ROWLEY - There's a new cable provider in town, after selectmen granted Verizon New England Inc. a 10-year license to use the public way effective Dec. 17.

With the approval, representatives from Verizon said residents can begin signing up for service as early as this week.

In contrast to the hearings held last November, when residents vented their frustration with current cable provider Comcast, those crowded into selectmen's chambers Monday evening spoke mostly in favor of Verizon's license approval.

The town's attorney, Bob Solomon, who hammered out the contract between Verizon and the town, referred to the process as an "excellent negotiation."

To residents, he explained, "(Verizon) understood what your needs are, particularly with regard to public, educational and government (PEG) access. It's been a breath of fresh air working with folks like this."

Solomon said it would take days or weeks for Verizon to begin providing service to some residents, and although the company has four years per the contract to reach everyone in town, he anticipates all but the most remote locations will have access within one year.

Other contract provisions outlined by Solomon include an $85,000 grant given by Verizon to help pay for a local studio - an important issue for many since Comcast stopped offering those services to Rowley last summer.

Half of the grant will be given today, with the other half to follow one year from now. On top of that, Solomon said, Verizon will pay 5 percent of the company's gross revenues in Rowley back to the town, which will serve as additional funding for the building of a local studio.

"As your counsel, I recommend the board vote tonight to issue a final license to Verizon," Solomon said.

Members of the Cable Advisory Committee were on hand to offer their support as well, with Chairman Warren Appel throwing his support behind the company.

"There's been a tremendous amount of work on this, and I'm very pleased to highly recommend this contract," Appel said. "Let's give residents of Rowley a choice."

Verizon representative Jim McGrail touted Verizon as a $90 billion company that has already invested millions of dollars in Rowley and said the company is committed to enhancing that infrastructure moving forward.

"We have the most advanced fiber-optic network in the nation," he said, "supported by technicians and hundreds of customer service representatives."

The company will need to upgrade Verizon's infrastructure, McGrail said, adding that 1,703 houses served by aerial towers in town are the easiest to upgrade. Those living in areas served by buried lines would need a conduit installed, except in the case of newer homes that typically have the conduit already.

The most difficult homes to reach will be multidwelling units, due to regulations one must observe to obtain proper permitting.

"Sixty-five percent of people can purchase our product by (today) if you approve this tonight," he said.

Questions regarding the ease of switching to Verizon were asked, to which selectmen Chairman Dave Petersen responded, "We're not here to endorse one company or another with respect to the product they sell."

Still, selectmen Vice Chairman Thomas Moses was happy about the town potentially getting its own studio as a result of this contract. He wants to make sure there is language in the contract specifically allocating future payments from Verizon toward a new studio.

He wanted people to know that studio would be open to anyone wanting to produce television programs and that the studio might even offer training eventually.

"There are some very creative people in this community," he said. "It may seem like a big thing to learn, but I'm told it really isn't. That's what this money is for - to afford that ability to everyone."

Before a vote confirmed the board's unanimous vote of approval, Petersen reiterated the need for language specifically allocating future funding, adding, "It's critical on our part that we have the proper language. I am very happy we are here tonight. Residents would have liked us to do this sooner, but everything had to be done properly."