6/12/2007 CABLE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Minutes

Home Browse Search

Of mas.hpee Offcce of amen 16 Great JVeck load North all 1Xlashpee, l�IassacYiusetts 02649 `lelep7ione - f508) 639-1400 ax.- (508) 539-1403 May 21,2007 Andrea Nixon Clerk, Cable Television Division Department of Telecommunicanons and EnergyOne South station Boston,"MA 02111 Dear Ms.'Nixon: The Town of Mashpee, would like to register its strong opposition to Verizon's March 16, 2006". rulemaking.petition filed with the Cable Division of the Deparhuant of Telecommunicahbns and Energy. Verizon's pe on proposes extremely unreasonable new Hilesfor initial cable licensing. The proposed rules;would require a municipality to hold a public hearing on an mitral cable television license application within 60 days of the application filing, and would require only 3,0 days Froin the time of the public hearing for the municipality to approve or disapprove the"application, and issue the. actual license in case of approval. As most local officials will tell you, itis impossible to conclude a properjnnitial license application review,negotiation,"license drafting and issuance within 30 days of the public heanug.,Such an initial licensing time frame.would be untenable in the best of circumstances, and is particularly untenable now•_ in light of the mauy;questionS of first impression and complex issues raised by the non-standard terms and conditions commonly reported to be included in Verizon-proposed cable licenses: As you know frOmRCNs initial licensing experience, cable operators willing to negotiate customary and . standard cable licenses,enjoy reasonable and fast municipal licensing. The existing license,timetables have worked well for decades. They should not;be changed at the behest of a single proponent.Note that Congress contemplated and provided for a three-year renewal process when it more comprehensively and carefully set forth cable licensing rules,in the 1984 Cable Act. This framework worked well for decades and there is no rational basis for casting aside the time tested licensing roles and replacing them with radically abbreviated rules. Ivlum'ipal:officials who are responsible for implementing licensing and who are accountable fo'the public are'in opposition to these proposed rules. Municipal officials are concerned that under.the proposed rales, our communityand cities and towns across the state will be boxed into an untenable 30 day post-hearing licensingprocess; and will lose;the ability to properly review and negotiate Verizon cable proposals. This is not even close to what is.reasonably needed fora fait and reasonable licensing process: The Massachusetts Cable Division should rejectthe�Veiizon petition and allow localo%cials to continue serving their constituents as they have been doing for decades.