15. No person shall hereafter begin the construction or extension of a CATV system, or begin the operation of a CATV system, or acquire ownership or control thereof, without first obtaining from the board a certificate of approval or franchise issued in accordance with the provisions and procedures specified in P.L.1972, c.186 (C. 48:5A-1 et seq.); except that the director may, by order, rule or regulation, exempt a CATV company from the above requirement in a case in which the CATV company’s temporary acts or operations do not require the issuance of a certificate of approval or a system-wide franchise in the public interest. The issuance of a certificate of approval or a system-wide franchise by the board to a CATV company shall be deemed to confer a franchise upon the CATV company. A telecommunications service provider holding authority, granted prior to the enactment of P.L.2006, c.83 (C. 48:5A-25.1 et al.), to utilize the public rights-of-way to construct, upgrade, operate or maintain a communications network shall not be required to obtain a certificate of authority, system-wide franchise or any other authorization, except for being subject to generally applicable non-discriminatory permit requirements, to construct, upgrade, operate or maintain a communications network capable of providing cable service, and a certificate of authority or a system-wide franchise shall be required only prior to the actual provision of cable service on a commercial basis to the general public.

L.1972,c.186,s.15; amended 2006, c.83, s.11.