Select Board gives conditional support to Verizon Fios expansion, asks follow-up on 5G and PEG funding implications

The Select Board voted to issue a letter of support for Verizon’s planned Fios broadband expansion in Lakeville, but members asked staff for follow-up information before finalizing the town’s communications.

Board members said expanding wired fiber to unserved and underserved areas would benefit residents and businesses. Several members raised a concern not stated directly in the Verizon request: whether the deployment would include pole-mounted wireless transmitters (5G small cells) and if, in time, Verizon might shift customers to wireless delivery. The board noted that when video or broadband is delivered primarily by wireless methods there may be implications for PEG (public, educational and governmental) access funding and franchise‑related support that the town now receives for wired cable subscriptions.

The Select Board asked the town administrator to contact Verizon and MassAccess (the municipal cable and access association) for clarification: does the proposed expansion use fiber to the premise, fiber to the pole with wireless last‑mile delivery, or other architecture, and would the project affect PEG funding or franchise obligations. The board asked for that information before issuing the final letter of support to ensure the town’s interests in public access and local franchise obligations are protected.

The board also suggested involving the Cable Advisory Board and the town’s IT/cable subcommittee in the follow-up discussion.