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o CenturyLink permitted to serve more households than the initial <br />commitment. <br /> Quarterly Meetings. Starting January 1, 2016, CenturyLink must meet <br />with the City [and/or City designee at NSCC] and show to the City’s <br />satisfaction: <br />o Number of households capable of being served and actually <br />served. <br />o Compliance with anti-redlining requirements. <br />o Maps and documentation “showing exactly where within the City <br />the Grantee is currently providing cable service.” <br /> Additional Build-Out Based on Market Success. Starting January 1, 2016, <br />the CenturyLink build-out commitment will increase if its penetration rate <br />is at least 27.5% in the areas that it is offering service. <br />o Example: If CenturyLink is offering service to 60% of a City and <br />CenturyLink has penetration of 30% in that area, then the build-out <br />commitment will increase by 15%, to cover 75% of the City. <br />o Additional build-out commitment continues until all households <br />are served. <br /> Line Extension. No initial mandatory line extension, unless CenturyLink <br />becomes the dominate cable provider. Then the City decides <br />CenturyLink’s build-out schedule, including a density requirement that is <br />the same or similar to Comcast’s density requirement. <br /> <br />The City may consider whether the Initial Minimum Build-Out Commitment of 15% of <br />each member city over two years is reasonable. CenturyLink claimed in its application <br />that it initially would be providing service to a greater portion of the City. During <br />negotiations however, CenturyLink was concerned about having too high a commitment <br />in the franchise ordinance and that cities in Minnesota and elsewhere would use a greater <br />commitment as a new standard. CenturyLink refused to increase the Initial Minimum <br />Build-Out Commitment above 15%. However, the provisions related to Quarterly <br />Meetings and Additional Build-Out Based on Market Success are designed to quicken <br />and increase CenturyLink’s initial Build-Out Commitment. The franchise also has <br />provisions requiring that residents of each member city be included in an equitable initial <br />build commitment and that a significant number of households below the medium income <br />of the city also be included in the initial build-out. CenturyLink must also use its best <br />efforts to complete its initial build faster than two years. <br /> <br />Another issue related to the reasonable build-out is whether the penetration rate triggering <br />additional build-out is reasonable. CenturyLink claims that it needs a penetration rate of <br />27.5% in order to commit to an additional mandatory build in the City. This penetration <br />number is based on internal CenturyLink return on investment models. Given Comcast’s <br />penetration rate in the City is around 40-50%, a penetration rate of 27.5% may be <br />difficult to obtain and, therefore, it is possible that CenturyLink may not be required to <br />build-out more than its initial commitment. <br />