FairPoint will begin trialing IPTV service in Portsmouth, New Hampshire over a FTTH network. The trial involves “giving away” 100 HDTVs to willing beta testers in the community. It’s part of a 90 day pilot program in which FairPoint is evaluating IPTV. We contacted Jill Wurm, FairPoint corporate communications manager and asked if this trial is a possible precursor to a rollout of IPTV services across their new New England footprint, which was acquired from Verizon. She responded “absolutely.” It’s an interesting development in that FairPoint is using FTTH facilities that were originally constructed by Verizon for their FiOS initiative. But unlike Verizon, FairPoint is going with true IPTV over these fiber facilities. Wurm says they’ve inherited approximately 24 FTTH communities from the Verizon acquisition. “From the Portsmouth trial, we will do an evaluation for a potentially broader commercial rollout of IPTV across these properties,” she said. She also emphasized that potential future rollouts of IPTV will not be limited to just FTTH communities. “The evaluation will also involve looking at the potential of IPTV over DSL,” she said.
Portsmouth is eagerly anticipating the results of the trial. Despite recently signing a ten year franchise agreement with Comcast, Portsmouth looks forward to Fairpoint entering the competitive fray. “This is the first step. Obviously we’re hopeful it turns out to be successful. I don’t know if prices are going to come down, but it might prevent them from going up as fast,” said Portsmouth cable commission chairman John Gregg to Seacoastonline.com.
Interesting that they would go with IPTV. Seems like Verizon is having far less technical issues with FiOS TV than a lot of folks are having with IPTV. If the infrastructure was in place, seems to me that they should have followed the Verizon model entirely.
My understanding is the physical FTTH infrastructure was in place – not the entire FiOS platform. Most likely, they had a clean FTTH slate to work from, and decided IPTV was the better move for them.
I hope Salem gets it
I am an underground customer so i hope by the summer.
COMCAST Needs competition here in SALEM.Rates are too high ,channels disappearing.Too bad Verizon was all set to offer FIOS then pulled out in 2005 at the last minute to focus on NJ then 2 months later announced the sale of all the landlines to Fairpoint
For a communications company they are falling way short. No internet access to them and the only numbers on my bill are Verizon #s. The only 800 # I have is consistently busy. I am ready to tear my hair out and don’t know how they can stay in business this way/
My understanding is the physical FTTH infrastructure was in place – not the entire FiOS platform. Most likely, they had a clean FTTH slate to work from, and decided IPTV was the better move for them.