She credited the Biden administration and Congress for investing in and expanding broadband high-speed internet projects. Access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet is as essential as any other utility, officials said.
The partnership means Verizon’s fiber-optic, 1 gigabit (GB) high speed internet access will be running through and available in every neighborhood, improving internet speeds for remote work, remote schooling, telemedicine, downloading, uploading, voice and video communications, live streaming, webcasts and interactive games.
Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, at left, and Eric Reed, Verizon’s senior director of public policy and government affairs, speak Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 at Nay Aug Park in Scranton, where the mayor announced and recognized a new partnership between the city and Verizon for a fiber optic broadband project for ubiquitous high-speed internet throughout the city.
“Broadband, as we know, is not a luxury. It is a utility. It is a necessity,” Cognetti said during a media event at Nay Aug Park to announce and recognize the partnership with Verizon. “We are able to now make sure that broadband reaches, not just broadly in Scranton, but every single home.”
The partnership stems from the city seeking proposals a year ago for a “broadband infrastructure project” for fiber-optic cable and broadband services throughout the city.
Four vendors — Verizon, Gigapower, Loop and Empire — responded. Cognetti’s administration selected Verizon.
Last month, Scranton City Council unanimously approved a resolution from Cognetti authorizing the city to contract with Verizon for the broadband project, which has already begun in sections of the city.
Verizon will construct a “Fiber to the Premises” (FTTP) network to reach all broadband serviceable locations in the city that are reasonably able to be served by a fiber-optic connection, according to a statement from the city.
“With Verizon’s investment, we’re going to be able to go farther delivering fiber internet access all the way up the driveway and finally cross Scranton’s digital divide,” Cognetti said during the media event.
The costs of the project will be borne by Verizon with no funding needed from the city.
Verizon will invest tens of millions of dollars over the next three years to expand its internet service in the city, said Eric Reed, Verizon’s senior director of public policy and state government affairs for Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Ohio.
“Today marks an important and successful day in terms of showcasing a successful example of how public and private interests can collaborate,” Reed said during the announcement event. “Broadband expansion and digital inclusion is part of our DNA and the work that we do every day to serve our local residents and businesses to create enhanced digitally connected communities. At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work and play.”
The project involves digging trenches to install fiber-optic lines and upgrading existing aerial infrastructure on utility poles, Reed said.
“Verizon will expand its fiber footprint throughout Scranton and upon completion, we will have upgraded the existing infrastructure to fiber optics,” Reed said.
Residents will have the opportunity to subscribe to Verizon for fiber-optic high-speed internet. The contract with the city also requires that Verizon either participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, any successor program, or provide its own low-cost program to eligible low-income households in the city. Verizon currently offers cost-effective services for eligible customers through its Fios Forward program with service tiers costing up to $39.99. Other Fios Home Internet plans range between $24.99 and $89.99 per month.
As for why such a partnership was necessary, Cognetti said, “It’s important for the city and Verizon to work together and for us to prioritize Verizon’s project. They are going to do this, we know through the partnership that we have, for everyone in Scranton, everywhere – ubiquitous high speed internet.”
“What we needed to do as a city was to make sure it would go to places that weren’t necessarily the moneymakers, not necessarily the most high-paying customers, outside of the hospitals and universities that they (Verizon) know they’re going to get revenue from,” Cognetti continued. “We need to make sure as a city that everyone in the city is going to get that. That’s the commitment Verizon is making.”
Reed also said the partnership “is about closing a digital divide” and promoting “digital inclusion,” and it’s the right thing to do and good public policy.
“This was very intentional. We didn’t want to go into the city and start picking out neighborhoods,” Reed said of the partnership. “That’s why we we came to the city and we asked what are your interests, what are your needs. And then we meshed them with what our desires were in terms of investment in the network. Once we figured that out, that formula was taken care of, and we were able to go in and invest all over the city and make sure it was intentional.”
© 2024 The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
