State OKs Verizon Fios fiber-optic cable service for part of Brookhaven

Five months after Town of Brookhaven officials voted u nanimously to add fiber-optic cable service availability in about one-third of the town, the state has signed off on the deal — approving the move in a confirmation hearing last week in Albany.

The Public Service Commission order grants Verizon Fios rights to operate in the town for the next five years, with future expansion of service possible in the not-too-distant future.

Additionally, the commission also approved Verizon cable-television franchise permission to offer service in the Village of Hewlett Neck in Nassau County.

In both instances the commission noted that "historically" it had approved franchises covering an entire municipality, but said, in records obtained by Newsday: "More recently, with the advent of competition, it had approved geographically limited franchises of competing providers."

In Brookhaven, the commission noted the town had initially granted a cable television franchise to Brookhaven Cable T.V., Inc., more than 50 years ago, in October 1973.

In Hewlett Neck, the commission said the village initially granted a franchise to Cablevision Systems Long Island Corporation in June 1982.

In announcing the two new franchise grants the commission said additional environmental impact reviews were not needed due to prior determinations made in each region.

It was April 16 when officials in Brookhaven voted 7-0 to approve the five-year franchise agreement for Verizon, hailing the move as a way to control costs by providing competition with other television service providers in the town, such as Optimum, which formerly was Cablevision.

The deal, now fully approved, would add the ability for customers to purchase Fios service in about 38% of the town, most of that territory along the North Shore.

Verizon had laid cable in that area years ago but hadn't completed fiber-optic network infrastructure. Verizon did not immediately respond to inquiries seeking comment Thursday.

On Thursday, Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico hailed the decision.

"Now Brookhaven residents have competition in the marketplace which invariably is going to be a very good thing when it comes to pricing," Panico said. "For decades, my predecessors have tried to do this — and I'm proud, along with my colleagues, to be the person to get this done."

Panico said Verizon has already told town officials that if "ample sign-up and subscriptions" occur they are prepared to invest in what the supervisor called "wiring out the rest of the town" with fiber-optic cable.

Geographically, Brookhaven is the largest town in the state — and is second in terms of population, behind the Town of Hempstead, with more than 496,000 residents.

"When we approved this back in April I think we believed it was going to be three months before it was approved and it turned out to be six," Panico said. "It took longer than expected ... But, it's a very, very positive milestone for the Town of Brookhaven."

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.