FCC Deregulates Cable TV Pricing in Huntington

Cablevision rates for Huntington customers are now exempt from rate regulation.

That was the FCC's conclusion in granting Cablevision's effective competition petition for systems serving those communities. Cablevision cited the launch of Verizon video service there.

Cable operators are subject to rate regulations unless they can affirmatively rebut the presumption that there is not sufficient cable competition--DBS competition does not count--to warrant deregulation.

The FCC Tuesday said that Cablevision had demonstrated that Verizon had launched a comparable service--at least 12 channels of video--in the relevant areas, and intended to build out in a reasonable about of time without obvious obstacles.