Texas Statewide Franchise a Grande Idea

Grande Communications Networks, an established overbuilder, this week took advantage of an exception in a new Texas law that allows current cable competitors with low penetration to rescind their local contracts in favor of statewide licensing. A new Texas telecommunications-competition law does not let incumbents like Time Warner Cable or Charter Communications Inc. apply for a statewide operating authority. The law does, however, include exceptions for nonincumbent operators that serve fewer than 40% of cable homes within their municipal franchises. That exception allows Grande to apply for the state license.
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Haugsted]
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