0
CABLE Competition Act
1/11/2023, 1:47 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1103
One of the key provisions of the CABLE Competition Act is the elimination of exclusive contracts between cable providers and property owners. These contracts often prevent new providers from entering a market and offering their services to consumers. By removing these exclusivity agreements, the bill aims to increase competition and give consumers more choices when it comes to their cable and internet services.
Additionally, the bill seeks to streamline the process for new providers to access utility poles and other necessary infrastructure in order to expand their services. This is intended to make it easier for new competitors to enter the market and offer consumers more options for their cable and internet needs. Overall, the CABLE Competition Act is aimed at promoting competition in the cable television industry in order to benefit consumers by giving them more choices and potentially lower prices. The bill is currently being debated in Congress and its ultimate fate will depend on the support it receives from lawmakers.
Congressional Summary of HR 1103
Consumer Access to Broadband for Local Economies and Competition Act or the CABLE Competition Act
This bill revises the valuation of a cable system upon its sale or transfer, and it modifies the process for transferring a cable franchise to a person to whom such franchise was not initially granted.
Specifically, the bill requires that after the denial of a franchise renewal or the revocation of a franchise for cause, any subsequent acquisition or transfer must be at fair market value.
Further, the bill prohibits a cable franchising authority from (1) precluding the transfer of a cable franchise from a cable operator to a person to whom such franchise was not initially granted, or (2) requiring a cable operator that was initially granted a franchise to receive approval from the franchising authority for such a transfer. However, a franchising authority is authorized to require a cable operator to notify the authority of such a transfer.
