Dark Fiber

Verizon is reportedly winding down deployment of its FiOS (News - Alert) service – which means if you live in an area which has not yet been wired for the service there’s a good chance you may never be able to get it.

As per an AP report, Verizon (News - Alert) is now focusing on completing the network in the communities where it's already secured local approval. For example it will continue to bring fiber to homes in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia over the next several years — but cities including Baltimore and downtown Boston will remain without FiOS, at least for the short to medium term.

According to the report, the recession made it difficult for Verizon to fund the build-out of its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network – what’s more it has been challenging for the company to market and sell the service in a down economy. Most of the people Verizon has marketed FiOS to already had cable or satellite service – and getting people to switch service providers, especially when installation of new lines is involved, can be a tough sell.

Verizon reports that it is still negotiating for franchises in some smaller communities, mainly in New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, but it is not working on securing franchises for any major urban areas.

As the AP report points out, Verizon never committed to making FiOS a nationwide service. It has introduced the service in 16 states, but deployment is mostly concentrated on the East Coast. The company claims it will meet or exceed its goal of bringing FiOS to 18 million households by the end of 2010.

The news that Verizon is winding down its deployment of FiOS comes as the Federal Communications Commission presents its National Broadband Plan – which aims to bring high speed Internet services to the entire US, including rural areas – to Congress for approval.