Some areas still have both a contract with the local government, and tax breaks and other services provided to them by the local government. This is why the 'open access' arguement is raging fiercly in places like Northern Virginia -- Fox Cable got millions in tax and right of access breaks from the government over the years, but now claims that they own the cable and shouldn't be required to resell access to competitors.
Non-germane to this discussion. Roland Meyers claimed that US cable companies had current, exclusive contracts to provide high speed Internet access. We are waiting for him to come up with quotations from said contracts. It is accepted by all that cable companies have contracts with local municipalities. regards, fletcher