Verizon gets California video franchise

Verizon became the first to capitalize on California’s new statewide video franchise law, today receiving the Golden State’s first statewide franchise, only eight days after filing its application.

The franchise award paves the way for Verizon to offer video services in 45 California communities in which it did not already have a local franchise. Verizon is already providing its FiOS TV service in 18 Southern California communities where it obtained local franchise authority.

Verizon has not built its FiOS fiber-to-the-premises network throughout California as yet, but it has done major construction in Southern California, and the company said today that residents in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and San Bernardino counties are the most likely to get FiOS first. Verizon will announce the “next wave” of deployments in California later this month, the company said. Verizon is expected to aggressively roll out its services in the state, however.

AT&T has not yet filed a statewide franchise application in California. The PUC began its review process March 1.