Choice is the watchword for Route 51 cable subscribers who, along with local government officials, have sought for years to encourage competition in programming and pricing.

And now thanks to a 10-year franchising agreement with Verizon through the South Hills Council of Governments, residents of Baldwin borough and township, Brentwood, Jefferson Hills and Whitehall boroughs will be able to choose from Verizon or Comcast.

"Competition just was never there," Andy Sakmar, a former Whitehall councilman said. Mr. Sakmar serves on the borough's cable franchise committee.

"The agreement is most welcome and should be very beneficial to cable customers,'' he said.

Eleven of SHACOG's 16 members joined in the recent franchising agreement that provides each with a share of a five-percent franchising fee that is assessed Verizon. The other municipalities include: Castle Shannon, Dormont, Elizabeth Township, Heidelberg, Scott Township and White Oak. Five members chose to negotiate separate cable agreements.

Lou Gorski, executive director, said that SHACOG established a franchising authority to represent participating communities more than a dozen years ago. He said the Feb. 27 agreement culminated a year-long negotiating process in which Verizon representatives initially challenged the legal status of SHACOG in the matter.

"The agreement gives everyone a choice." Mr. Gorski said.

He said that talks will soon take place with Comcast to renegotiate terms of a new agreement upon the recent end of a 5-year one.

Attorney Dan Cohen, who represented SHACOG in the negotiations, said the agreement ''paves the way for cable competition in South Hills communities.''

As part of the agreement, Verizon will provide local schools, libraries and municipal facilities with free basic cable services and will provide as many as six PEG channels (public, educational and government) for SHACOG use.

According to Lee Gierczynski, a spokesman for Verizon, the company began a major expansion into Southwestern part of Pennsylvania in 2005 and that agreements through different local councils of governments "have helped to accelerate the franchise network" that now includes over 66 communities. Verizon began offering service to local residents on March 27.

Mr. Gierczynski said that basic cable rates provided by Verizon are $47.99 per month for one year, with a bundle package, which includes cable, phone and Internet service, costing $104.99 per month for a year.

Comcast present basic cable rates are $54.99 a month for one year with a one-year similar bundle package costing $99.

Jim McMahon is a freelance writer.