When AT&T and Comcast went to war in Illinois over cable TV competition, who could have imagined that the winner would be their customers? That’s not how these big lobbying battles usually play out in Springfield. But, glory be, the bill that sailed through the Illinois House 113-0 Friday is that rare legislative accomplishment: It ushers in competition, protects consumers and is fair to both phone and cable companies.
If passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, the new law would allow new entrants into the cable TV market to apply for statewide franchises rather than having to negotiate separate deals with each municipality. Significantly, however, the tougher consumer protections in it would apply to new providers of video service such as AT&T and the existing cable TV industry. Those protections would be the most stringent in the nation and would set Illinois up as the model for other states to follow.
There would be no more waiting around all day for the cable guy to show. All providers of video service, either cable or phone, would have to give a customer a four-hour service window. If a technician doesn’t show up within that time, the customer would get an automatic $25 credit. Customers would be allowed a 60-day trial period for new services and the contract period for video services would be limited to one year.
Municipalities worried that their loss of control over franchise agreements for video services would allow new competitors to cherry-pick only the most affluent neighborhoods and ignore low-income areas. But the build-out provisions in this bill would make that difficult. Competitors would have to wire their service areas more quickly than has been the case in any other state that adopted statewide video franchising. The companies would not be allowed to ignore low-income areas.
AT&T, for example, would be required to wire 35 percent of its service area for video service within three years. Once 15 percent of customers in that market area have signed up for service, AT&T would have to build out 50 percent of its service area within five years. At least 30 percent of that build-out in any one municipality would have to be in low-income areas. In Chicago, it would be 40 percent. The build-out requirements are slightly lower for Verizon and other, smaller competitors. The bill also protects public access TV service and gives towns veto rights over where video service infrastructure is placed.
This is a major accomplishment in a legislative session that has had few of them. And it didn’t just happen. It took weeks of good-faith marathon negotiations and the active and the unflagging commitment of the bill’s House sponsor, Rep. James Brosnahan (D-Oak Lawn) and Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan. House Speaker Michael Madigan also provided important support. We urge the Senate to pass this, so the governor can sign it and Illinois can finally enjoy some competition in cable television.
