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8 <br />32. The state’s cable franchising level playing field statute is satisfied because the <br />cable television franchise requires (1) CenturyLink to pay the same franchise fee <br />as Comcast; (2) the same area of coverage as Comcast; and (3) similar, and in <br />some instances greater, public educational and governmental access requirements. <br />See Minn. Stat. § 238.08, subd. 1(b); Staff Report, §§ 7(G), 8(A), and 11(d). <br />33. CenturyLink submitted an application that included a design for a state-of-the-art <br />cable system that is capable or reliably providing a panoply of cable services to <br />subscribers as required by the NSCC’s Competitive Franchising Policies and <br />Procedures. See Staff Report, § 10(3)(b). <br />34. The City has considered the financial, technical, and legal qualifications of <br />CenturyLink. See, e.g., Staff Report, § 10(3). <br />35. CenturyLink has the financial, technical, and legal qualifications to operate a <br />cable communication system in the City. <br />36. A CenturyLink cable television franchise will provide a meaningful, distinct <br />alternative to existing multichannel video programming distributors (including <br />existing cable, direct broadcast satellite and other companies), will result in <br />greater consumer choice, is in the public interest for economic development in the <br />City. See Staff Report, Exhibits 2 and 3. CenturyLink has also promised to <br />provide additional enhancements to PEG offerings to the City. For example, it <br />has agreed in the franchise to provide every PEG channel in HD and to allow the <br />City to share live programming with other cities in the Twin Cities by providing a <br />Twin Cities Metro PEG Interconnect Network. <br />48