dslreports logo
FCC To Extend 'Franchise Reform' To Cable
McDowell speaks to his primary constituents....

FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell says that the agency is preparing to offer the cable industry the same video-franchising help they gave the telcos last December. The FCC is currently being sued by States who say only Congress has the authority to implement such rules, which the FCC insists "streamline" the TV franchise system, allowing faster deployment of TelcoTV.

McDowell, who recently penned an editorial downplaying broadband penetration woes, spoke before the free market think tank the Progress & Freedom Foundation and other lawmakers, with the goal of selling the latter on the looming changes:
quote:
While a handful of states have created statewide franchises, the majority of the U.S. still operates on a local basis, meaning a new entrant would have to seek literally thousands of licenses in order to be able to operate a national television service. The FCC rules are aimed at streamlining that process. They place a 90-day shot clock on local governments to rule on a franchise application. The rules also prevent governments from making unreasonable demands on applicants or attempting to levy exorbitant fees on them.
Of course in modern FCC parlance, "unreasonable demands" includes forcing an operator to offer broadband and TV service to more than just a city's most profitable neighborhoods. Phone operators, their think tanks and the FCC have been working hard the part few years to demonize the existing franchising process so they can eliminate build out requirements (the very reason many "unprofitable" rural neighborhoods currently have cable TV).
view:
topics flat nest 
etaadmin
join:2002-01-17
united state

etaadmin

Member

Is this a joke?

Wow, is the FCC going to give cable what they already have?

How generous

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

1 recommendation

RayW

Premium Member

Re: Is this a joke?

said by etaadmin:

Wow, is the FCC going to give cable what they already have?

How generous
No, they are trying to take away the ability of the city to force the Cable Companies to treat the entire community as a service spot, rather than cherry picking, by removing the franchise process further away from the consumer and more toward the politician. Or as a few people on BBR will say, take away the mayor's ability to get new pool paid for by the CableCos (not that I have ever seen proof that they have gotten one) and why give service to scummy (insert favorite 'poor folk') the service they do not need.

sansri88
digital is here
Premium Member
join:2005-12-17
New York, NY

sansri88

Premium Member

Re: Is this a joke?

Actually, in my town, our mayor doesn't really like Comcast that much. In fact, he hates them more than the last mayor loved them. Hence the reason why we're getting FiOS this winter instead of 2010.

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: Is this a joke?

said by sansri88:

Actually, in my town, our mayor doesn't really like Comcast that much. In fact, he hates them more than the last mayor loved them. Hence the reason why we're getting FiOS this winter instead of 2010.
I work with a mayor (at his real job, not the mayor job) and he feels the same way about Comcast now, but they pony up just enough to avoid any wrist slapping (and one of the council members is rumored to have to have a relationship with them) so he can not do much until the current contract is up, and he may not run again, the job does not pay enough to wipe all those noses.

He is wondering how he can get all those perks that some people here accuse all the mayors of getting from the industry, he has an empty spot in his yard that a pool would fit in nicely. All those who have proof of that relationship, let us know how your mayors did it.

sansri88
digital is here
Premium Member
join:2005-12-17
New York, NY

sansri88

Premium Member

Re: Is this a joke?

LOL Our mayor is a good dude, friendly, and I don't think he'd take a free pool from Comcast anytime soon...

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: Is this a joke?

I hear that, Lane has scruples too, even if he was offered one he would not take it. Besides, that is a good way to get free room and board at the taxpayer's expense.
nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD

nasadude to etaadmin

Member

to etaadmin
said by etaadmin:

Wow, is the FCC going to give cable what they already have?
...
cable franchise agreements usually last for a set number of years (2? 5? 10? varies?), then have to be renegotiated.

Cities/towns will often (try to) use the renewal process to enforce new regulations or conditions.
boober321
join:2003-07-15
Milwaukee, WI

1 edit

boober321

Member

Re: Is this a joke?

Yeah, and I believe rightfully so. Don't corporations do that to us all the time??? I have to accept Time Warner's terms . I have to renew my contract with my cell phone carrier every 2 years, so why shouldn't they?
And increasing performance and customer service related matters should be enforced.

DreamWraith
Premium Member
join:2004-04-07
Mount Vernon, WA

DreamWraith

Premium Member

Re: Is this a joke?

said by boober321:

I have to renew my contract with my cell phone carrier every 2 years.
No you don't. You can leave. And its not like you invested millions in infrastructure either.

In fact, it would cost you literally nothing to switch carriers once your contract was up. Just like it doesn't cost them anything, other than a subscriber.

No, your comparison is, quite seriously, flawed.

Fox McCloud
Crazy like a fox.
join:2006-07-23

Fox McCloud

Member

geesh...stupid corpgov

FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell says that the agency is preparing to offer the cable industry the same video-franchising help they gave the telcos last December. The FCC is currently being sued by States who say only Congress has the authority to implement such rules, which the FCC insists "streamline" the TV franchise system, allowing faster deployment of TelcoTV.
I'm glad the states are suing the FCC, as they have every Constitutional right to do so.

ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

ninjatutle

Member

Mo competetion right?

I sure hope so. Comcast has been the prison yard bully for far too long. People's behind cant take it anymo.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Clarification needed?

Universal buildouts are important. But I don't think the FCC has ever ruled that it can be "unreasonable" for a LFA to force a universal buildout on an operator. They have only said that the timeframe imposed for universal buildout on a new entrant may be unreasonably short.
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029

Member

Soo cablecompanies can expand?

This is basically making it a fair fight right?

Wouldnt this allow the cable companies to expand into states that are served by competing cablec ompanies? Well at least make it easier?
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: Soo cablecompanies can expand?

said by majortom1029:

This is basically making it a fair fight right?

Wouldnt this allow the cable companies to expand into states that are served by competing cablec ompanies? Well at least make it easier?
This would make it easier for cable companies to renew their existing franchises in areas they already serve.

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: Soo cablecompanies can expand?

said by SD6:

This would make it easier for cable companies to renew their existing franchises in areas they already serve.
Yeah, it is easier to get away with bribing a state level politician to ignore complaints than it is one at the local level where the people have a better idea of what is going on (caveat: this does not include city states like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, etc).

But then I do not just gripe about the crooks in the cable TV industry like many here do, I vote with my wallet. My antenna in the attic works just fine.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: Soo cablecompanies can expand?

said by RayW:

said by SD6:

This would make it easier for cable companies to renew their existing franchises in areas they already serve.
Yeah, it is easier to get away with bribing a state level politician to ignore complaints than it is one at the local level where the people have a better idea of what is going on (caveat: this does not include city states like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, etc).

But then I do not just gripe about the crooks in the cable TV industry like many here do, I vote with my wallet. My antenna in the attic works just fine.
I don't want to get off topic. These rules do not replace local franchising with state franchising. They restrict what the local government can require in the franchise agreement.

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: Soo cablecompanies can expand?

said by SD6:

I don't want to get off topic. These rules do not replace local franchising with state franchising. They restrict what the local government can require in the franchise agreement.
At the first glance that is true, but I have learned over the years to be cynical about 'limits' like this when it comes to big cash. Not that this isn't a way to make local governments impotent since most communities do not have a high paid decision making body in full session all the time (council/mayor or other systems in many areas meet once a month or less and get paid a hundred or so a month for expenses). I can see it being said, "See, it has been a month since we proposed this (the day after the monthly meeting) and no response yet, we need the state involved". Well, maybe the mayor and council will get to it on their own time and get it farmed out to the right city worker who will drop everything and work on it and have a nice neat package already for the next 4 hour meeting. I do not know about you, but that is not very good for the consumer, although we all know that slavesconsumers do not have any rights.

K3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium Member
join:2006-01-17
Columbia, PA

1 edit

K3SGM

Premium Member

Where is Kevin Martin to save the Telcos????

Gotta Save The Telcos From The CableCos..

Where's Kevin Martin When The Telcos Need Him?????

God sakes, this could scuttle the whole Verizon, Qwest, AT&T Merger !!!!
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

1 edit

1 recommendation

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Nevermind

Upon reflection, I do not wish to post.

CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium Member
join:2004-11-12

CableTool

Premium Member

Re: Nevermind

Word brother.

VegasMan
Living the Vegas life.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Las Vegas, NV
·CenturyLink

VegasMan

Premium Member

I think it's all BS

Why should att, Comcast and all the others be forced to build infrastructure for broadband in areas it doesn't want too?

Nobody tells McDonalds that they have to build in certain neighborhoods try telling Starpukes they have to build all of their new stores in the Ghettos first and see how well that goes over.

CyberRage
Premium Member
join:2001-03-21
Jasper, AL

CyberRage

Premium Member

Re: I think it's all BS

An apples and oranges thing, don't you think? No matter where a Starpukes or McDonald's locates you leave your home to make a purchase at either establishment. I don't know anyone who wants to leave their home to watch TV or use the Internet. I know I enjoy those things from the comfort of my home.

Of course I can enjoy real coffee in the comfort of my home and I have no children so if McDonald's closed nationwide it wouldn't have an impact on my life.
boober321
join:2003-07-15
Milwaukee, WI

boober321 to VegasMan

Member

to VegasMan
They aren't. If they don't want to enter a contract with an ENTIRE community, then they can go elsewhere to do business. Free market putz.

VegasMan
Living the Vegas life.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Las Vegas, NV
·CenturyLink

VegasMan

Premium Member

Re: I think it's all BS

said by boober321:

They aren't. If they don't want to enter a contract with an ENTIRE community, then they can go elsewhere to do business. Free market putz.
Ha Ha Putz thats real funny.
I didn't say anything about not servicing the whole community. I said why should they be forced to start in the non- profitable areas first. Most people in these areas can't afford to have the luxuries of Broadband.
And maybe just maybe if they were allowed to build out the profitable areas first we wouldn't have to have the BS FUSF fee that all of us have to pay and the company could implement broadband into the areas on their own as the need and demand arises.

No to ESPN
@comcast.net

No to ESPN

Anon

If you can Buy an Antenna

You can get an excellent picture with a good antenna and amp in quite a few areas. Turn off the cash and see what happens. If you can't get a good picture then I suggest satellite. The cable system in the west side of Houston has started to go downhill after Comcast took over. Don't know if it is equipment issues or waterlogged cable. In any event my internet has not be all that reliable lately. I wish that there was another option.

There are only about 6 channels on satellite or cable worth purchasing in my opinion. I can get all the sports I want free.

SSidlov
Other Things On My Mind
Premium Member
join:2000-03-03
Pompton Lakes, NJ

1 recommendation

SSidlov

Premium Member

Another bad set of rules

JMHO:
While the FCC is loaded with Republicans, only rulings that benefit the corporate bottom lines will be made.

While I agree that state franchises and even a 90 day rule for local administrations to respond to a franchise request, may be required, the continued loosening of the build-out rules is a horror that will continue to create a two Americas, of haves and have-nots.

While I don't live in a town whose 2000 census showed a average annual income over $45K, Verizon FIOS, has decided when they did the build-out plans that although we are only 3.5 sq miles, and surrounded by communities with high incomes (our homes are only $300k-1.5mil), we will be one of the last in our areas to receive FIOS which is not expected until 2009. I have seen Verizon lay the connecting fiber cables under our streets in our electrical conduits, to connect the towns that surround us, but they can't take the time to wire our few thousand homes to it. Cablevision treated us the same when they did their build out.

Many in our area can not get direct signals from the temporary broadcast tower in Metro NY, the Empire State Building. We could not get it from the World Trade Ctr Tower when it stood either. It is unlikely that we will be able to get it from the Freedom Tower. We are not the flatlands of the mid-west with unobstructed lines of site or the deserts of Arizona without tree cover. Satellite is not always an option for those that live on the side of a ridge or in a heavily wooded area. Metro-NY is edged with the foothills of the Appalachians with it's ridges and valleys and the additional expenses that wiring terrain entails. Apartment/coop/condo dwellers cannot put dishes outside every window.

Cable and FIOS will be the only choice for many.

Finally, as for special perks. Verizon offered in NJ to match and do special perks up until the time that the statewide franchise went into effect. For many towns what did special perks really mean? TV Cameras for broadcasting town meetings or for school programs. Free service to the schools, local government and library. A local town channel -- does FIOS even have a local channel? -- maybe a once in 10 year donation to the ambulance or fire brigades of $50K. This is not a terrible thing and very cheap in the long term.

This current FCC board, doesn't have the best interests of the US or it's citizens in mind, only the best interests of the corporations that pay their lecture fees and and travel expenses to and from those lectures, and the lobbyists who plague the government.