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binding on Carolina Cable. The franchise agreement with <br />Carolina Cable incorporated the then-existing ordinances. <br />The acceptance of that agreement does not subject the <br />grantee to other ordinances subsequently passed by the <br />County, and as previously explained, the County does not <br />have the general authority to control cable television <br />through legislation. The County's authority is derived <br />from the franchise. <br />III. <br />The County Can Grant The Same <br />Franchise Rights And Obligations <br />To Others, But All Grantees <br />Must Be Treated Equally <br />The franchise held by Carolina Cable is a nonexclusive <br />franchise. The County made no promise not to grant the <br />same rights to other companies to do business in the <br />county. However, through its ordinances and the initial <br />franchise, the County has established terms and conditions <br />for providing cable television service in Orange County. <br />By law, governmental privileges and obligations must be <br />applied equally. Any new cable operator must be required <br />to meet those same obligations imposed by the County on <br />Carolina Cable. The County may not use its power to give <br />one company a competitive advantage over another company <br />by imposing different standards of service for the two <br />companies or by imposing requirements on only one company <br />that increase the costs for that company of providing <br />service. <br />- 5 - <br />