-sponsoring a public forum on September 28th exploring Queens residents' experiences with Verizon FiOS. The purpose of the forum is to hear from residents of the Queens about their experience obtaining FiOS service, explore any impediments to obtaining that service, and hear about the experience of customers once they have obtained it. This is the third in a series of public forums which the Waiting4FiOS coalition are organizing exploring New Yorkers' experiences with FiOS. A public forum in Brooklyn will take place on October 15.

In 2008, Verizon promised to wire all of NYC with high-speed optical fiber cable and make FiOS available to any New Yorker who wants it. Expecting that increased competition would both improve telecom services and bring down prices, NYC gave FiOS a franchise in exchange for Verizon's obligation to finish building out optical fiber throughout the city by mid-2014.

In June, New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications issued an audit of the build-out which revealed that Verizon "substantially failed to meets its commitment to the people of New York," according to Mayor De Blasio.