The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to streamline video franchise rules, a ruling that barring a court challenge will help companies like Verizon & AT&T that have invested heavily in fiber technology and are anxious to be able to sign up more customers. The ruling would make it easier for Verizon, AT&T and others to offer video services over their fiber networks by opening up the franchise process to make it more competitive. Some of the problems that were cited include the need for negotiations with local bodies that could be drawn out and include a wide range of unreasonable requirements related to what the local authorities could expect to get. In an FCC press release, the commission found that (he current process presents "an unreasonable barrier to entry that impedes the achievement of the interrelated federal goals of enhanced cable competition and accelerated broadband deployment."
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