Gov. Rick Perry today signed into law Senate Bill 5, a landmark TV-franchising bill passed by the Texas Legislature during its second 30-day special session. The bill vastly streamlines the process of getting IPTV and cable franchises for telecommunications carriers, providing Texans with a choice for their cable television needs.

Verizon has built a significant amount of its totally fiber-optic network in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, where the company already offers its ultra-fast FiOS Internet Service and fiber-based phone service in about two-dozen communities. This same network can now be used to deliver to consumers a new choice for cable television service. Verizon expects to begin offering cable TV service in Texas this fall.

Since Verizon began constructing its high-capacity, fiber-optic network in North Texas, the company has created more than 650 new full-time positions and retained the use of more than 800 contractors in Texas.

Verizon Southwest Region President Steve Banta said, “The broadband customer’s thirst for fast, reliable and interactive voice, data and video services will be quenched as we offer a compelling combination of high-value communication services over the nation’s most robust totally fiber-optic network."

He went on to say, “We expect to accelerate our video deployment in Texas beyond our original plans and will work to give more Texans a choice for cable TV service."

SBC Texas President Jan Newton said, "Consumers want and deserve more choices, new technologies and better prices in the TV and video market. Texas lawmakers recognized that fact when crafting this legislation. New providers are now poised to invest and compete in Texas in order to deliver a next generation video entertainment product to a marketplace sorely lacking adequate competition.