A locality shall not impose through a franchise to provide cable service, whether by negotiation or by ordinance, any facility construction or rights-of-way management requirements on a cable operator that is (i) a certificated provider of telecommunications services that has a franchise to use the public rights-of-way in a locality or (ii) a certificated provider of telecommunications services that lacked prior consent to provide cable service in a locality but provided telecommunications services over facilities leased from an entity having a franchise to use the public rights-of-way in such locality, except that a municipality must meet the requirements of Article 1.1 (§ 15.2-2108.2 et seq.) of this chapter or otherwise be authorized to provide cable service.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 15.2-2108.24

  • Cable operator: means any person or group of persons that (i) provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system or (ii) otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of a cable system. See Virginia Code 15.2-2108.19
  • Cable service: means the one-way transmission to subscribers of (i) video programming or (ii) other programming service, and subscriber interaction, if any, which is required for the selection or use of such video programming or other programming service. See Virginia Code 15.2-2108.19
  • Certificated provider of telecommunications services: means a person holding a certificate issued by the State Corporation Commission to provide local exchange telephone service. See Virginia Code 15.2-2108.19
  • Franchise: means an initial authorization, or renewal thereof, issued by a franchising authority, including a locality or the Commonwealth Transportation Board, whether such authorization is designated as a franchise, permit, license, resolution, contract, certificate, agreement, or otherwise, that authorizes the construction or operation of a cable system, a telecommunications system, or other facility in the public rights-of-way. See Virginia Code 15.2-2108.19
  • Locality: means a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 1-221
  • Ordinance: includes a resolution. See Virginia Code 15.2-2108.19

2006, cc. 73, 76.