Committee approves expansion of Comcast franchise to cover Hampshire Township

The Kane County Development Committee voted Aug. 19 to approve a resolution expanding Comcast of Northern Illinois Inc.’s franchise area to include Hampshire Township, an unserved section in the county’s northwest corner. Christel Toth, staff handling the franchise item, said Comcast already holds franchise territory in nearby Dundee Township and proposed adding Hampshire Township because it has enough clusters of unincorporated homes and subdivisions to justify infrastructure investment. “Of the remaining 2 townships, Burlington and Virgil Township, are very sparsely populated, and there’s great distances between farmhouses,” staff said in explaining Comcast’s choice to focus first on Hampshire. The expansion does not change the county’s existing franchise framework, Toth said; the county continues to receive a 5% franchise fee on the cable-TV portion of service revenues, while providers also offer internet, phone and streaming services that are not subject to the county’s cable franchise fee. County staff and consultant Stu Chapman said the expansion follows standard procedures and will require a board resolution to amend the franchise map. Committee members asked whether the company would extend service to other unserved townships; staff said Comcast analyzed the remaining areas and determined they are not economically attractive for immediate expansion but could be added later. The committee moved the resolution forward; after the county board executes the expansion resolution, Comcast will proceed with service-extension planning and any necessary permits or municipal coordination.