More than 90 municipally owned power utilities provide cable serv...
More than 90 municipally owned power utilities provide cable services, and at least 108 offer Internet service, thanks to prohibition on exclusive contracts on cable’s video programming, American Public Power Assn. (APPA) said in FCC filing urging Commission to…
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retain and expand ban that’s due to sunset Oct. 5. Were it not for that prohibition, fewer, if any, public telecom systems would be operating, since denial of even handful of “must-have” cable channels could destroy new provider’s ability to compete effectively with incumbent, it said. APPA said general ban didn’t reach exclusive contracts in certain circumstances in which cable operator’s action had “purpose and effect of thwarting competition.” For example, it said, cable operator and program distributor could circumvent curb by delivering programming through terrestrial means rather than by satellite. Allowing prohibition to expire would “seriously jeopardize” competition in more than 2,000 communities in which APPA members serve, it said.