Proposals to limit competition with existing cable companies have sparked a backlash.
A noon protest is planned for Thursday outside Verizon headquarters Downtown.
The telecommunications giant has cut a deal with Time-Warner and Comcast which opponents say will limit competition and potentially raise rates.
Political and union leaders are attacking the deal now before federal regulators, claiming it's a monopolistic situation.
During a call-in last night, they told callers Washington should back away and let competition take its course.
One of the leaders on the phone was Mayor Brown, who has been critical of Verizon's decision to offer its FiOS service in only a few parts of the city and not offer cable service, only phone and internet.
Communications Workers Telecommunications Policy Director Debbie Goldman says that's part of a city and suburban pattern across the state, with FiOS not competing.
"Verizon offers FiOS in the suburbs of Buffalo, but not in the city. Verizon offers FiOS in many of the suburbs of Syracuse but not in the city. And the same is true in Albany. As a result there is a digital divide between the city and the suburbs."
Union leaders say there are jobs at stake, since workers would have to build and install a competing FiOS network, thousands of jobs.
