Verizon pushing to expand DSL

Verizon is looking to expand its high-speed Internet service by adding an equipment cabinet and digital subscriber line (DSL) equipment to an existing installation on Houghton Street, near St. John the Baptist Church.

350 new lines

If the company's plans be approved, about 350 new lines would be able to use DSL services, according to Verizon spokewoman Beth Fastiggi.

"We likely won't start construction until after spring begins," Fastiggi said. "We're looking at a 2007 timeline to get the service operational."

"Although we don't want to promise anything we can't deliver, we hope to have service available by the end of summer," Fastiggi said. "We need to do a lot of testing (beforehand) to make sure it will work."

Fastiggi said the new service would primarily be available north of the Houghton Street location.

Fastiggi said the company is in the midst of a huge DSL expansion across the state of Vermont.

"We have an agreement, as part of a regulatory plan, to meet with certain milestones," Fastiggi said. "We worked very hard last year to get our number up to 60 percent of phone lines (with DSL

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