Comcast's (Nasdaq: CMCSA) days as the only video provider in Colorado Springs, Colo. are numbered as CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) won a cable franchise to operate in the city this week.
Colorado Springs' City Council approved the franchise agreement in a 5-2 vote on Tuesday following its franchise win in El Paso County, Colo. The service provider is also seeking a franchise agreement in Fountain, Colo.
CenturyLink has set Colorado as one of the first former Qwest markets offer its Prism IPTV service. Earlier this year it said it would bring the service to at least 1-2 Qwest markets this year.
The service provider said it would be able to provide IPTV service to at least 25 percent of the city within three years.
Although CenturyLink thinks they'll be able to drive down prices for video services in the city, not everyone is happy about franchise agreement. One of the council members who voted to not approve the agreement argues the service provider has not given them a clear picture of how they will serve the city's low income areas.
"I'm saying, give me a number, so that I have something to hold you to more than 'significant,'" said Angela Dougan, one of the two council members who voted against the deal.
CenturyLink said they would offer what they said was "substantial" services to all income areas, but would not provide specific targets.
For more:
- The Gazette has this article
- here's FierceCable's take
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