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Originally Posted by KeepingItReal
Sorry but this is not quite correct. I live south of 466A and I have Centurylink but Brighthouse and Comcast are also both available. Comcast has a fiber drop already placed to each new home as does Centurylink but in most cases Brighthouse has to bury a drop to the homes. Centurylink terminals are the taller light green closures, Comcast are shorter and also light green, and Brighthouse terminals are the smallest terminals and are a darker green color. Centurylink is still a regulated company and the others are not. Centurylink bought out Embark which was a smaller company that used to serve this area. Centurylink Prism uses the same bonded pair technology as ATT Uverse and the equipment is almost identical. If the copper facilities are in good condition it will work fine over copper in areas north of 466A. New companies are reluctant to go into older areas already established due to the right of way problems and additional expenses of building a network where the streets, yards, etc. are already established. Then getting enough customers to switch to their service to make it profitable is also a problem and they come out losing money. Directional boring has helped a lot when facilities have to be placed or repaired since you can go under yards, roads, etc. without disturbing them.
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Actually..I am correct. Please read the link below. Cable companies MUST be awarded by municipal franchise and there is under law..one to a customer. The municipal franchise is usually awarded at the lowest level of local government (township or village) but is sometimes awarded on a county-wide basis.
As to why you have the option for both ComCast & Brighthouse in your specific area there are a couple of possibilities. First, since TV is an unincorported community that spans 3 counties and operates with a patchwork of semi-legal CDDs it is possible that there has been some sort of agreement made where both the CDD and the local governing entity (Sumter County?) have granted franchises to competing entities, which is exactly what the Cable Act was designed to eliminate.
Secondly, it is possible that some bright laywer on the payroll of Brighthouse has managed to torture the english language into (at least on paper) making Brighthouse something other than the cable company that it is, thus getting around the municipal franchise law.
In the current situation you are fortunate. But I would think that in your specific area that currently extra available option might not always be available.
FRANCHISE RENEWAL