Franchise Agreement
One of the leading telecom companies in the United States, Comcast Corporation, recently renewed their franchise agreement with Somerset County. The company is looking to expand their internet and TV services to hundreds of potential customers in the Deal Island northwestern coastal region.
The expansion came soon after the county government agreed to renew their cable television franchise agreement with the Comcast of Delmarva LLC. Comcast Corporation offers cable service to a major portion of households in the country under a contract, which was effective from January 1998 to January 2015.
The expansion of the cable TV service means that this service will be available to about 280 subscribers in the Deal Island region off the Chesapeake Bay. The agreement notes that the residents, who are within 300 feet of a public right of way, will be eligible to receive this offering from Comcast. However, the company added that the infrastructure developments in certain areas of Deal Island might be a bit slow.
Reports indicate that Comcast is planning to make their cable service available to the addresses on approximately 15 roads or streets on the Deal Island. In addition to that, Comcast’s cable service will also be available to the properties along Teal Lane, Soundside Estates, Edelen Webster, Custom House, Crowell, Crow, Church Lane, School roads, and along the Ballard and Benton Roads.
Xfinity TV Channels
A Deal Island resident, Craig Webster said, “Cable right now, comes to the edge of the bridge that connects Chance and Deal Island. Cable does not go over the Deal Island bridge from Chance. This connects Deal Island to services available a long time in other communities and links the region with a data infrastructure.”
Comcast will have to offer high quality digital audio reception and video reception for both High Definition and standard definition channels according to the renewed franchise agreement. In addition to that, the provider will even have to provide the same for video-on demand services like Netflix.
The five-year deal has granted Comcast Corporation the right to construct, own, maintain, upgrade, and operate their cable systems under, along, and over the public rights of way, which is acquired and preserved by the county. In addition to that, the company can also identify the future cable-related community needs of the region.
