Verizon to come to city

Verizon has reached a tentative agreement with the city that would allow it to offer its FiOS-TV… Verizon has reached a tentative agreement with the city that would allow it to offer its FiOS-TV service within Pittsburgh, but it might be 3 to 6 years before the product comes to Oakland.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced in a news release today that the city agreed, pending City Council approval, to give Verizon 10-year contract in the city, making it Comcast’s only competitor. Verizon would have 6 years to offer service to all of Pittsburgh, or risk getting fined.

Lee Gierczynski, a spokesman for Verizon, said the company would install its network in two phases. It would offer FiOS first in Downtown, the North Side and southern neighborhoods, which tend to be near suburbs that already offer the service. Then, it would expand to places like Oakland and Squirrel Hill.

Gierczynski said the company hasn’t yet set a price for Pittsburgh customers, but that people living in its suburbs pay $47.99 a month to get 250 standard definition channels and local HD channels.

Bob Grove, a regional spokesman for Comcast said in a statement, that Comcast would remain confident in the services its offer.

“We compete every day for video, Internet and phone customers throughout our footprint,” he said.