TOWNSHIP OF TOMS RIVER Office of the Mayor 33 Washington Street, P. O. Box 728 Toms River, NJ 08754-0728 Telephone: (732) 341-1000 Fax Number: (732) 244-9883 MAURICE “MO* B. HILL, JR. MAYOR ‘August 15, 2022 Director Lawanda R. Gilbert Office of Cable Television and Telecommunications State of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities 44 South Clinton Avenue, 1° Floor Post Office Box 350 Trenton, NI 08625-0350 Via fax: 609-777-3325 and emall Re: Access to Fiber Option Cable Television Service for Residents at Certain Multl-Dwelling Unit Buildings in the Township of Toms River Dear Director Gilbert: In response to your letter of July 13, 2022 regarding Verizon New Jersey Inc.'s request for the waiver of their legal obligation to provide access to fiber optic FiOs TV service and high-speed Broadband Internet to the 24 listed Multi-Dwelling Units (MDU) in Toms River that you referred to, lam OPPOSED to Verizon receiving a waiver of their obligations and | question the veracity of the company’s claim that they have been “unable to negotiate access with the MDUS.” ‘My office has been in touch with stakeholders from three (3) of the twenty-four (24) MDUs you referenced, We spoke with property managers, Home Owners Association Board Members and tenants. EACH of the MDUS represented indicated that their properties HAVE ACCESS to Verizon FiOs services now. One of the properties has been wired with fiber optic cable within the last couple of months and the residents offered free service on a tral basis, according to their stakeholder. {In your letter you state that should the BPU grant the waiver of Verizon's legal obligation that residents of the listed MDU’s would nat have access to FiOs or Broadband Internet. Based upon available information, such a waiver could disrupt Toms River residents of the MDU's access to vital communication, reduce their choices and. cause them undue inconvenience. | urge the BPU to decline Verizon's request for a waiver of access to MDUs in Toms River Township. At the very least, | encourage the Board to postpone action on the waiver request until the matter is further investigated. Verizon's request is inconsistent with the information that Toms River residents have provided to my staff. Mayor, Toms River Township MBHike CC: Maria Novas-Rulz, Esq, AY DWision of Rate Counsel (la email) Lanhi Saldana, Esq, 8PU Office ofthe General Counsel (via email) ‘Melina Amautové, Esq, NI Deputy Attorney General via email) Frank Gaffney, BPU Business Ombudsman (via email) “HOMO COGITAT, DEUS INDICAT”