Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!texbell!vector!telecom-gateway From: lars@salt.acc.com (Lars J Poulsen) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: LEC Monopoly and Cable TV Message-ID:Date: 11 Aug 89 18:45:46 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Organization: Advanced Computer Communications, Santa Barbara, California Lines: 46 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 291, message 6 of 9 In article nvuxr!deej@bellcore. bellcore.com (David Lewis) writes: >there is also the fact that in the majority of this country, both telcos >and cable companies have exclusive franchises (read: regulated >monopolies) in either the municipality or state. Unfortunately, an exclusive cable franchise does not always imply that the service is regulated. In Santa Barbara, the city and the county both signed exclusive franchise agreements with Cox Cable. The agreement gives exclusive rights to Cox, and sets technical standards for the service while requiring the municipal authority to review rates. Two years into the agreement, the FCC came out with a ruling that disallowed the regulatory oversight if the cable system was not in a monopoly position. The cable company promptly produced a study showing that the average household can receive 6.2 channels off the air, and thus there is no monopoly. At this point, the cable company sets rates without review, and they grant themselves waivers from the technical standards based on economic viability. Public and government access channels and the exclusivity of the franchise are about the only provisions that are upheld. I do not know of ANYONE here who can receive 6 channels off the air. To receive anything other than the local ABC affiliate would require a significant amount of rooftop gear; probably enough that a sattelite dish would be cheaper. The "local" outlets of the major networks are as follows (distances very approximate): 3 - KEYT Santa Barbara ABC - local 6 - KSBY San Luis Obispo NBC - 60 miles 12 - KCOY Santa Maria CBS - 45 miles 28 - KCET Los Angeles PBS - 120 miles 63 - KADY Oxnard Independent (Riklis) - 40 miles I would be happy to see the exclusivity clause go; then I could put up a pair of sattelite dishes and share the signal with my neighbors. I must admit that I am fairly satisfied with the programming that the cable company provides (though I'd like to get them to carry NASA Select during major space missions) but then I don't watch more than about an hour per month total. It just bugs me that they entered into a contract which was then turned on its head. Followups are unlikely to be relevant to be relevant to telecom. / Lars Poulsen (800) 222-7308 or (805) 963-9431 ext 358 ACC Customer Service Affiliation stated for identification only My employer probably would not agree if he knew what I said !!