Legal - Apartment Complex Wants to Wire Own OTA Network

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ...

Suppose there is this apartment complex which is already wired for cable-tv by the city's local cable company. Now the apartment management has decided that it wants to install a separate cable network strictly for OTA reception, for which they will supply their own antennas and distribution equipment. The existing cable network would remain in place.

?? 1 - Can the apartment complex install their own OTA network and still keep their association with the cable company?

?? 2 - In installing their own OTA network, is the apartment complex under the same set of restrictions as cable-tv in so far as reception of out-of-town network TV stations is concerned?

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[yoda313]

OTA is not restricted in anyway. It is free over the air. That is all that is to it as far as I know.

[Number Six]

The OTA wiring should not be called a network - They are just installing a master antenna and running wire from it to each apartment. This is perfectly legal and is not in conflict with any agreement that the complex has with the cable company. This is actually a very nice thing that the complex is doing for it's tenants - this way you get good reception from OTA without having to be tortured by an indoor system, and they get a very clean installation outside that shouldn't be detrimental to the appearance of the complex.

[bendixG15]

In the good old days before cable .....

All , I should say most, apartment complexes installed a master rooftop antenna and ran a coaxial hookup to each apartment. That was the only way the apartments could connect the TV to an outdoor antenna and not have to rely on crummy "rabbit ears".

So, the good old days are coming back ...

[Xylob the Destroyer]

...This is actually a very nice thing that the complex is doing for it's tenants - this way you get good reception from OTA without having to be tortured by an indoor system, and they get a very clean installation outside that shouldn't be detrimental to the appearance of the complex.

Agreed - it's very considerate of the management.
Rabbit ears = crap.

[SquirrelDip]

I would say it depends on the agreement with the Cable Company. Did that agreement state that only one service may exist?

[Number Six]

SquirrelDip - OTA is not a service, it is free public transmissions - the cable company can not require that no OTA reception will be accessed by anyone. It's like if you buy bottled water from a distributor, ie: DeerPark, they can't tell you that you are not allowed to drink the tap water comming into your house.

[SquirrelDip]

True - but if you were to pipe in that bottled water wouldn't it be a different story?

Each suite can have their own antenna but having a common wire that comes to a plug in your wall may be a different situation. i.e. Even if OTA is free the fact that you've got a wire provided to each suite makes it a service.

Edit:

I really don't know the legalities - I'm just playing devil's advocate in that the Cable Company could argue that the condo complex is providing a service.

Edit 2:

More devil... Say the appartment complex hires cable company XYZ to provide roof antenna and wiring to get OTA to each individual suite. Would this still be okay?

Edit 3:

Internet is free isn't it? The service we pay for is our connection...

[Supreme2k]

The OP and some of you guys (I'm looking at you, SD) are making this WAY more complicated than it needs to be. It's like asking if you need to reach an agreement with the power company if you want to use an extension cord (nbo, not sharing with your neighbors).

I first thought that this would be like an apartment that I rented a while back. the landlord provided free cable with the apartments (4-plex). The thing is, he paid for 1 subscription and split it off to the 4 apartments. they caught him a couple of times, but thought it was the tenants doing it. He finally wised up and had the cable come into the basement and ran the splitter/booster cables from there.


So, bottom line, what yoda said.

[zzyzzx]

1- yes
2 - no

Sounds to me like they are doing a service to their residents in that people who live in the lower level apartments will have access to a communal rooftop antenna and can then dump cable for OTA digital TV and save money.

I always laugh when people don't understand things like what you wrote about, since TV's and DVR's are intended to be used with an antenna connected to an internal tuner to the TV. No extra box required. That's how it worked for decades! Seems as if the cable companies have duped just about everyone into thinking of TV as something that required a monthly fee for reduced picture quality TV, and a special converter box.