Video franchising gets easier.All companies interested in offering cable services to consumers before 2005 were required to negotiate separate agreements with each city before they could lay cable in the ground or place it along utility poles A utility pole, telegraph pole, telephone pole, power pole, or telegraph post is a post or pole upon which telecommunication network equipment is situated. . In some states these agreements were valid for up to 15 years. In order to establish these agreements, however, the company needed to enter into negotiations with as many as 2,500 or more cities per state. In an effort to streamline this process, the Texas Legislature The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature meets at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. In Texas, the Legislature is considered the most powerful branch of state government because of its aggressive use of the power of the purse to in 2005 approved a cable and video franchise law that permits state-issued agreements. Last year, statewide video franchise bills passed in at least seven other states, including California, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. and South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. . The California Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006 transfers to the state's public utility commission the video franchising authority formerly held by local agencies. Local authorities, however, will continue to oversee customer service, retain limited control over fights-of-ways and will receive a 5 percent franchise fee. The Indiana law requires the state public service commission to be the sole franchising authority for video services in the Hoosier State. Under the law, cable providers are not required to obtain any other separate franchise agreements. The Kansas law requires any company providing cable service or video service after July 1, 2006, to file an application with the State Corporation Commission, which must make regulations governing the state-issued application process. As of press time, statewide video franchising bills are pending in at least one state. A New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of bill provides for state franchise authorizations for video providers to compete with existing cable operators and allows current franchise holders to renegotiate re·ne·go·ti·ate tr.v. re·ne·go·ti·at·ed, re·ne·go·ti·at·ing, re·ne·go·ti·ates 1. To negotiate anew. 2. To revise the terms of (a contract) so as to limit or regain excess profits gained by the contractor. their contracts with municipalities. A number of bills have been introduced in 109th Congress, all of which preempt pre·empt or pre-empt v. pre·empt·ed, pre·empt·ing, pre·empts v.tr. 1. To appropriate, seize, or take for oneself before others. See Synonyms at appropriate. 2. a. state video franchise authority. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion