GNG News Guy
02-29-2008, 09:20 AM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/42/69542.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Promises-Mass-More-DSL-FiOS-92251)
Though the company just received the regulatory approval it needs to sell its DSL lines in Maine, New Hampshire and Maine, Verizon apparently wants to keep the more profitable (and less rural) Massachusetts -- announcing (http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2008/02/verizon_details.html) they'll be investing $200 million in the State to extend their DSL and FiOS networks to an additional 23 communities.
At first glance it doesn't appear that Shutesbury and Leverett are on the list; they're two rural Massachusetts towns whose unsuccessful fight to get DSL or cable we've been tracking for years (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/65549). Verizon's effort will try to get some level of DSL connectivity to two-thirds of the 32 towns that the state has said lack access to broadband.
The problem we've seen over the years is that after these promises are made, nobody really gets out into the field to see if they're kept, and companies are very rarely held accountable if they aren't. The State recently unveiled a $25 million effort to both map and bring service to the State's broadband black holes.
Though the company just received the regulatory approval it needs to sell its DSL lines in Maine, New Hampshire and Maine, Verizon apparently wants to keep the more profitable (and less rural) Massachusetts -- announcing (http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2008/02/verizon_details.html) they'll be investing $200 million in the State to extend their DSL and FiOS networks to an additional 23 communities.
At first glance it doesn't appear that Shutesbury and Leverett are on the list; they're two rural Massachusetts towns whose unsuccessful fight to get DSL or cable we've been tracking for years (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/65549). Verizon's effort will try to get some level of DSL connectivity to two-thirds of the 32 towns that the state has said lack access to broadband.
The problem we've seen over the years is that after these promises are made, nobody really gets out into the field to see if they're kept, and companies are very rarely held accountable if they aren't. The State recently unveiled a $25 million effort to both map and bring service to the State's broadband black holes.