Kentucky Cable Companies Oppose Connected Nation

[Commentary] Connected Nation is coming under increased pressure at its birthplace in Kentucky, with the cable industry and municipal utilities raising opposition to the telecom-based organization and Gov Steven Beshear (D) asking Connect Kentucky (CK) to respond to the municipal organization's concerns about CK. In a remarkable vote on Aug. 19, the Kentucky Cable Telecommunications Association (KCTA) board voted 8-2 not to endorse CK as the state-designated entity to map the state's broadband assets, despite what sources said were three attempts by Connect Kentucky to gain the group's endorsement. Rene True, Connect Kentucky's executive director, asked for the cable group's endorsement, drafting a letter for the group's signature that would be sent to Greg Haskamp, the state official in charge of broadband policy in the Finance and Administration cabinet. The letter, which the cable group declined to sign, would have pledged the cable group's full support for the Connect Kentucky application to be the state's mapping contractor.