THOUSAND OAKS : GTE OKd to Enter Local Cable Market
Federal regulators Tuesday gave GTE permission to jump into the local cable-television market.
The expected and long-awaited ruling had been challenged by the cable industry.
GTE officials have said that construction of their cable-television facility in Ventura County would begin two months after the Federal Communications Commission granted permission.
Tuesday, the FCC said the telecommunications giant can build cable systems in four test markets: parts of Ventura County; Honolulu; Manassas, Va., and Pinellas and Pasco counties in Florida.
The ruling clears the way for AT & T to begin laying cable and constructing a cable-television facility in Ventura County for GTE. GTE earlier this year announced it would pay AT & T $200 million to provide and install cable-television hardware in Ventura County.
GTE hopes to offer a competitive package of television channels, including interactive shopping networks.
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