Verizon's FiOS arrives in Holliston

The board of selectmen in Holliston granted a cable franchise yesterday to Verizon Communications Inc. for its FiOS TV service, Verizon said.

The action paves the way for the FiOS TV service to be available to an additional 5,000 Massachusetts households, Verizon said.

Because it is delivered over an advanced, all-fiber network, FiOS TV is superior to TV services offered by rivals, Verizon claims.

FiOS TV is now available to 400,000 households in 56 Massachusetts communities, Verizon said, and the company is currently negotiating with about a dozen other Bay State communities to obtain additional franchises.

According to a filing with state regulators, FiOS TV had just under 12,000 Massachusetts customers at the end of 2006. Verizon said that FiOS TV has seen much growth in the Bay State since, but it is not disclosing the current number of Massachusetts subscribers for "competitive reasons."

Headquartered in New York, Verizon delivers broadband and other wireline and wireless services to mass market, business, government, and wholesale customers.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)