Several Howard County residents now have a choice of cable television services, and people in some parts of Anne Arundel County could be joining them.
County Executive Janet Owens and Verizon Maryland President William Roberts signed the informal agreement Thursday, but the County Council is scheduled to make the final decision June 19.
“This further expands competition in the county, and when you have competition, you tend to have more reasonable rates,” Owens said.
Verizon has begun making inroads into the Baltimore cable market with a similar agreement in Howard and a pending agreements in Baltimore, Prince George?s and Montgomery counties.
Service is currently available in Columbia, Ellicott City and Clarksville in Howard County.
Verizon will initially offer its cable service to residents in the central part of the county around Annapolis, Crofton, Laurel, Mayo and Severna Park.
Roberts said the company?s market studies showed a greater demand for services in those areas than in the rapidly growing western region around Fort George Meade and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
“Over the next five to seven years, we will cover a large part of the county,” Roberts said.
Franchise agreements with the county?s two existing cable providers, Comcast and Millennium Cable,bring about $5.6 million into the county?s general fund every year.
Company officials declined to say what rates customers would pay for Verizon service, but said they would be comparable to Comcast and Millennium.
Verizon has also committed to providing cable service in the county?s schools, libraries and other government buildings. Facilities located in areas already equipped with Verizon?s fiber-optic information lines will be the first to receive service.
