RE: Comcast merger FAQs

["Tony Abruzzese" <abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu>]

Dave wrote in response to Garrett regarding multiple Cable Franchise
holders:

> I would probably say Framingham is the exception, not the rule.   While
> it becomes a monopoly when a municipality grants exclusive rights to a
> single company if a municpality can negotiate with more than one company
> for those exclusive rights then the monopoly is eased somewhat and better
> deals can be struck.  In my community there is no alternative, it's
> ATT/Comcast period.    Prior to the mergers there were a number of
> different companies in the area that were involved in talks, they are now
> all under the ATT banner.
> df
>
Well, not in metro Boston. I know that RCN has been in Boston, Brookline, &
Somerville  for the past two-three plus years. I believe that RCN has a
presence
in most, if not all, of the northern/western suburbs inside of Rte 128 and
were
working their way out from Boston. They were supposed to be moving into the
Burlington/Billerica area two years ago (my local PC shop was distributing
brochures
for them) but I never heard a word about progress in Billerica and am not
sure of
the status of RCN's broadband services, if any, in Burlington.

I may have misunderstood, but it was my understanding that the Telecomm Bill
effectively
eliminated the right to, or grant of, exclusivity from future cable service
contract
negotiations.


*********************************************************************
Tony Abruzzese                  e-mail: abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu
Network Administrator                         Biochemistry Department
              Boston University School of Medicine
Telephone:617.638.5092                               Fax:617.638.5339
*********************************************************************
>