A competitor to cable television is one step closer to entering the Pittsburgh market.

Verizon announced today that it is close to reaching franchise agreements with more than 15 Western Pennsylvania municipalities -- a necessary step before Verizon's FiOS TV can enter the market to compete with cable giant Comcast. FiOS TV, which will deliver television programming over Verizon's fiber-optic network, is expected to be available in Pittsburgh before the end of the year.

The agreements cover Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Peters and Upper St. Clair in the South Hills, as well as Etna, Fox Chapel, Franklin Park, Hampton, Indiana Township, McCandless, Millvale, O'Hara, Ohio Township, Reserve, Ross, Shaler, Sharpsburg, West Deer and West View in the North Hills. Each individual municipality must still vote to approve the franchise agreements.

The FiOS service, which launched in September 2005, entered the Philadelphia market last fall and is currently available in parts of 11 other states.