Cable Franchise In-Kind Contributions Hurt Infrastructure Investment, Phoenix Center Says

The FCC's proposal that cable operators' in-kind contributions be treated as franchise fees and count against the statutory cap will lead to more infrastructure investment by both incumbents and new entrants, Phoenix Center said Wednesday. Those in-kind contribution extractions mean reduced revenue or increased costs of an investment project, reducing incentives to invest, it said. Localities have been critical of the in-kind contributions Further NPRM (see 1811150027 and 1811280048).