FiOS TV To Come To Public Housing In Yonkers, N.Y.

Verizon Inks Deal To Market TV, Internet Services To Apartment Residents

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 10/7/2008 2:29:00 PM

Verizon reached an agreement with the public-housing authority for Yonkers, N.Y., to offer FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services to residents of 2,029 apartments in 18 buildings.

The agreement with the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers, just north of New York City, will let Verizon exclusively promote its services to residents, according to Joseph Shuldiner, the Yonkers housing authority's executive director. Cablevision Systems is the incumbent cable operator in Yonkers.

Verizon said it has already begun the buildout of its all-fiber-optic network to the apartment buildings in Yonkers. The telco plans to begin offering service to some buildings later this month, with FiOS services scheduled to be available to all residents by year-end.

The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers is the second-largest public housing authority in metropolitan area, after the New York City Housing Authority. It provides affordable housing to eligible low-income families and individuals, and helps them become self-sufficient and economically independent.

As a part of the housing authority's community outreach, it opened a computer center where residents can access the Internet or take free classes to become more computer literate.

To date, Verizon’s Enhanced Communities division has entered agreements with developers and contractors for new developments under construction covering 400,000 private households, and is offering FiOS services to 815,000 apartment units across 16 states.