Lowell hearing opens record on possible competitive cable licensing; attorney urges a level playing field

On July 21, 2026, the City of Lowell held a public hearing to accept public comment on whether the city manager should commence an initial licensing process to invite cable companies to apply for nonexclusive licenses to provide cable service in Lowell. Hearing Officer Fernandez opened the record, explained his role in receiving exhibits and testimony for the city manager's review, and noted that notices ran in the local newspaper for two successive weeks.

Attorney August spoke in favor of beginning a competitive licensing process. He told the record the city manager's team has discussed steps to ensure applicants and Comcast are treated equitably and that no applicant would be advantaged, saying, "Choice maximizes consumer welfare." He praised staff, including Moran Fernandez, for identifying relevant factors to structure a level playing field.

The hearing officer said the existing Comcast license will be entered into the record as Exhibit 3 and may be used by applicants as a reference for terms and conditions. The hearing officer also said all materials and exhibits will be forwarded to the city manager, who is the statutory authority to initiate or decline such a licensing process under state law. No speakers opposed the proposed commencement and no vote or formal action was taken at the hearing.

The next step is administrative: the city manager will review the hearing record and exhibits before deciding whether to begin a formal request-for-proposals or application process.