In One of Last Votes, Clyburn Concurs With FCC Order Upholding Comcast Effective Competition
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn concurred with the FCC upholding Comcast getting basic-cable rate deregulation over a Minnesota franchise authority's objections, in perhaps one of her last votes at the agency, given she's leaving before May 10 (see 1804170056). Commissioners Wednesday denied…
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North Metro Telecommunications Commission's application for review of the Media Bureau granting the cable operator relief in six communities like Centerville, Ham Lake and Spring Lake Park. The local authority contended the company didn't sufficiently prove more than 15 percent of franchise-area households buy TV service from rivals. "We affirm the conclusion in the Order that Comcast is subject to effective competition because it has satisfied both elements of the competing provider test for effective competition in the Communities," including that threshold, said the new ruling. Clyburn didn't provide a statement about her concurrence, an aide confirmed. In the 2015 3-2 order making effective competition a rebuttable presumption for all cable, Clyburn dissented on everything other than rule changes for small operators. “I cannot support relief to larger providers particularly when doing so could harm consumers and unnecessarily increases the burdens on our local franchising authorities,” Clyburn said then. North Metro didn't comment now.