The cable-franchising processes may have made sense 20 years ago in a monopoly environment, but applying those processes to new entrants is merely protecting consumers from lower prices.

215

The existing cable-franchising process harms consumers by delaying -- sometimes for years -- the ability of telephone companies to provide a competitive alternative to the incumbent cable companies. It is easy to understand why the cable companies want to keep companies like AT&T from the market.

167

At that rate, it would take 65 years to obtain all of the franchise we need in order to complete the initial build portion [of their IPTV rollout]. It is time to remove those barriers to investment and competition.

159

It is important to rescue the people who are working hard to come up with new ideas if we are to have any chance of confronting the big issues in our world.

113