Commentary

Verizon Versus Cable Companies: National Is Better Than Local

It's tough to side with big media companies that whine about regulations that they can't be allowed to sink their claws deeper into consumers' pockets. Still, hope comes from resulting competition that will make things better for the average Joe.

Verizon Communications sued a Maryland county last week for allegedly imposing "unreasonable and illegal" conditions for a television subscription license. The county is a stronghold of cable operator Comcast Corp., the biggest cable operator in the land.

Verizon has been slow in starting up its new IPTV FiOS video service--a service that intends to compete with traditional cable systems. FiOS is available in some markets in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and Virginia.

Verizon needs to show that FiOS is worthwhile to local officials--from an investment and consumer point of view. While its state-of-the-art fiber optic system is faster and offers more high-definition channels, some counties are balking that the service is not that much better than existing cable systems.

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Cable operators are also offering up the so-called "triple play" of consumer media-- Internet, phone, and video services--similar to what Verizon can do. Is speed, quality of video and the wider variety of channels the real marketing key for Verizon--or is it just matching the cable industry fiber optic by fiber optic?

It's sometimes tough for consumers to figure out the best technology--especially in a technological age that gets more complicated.

From Verizon's point of view, there is a Congressional bill afoot that will almost instantly put the phone company on the same playing field as the cable industry .  A proposal for a nationwide TV license would make it easier for Verizon--instead of going the traditional way in getting approval market by market.

The old adage says, all politics is local. The cable industry seems to go the same way. Competition for media should be local as well--but a lot of politics gets in the way. 

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