Other TV competitors

[Tivoman44]

The mention of the Charter/TWC acquisition made me think of this.  

In Milwaukee, we can choose between Uverse, TWC or Direct TV or Dish.  Why don't we also have a choice to get Cox, Charter or Comcast (I wouldn't want them, but wouldn't mind having the choice)?  

Any idea when Verizon Fios might be in Milwaukee?

[skier8734]

It's all due to the old cable non-compete clauses that the cities singed with the cable companies way back when.  We will never get Verizon fios as for one we are not in a Verizon landline area and last I heard they weren't building that network out anymore.  Our best hope is to get picked as a google fiber city.

[LoadStar]

I think at this point, there's no reason that we *couldn't* have competition for cable TV providers. Unless I'm mistaken, a couple of years ago, the state took control of cable TV franchises from the local municipalities.

The biggest problem is the cost of doing an overbuild. Just pulling the miles of cable is a barrier to entry by itself, but then they would also have to get pole rights as well.