Verizon Going For Shorter, Cheaper Contact In Norwood Cable Negotiations

NORWOOD, MA — Verizon’s next cable deal could be a much shorter contract than the current 10-year agreement.

The cable deal between the town and the telecommunications company is up in August and negotiations are not going as expected, according to cable commission chair Richard Shay

“It’s turning out to be a little more complicated than we expected or hoped but we’re having frequent meetings with them,” he told the selectmen last week.

In the new deal, Verizon wants a new contract that’s worth $7,500 a year for five years, much lower than the current $15,000 a year for 10 years. Shay said the new terms and contract length demands are due to Verizon’s belief that the regulatory landscape and subscriber base could change in the next few years.

The situation is not exclusive to Norwood. About 20 towns are in contract talks with Verizon at the moment, Shay said.

Selectman Helen Abdallah Donohue said the town should not do anything that would give them less than they get now.

Board members were adamant about keeping a retail storefront in Norwood or a nearby town. Currently, there is a storefront in Canton.

The new deal could also mean bad things for Norwood Public Access, which could lose over $120,000 in the deal, according to Selectman Paul A. Bishop.

“Their business today can’t go on without that money,” he said. We’re booked in for $150,000 and I don’t want to cut short. There’s no sense in renewing a contract and going backward."

Image: File Photo