The poles are owned by the power or phone companies. The cable companies pay attachment fees to them for every pole they are on. If they have two attachments like a false dead end and a straight through they pay for both attachments. They also pay for every bump pole they attach a drop on. It also works the other way around if the cable company sets a pole and the other utilities attach to it.
The franchise agreements are where the cable companies get the right to be in the easements, and in some cases the cable company owns the land the cable is run on. One case is where Comcast bought the rights to bore under the Delaware River and put their own pipe through. Comcast figured it was cheaper to buy the rights and put their own crossing in rather than pay the yearly fee to use the conduit path that was on the bridge. They did two 12" bores and ran six 4" conduits across the river. Comcast kept 2 for them self and rented out the other 4. These were rented out even before they had the bores completed. They not only paid for the construction they get yearly fees for them.
The cable companies are not a regulated the same way the a power or phone company is. The power companies have to go before the state utility board and get approval before they can raise their rates, a cable company doesn't. They may go to town hall meetings or county board of supervisors to explain why they are raising rates but they don't have to get their approval to do so.
Back in the 70's the government was trying to have cable companies regulated like other utilities but people did not want them to be regulated because they thought the rates would be too high. So they are not under any regulatory authority. They do have to obey the laws that govern business and FCC regulations but know regulatory boards. That's the major difference.
Re: Why is Charter cutting free service to governm
Member #: 5567
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
3797
Name:
John
Company:
County Gov
Occupation:
Fiber Design, Construction, Maintenance
Location:
Washington DC
Personal:
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