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from: Knox News

AT&T wins over Hamilton County

In advance of the next legislative session, AT&T representatives have been working hard to convince local governments across Tennessee that its statewide video-services franchising proposal won't mean fewer fees and less control for cities and counties.

Consider Hamilton County convinced. The mayor says his concerns have been "cleared up," and the county commission is ready to consider a resolution in support of the bill, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Contrast that with what Chattanooga's mayor told the paper a few weeks back:

Local control is the way to handle cable franchising, and statewide franchising is a "veiled attempt to eliminate competition and reinstate monopoly," Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield said. "I offered them the opportunity to come here even though the power board (EPB) has its own plan. Neither AT&T nor Comcast are above monopolizing the market if they can."

by Andrew Eder on November 15, 2007 at 02:37 PM