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Sharon Shaffer is a spokesperson for Verizon Communications. She spoke today with Broadband Wireless Access World regarding an agreement reached minutes before between Verizon and the City of Philadelphia that will allow the city to build its own wireless (Wi-Fi/WiFi) municipal broadband network, even if Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (a former mayor of Philadelphia himself) signs "Bill 30" into law before today's 12:00 am (EST) deadline.

Neither the City of Philadelphia nor Verizon will be releasing the text of that agreement at this time, according to Ms. Shaffer, but she did indicate that it provides, in writing, for a waiver by Verizon of its right, under Section 3 of Section H of Bill 30, of "first-refusal" to build any broadband Wi-Fi system that the city proposes to build. This will allow the City of Philadelphia to construct and operate a universal ubiquitous WiFi "cloud" over and throughout its territory as it so chooses.

Ms. Shaffer provided Broadband Wireless Access World with this written statement, issued at 5:40 pm, Eastern Standard Time today, November 30, 2004, from Verizon:

"Verizon and the City of Philadelphia have reached agreement that resolves the concerns about the City's ability to build a WiFi network in Philadelphia. The agreement itself is not being released. The execution of the terms of this agreement will make crystal clear that the City has the unimpeded right to build a WiFi network in Philadelphia as it sees fit.

"The City has communicated to the governor's office that an agreement has been reached."

In addition to announcing the Verizon-Philadelphia agreement on the deployment of a Wi-Fi network within that city, the Verizon spokesperson commented in some detail about the benefits that will accrue to the businesses and residential customers of Verizon and other incumbent telcos in Pennsylvania under the terms of Bill 30, should it be signed into law by Governor Ed Rendell.

You can hear about all these benefits, as well as more details about the Verizon-Philadelphia agreement and what it will mean there and in other jurisdictions, by clicking here.

While Ms. Shaffer wouldn't go so far as to say that "Pennsylvania—the Keystone State" might soon become "Pennsylvania—the Broadband State," she did say that should Bill 30 become law tremendous advantages would accrue to the state, its people and its businesses under the broadband deployment scenario implemented by this leading-edge legislation.