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Resolution authorizing the City of Pittsburgh to enter into a cable franchise agreement and certain subsidiary agreements for other services arising from the cable franchise agreement with Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC.
(Public Hearing held 12-6-21)
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WHEREAS, pursuant to Title VI of the Communications Act, including the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and Pennsylvania law, the City of Pittsburgh ("City") is authorized to grant and renew franchises to construct, operate and maintain a cable system utilizing public rights-of-way and properties within the City's jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC ("Comcast") currently holds a cable franchise from the City by virtue of a cable franchise agreement originally granting a franchise to Comcast of California/Pennsylvania/Utah/Washington, Inc., and such franchise agreement has expired; and
WHEREAS, Comcast has requested that the City renew its franchise to maintain, construct, operate and upgrade its cable system over, under, and along the aforesaid public rights-of-way for use by the City's residents; and
WHEREAS, the aforesaid public rights-of-way used by Comcast are public properties held in trust on behalf of the citizens of the City and the right to use said rights-of-way is a valuable property right; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to protect and manage the aforesaid rights-of-way, establish standards of customer service, oversee a technologically advanced cable system, maintain an institutional network, receive franchise fees for Comcast's use of the City's rights-of-way as provided by federal law, retain the use of public, educational and governmental (PEG) channels, establish certain reporting requirements, provide legal protections for the City, and meet the ...
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