Bostonians looking to get out from under the thumb of the cable industry will have another option for high-speed internet access, the City of Boston announced today.
City officials say they will team with Verizon to replace its existing copper-based wiring infrastructure with a new fiber-optic network, allowing quick access to Big V's high speed network.
Verizon will contribute more than $300 million over six years to the project, Mayor Marty Walsh said today in a press release on the deal.
The rollout of the fiber networks will not begin where you might expect, such as the tech-oriented neighborhoods of the "innovation district" in South Boston or college student housing areas. The city will allow expedited permitting for installation starting in Dorchester, West Roxbury and Dudley Square this year, with the network expanding to Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain in 2017.
Walsh said in the release that Boston's tech needs are growing faster than current infrastructure can support.
"Additionally, it is a priority to ensure that every resident has expanded access to broadband and increasing competition is critical to reaching that goal. I thank Verizon for their investment in Boston and for partnering with the city to provide the foundation for future technology growth," Walsh said.
Boston also plans to give Verizon carte blanche to install their wireless equipment on city streetlights and utility poles as a way to extend the telecommunication giant's wireless network, kickstarting the process to allow Verizon's cable TV offerings to compete with Comcast.
Comcast will continue to be able to provide its Xfinity service in Boston. The company's cable license expires in 2020.
The city is asking residents which portions of Dorchester, West Roxbury and Dudley Square should get the network installed first through an online vote.
