FACT SHEET: Verizon Massachusetts Fiber Optic Failure

FACT SHEET:

Verizon Massachusetts Fiber Optic Failure, 1994-2020

1994: Verizon
Massachusetts
files with the Mass Department of Public Utilities to have fiber optic
services
, to replace the existing copper wires. The included colleges and
universities, hospitals, as well as 330,000 residence and businesses.

1994: This same plan
was also filed with the FCC known as “Video Dialtone”, and claimed
the majority of the entire state would be finished by 2010.

“NYNEX
proposes to deploy hybrid fiber optic and coaxial (HFC) broadband networks that
will provide advanced voice, data, and video services, including interactive
video entertainment, multimedia education and health care services… “NYNEX
plans to deploy this type of network to the majority of its customers by the
year 2010.”

1995:
Verizon filed and was granted “alternative regulations”, which gave the company

1999: In
New Networks institute filed a complaint in
Massachusetts
outlining how Verizon (then New England Telephone) convinced
regulators that they would rewire the state starting in 1995 if the company got
massive financial incentives – Deregulation — the removal of regulation that
examined and limited their profits. The Massachusetts Department of
Telecommunications and Energy, never acted on our complaint.

2005: Verizon announces FiOS and gets some municipality franchises
for cable TV

2007: We presented
testimony
in front of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on
Telecommunications Utilities and Energy.

2010: Verizon announces it is halting the fiber optic deployments
in all states.

2016:  Bait and Switch: Verizon announced it would
be upgrading 100% of Boston
and spend $300 million dollars.  Instead,
most of this has been a bait and switch to use the fiber optic wires that
should go to homes to instead roll out wireless, and 5G Wireless.

We
documented the story in articles in Huff Post and Medium.