# Sec. 5A-106. Provision of cable service Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted. ## Sec. 5A-106. Provision of cable service Prince George's County, Md., Code ยง 5A-106 (2026) (a) A franchisee shall construct and operate its system so as to provide service to all parts of its franchise area having a density of at least twenty (20) residences per mile of system. In addition, all areas which reach such density at any time during the franchise term shall be provided service upon reaching the minimum density. (b) Except as federal law may otherwise require, and subject to the minimum density requirement specified above, a franchisee shall, upon request: (1) Extend its trunk and distribution system to any subscriber located within two hundred fifty (250) feet of a main distribution cable located in the public rights-of-way at its standard installation charge, unless the franchisee demonstrates to the County's satisfaction that extraordinary circumstances exist; and (2) Extend its trunk and distribution system to any potential subscriber outside the two hundred fifty (250) foot limit, provided that the franchisee may charge the potential subscriber for the cost of the actual length of the installed drop, or the shortest distance to the point where the franchisee would be required to extend its distribution system, whichever is shorter, except where the franchisee has demonstrated to the County's satisfaction that extraordinary circumstances exist. In areas where the minimum density requirement is not met, or where extraordinary circumstances exist, a franchisee shall, upon request, extend its cable system to a potential subscriber, provided that the subscriber shall pay the additional extension costs. (c) (1) "Additional extension costs" as used above shall mean a subscriber's pro rata share of: a franchisee's total construction costs at the actual density of affected potential subscribers, less the total construction costs that the franchisee would incur if it were extending its system to make service available to the same number of potential subscribers at a density of twenty (20) residences per mile. (2) "Total construction costs" are defined for purposes of this Section as the actual turnkey cost to construct the entire extension including electronics, pole make-ready charges, and labor, but not the cost of the house drop. (d) (1) It is the right of all subscribers in the franchise area to receive all available services from a franchisee, as those services become available, as long as their financial and other obligations to the franchisee are satisfied. (2) A franchisee shall ensure that all subscribers receive continuous uninterrupted service. At the County's request, a franchisee shall, as trustee for its successor in interest, operate its system for a temporary period (the "Transition Period") following the termination, sale, or transfer of its franchise as necessary to maintain service to subscribers, and shall cooperate with the County to assure an orderly transition to another franchisee. (3) During such Transition Period, a franchisee shall not sell any of the system assets, nor make any physical, material, administrative, or operational change that would tend to reduce the quality of service to subscribers, decrease the system's income, or materially increase expenses without the express permission, in writing, of the County. (4) The County may seek legal and/or equitable relief to enforce the provisions of this Section. (5) The Transition Period shall be no longer than the period required to ensure that cable service will be available to subscribers, and shall not be longer than thirty-six (36) months, unless extended by the County for good cause. During the Transition Period, a franchisee will continue to be obligated to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement and applicable laws and regulations. (6) If a franchisee abandons its system during the franchise term, or fails to operate its system in accordance with the terms of its franchise agreement during any Transition Period, the County, at its option, may operate the system, designate another entity to operate the system temporarily until the franchisee restores service under conditions acceptable to the County, or until the franchise is revoked and a new franchisee selected by the County is providing service, or obtain an injunction requiring the franchisee to continue operations. If the County is required to operate or designate another entity to operate the cable system, the franchisee shall reimburse the County or its designee for all costs and damages incurred that are in excess of the revenues from the cable system. (7) A franchisee shall forfeit its rights to notice and hearing, and the Council may, by resolution, declare its franchise immediately terminated, in addition to any other relief or remedies it may have under its franchise agreement, this Subtitle, or other applicable law, if: (A) The franchisee fails to provide cable service in accordance with its franchise over a substantial portion of the franchise area for ninety-six (96) consecutive hours, unless the County authorizes a longer interruption of service or the failure is due to force majeure as characterized in its franchise agreement; or (B) The franchisee, for any period, willfully and without cause refuses to provide cable service in accordance with its franchise over a substantial portion of the franchise area. (8) The franchisee shall provide, without charge within the franchise territory, one service outlet to each fire station, public school building, police station, public library, and other such buildings used for municipal purposes as may be designated by the County; provided, however, that, if it is necessary to extend the franchisee's trunk or feeder lines more than one thousand (1,000) feet solely to provide service to any such school or public building, the County shall have the option either of paying the franchisee's direct costs for the portion in excess of one thousand (1,000) feet, or of releasing the franchisee from the obligation to provide service to such building. Furthermore, the franchisee shall be permitted to recover, from any public building owner entitled to free service, the direct cost of installing, when requested to do so, more than one outlet, or concealed inside wiring, or a service outlet requiring more than two hundred fifty (250) feet of drop cable. (9) No charge shall be made to the County or any board, bureau, or department of the County, or any municipal government for use of the government access channels. (e) (1) The franchisee shall be required to interconnect its cable television system with other cable television systems or other broadband communications facilities located in contiguous communities. Such interconnection shall be made within ninety (90) days of a request made by the Commission. (2) Interconnection of systems shall occur when the County directs and may be done by direct cable connection, microwave link, satellite, or other appropriate method. Interconnection shall be required for origination and access channels that are determined by the franchisee and the County to be technically and economically feasible, unless provided otherwise in agreement. (f) The franchisee shall make every reasonable effort to cooperate with cable television franchise holders in contiguous communities in order to provide cable service in areas within the County but outside the franchisee's service area.