Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 1 of 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 David B. Rosenbaum, 009819 Mary R. O’Grady, 011434 Eric M. Fraser, 027241 Grace E. Rebling, 028661 OSBORN MALEDON, P.A. 2929 North Central Avenue 21st Floor Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2793 (602) 640-9000 drosenbaum@omlaw.com mogrady@omlaw.com efraser@omlaw.com grebling@omlaw.com 13 Christopher J. Harvie (pro hac vice application to be filed) MINTZ LEVIN COHN FERRIS GLOVSKY AND POPEO 701 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Suite 900 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 434-7377 CJHarvie@mintz.com 14 Attorneys for Cox Communications Arizona, LLC 10 11 12 15 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 16 FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 17 18 Cox Communications Arizona, LLC, No. Plaintiff, 19 20 21 22 23 vs. COMPLAINT City of Tempe, an Arizona Municipal Corporation; Mark W. Mitchell, in his official capacity as Mayor of the City of Tempe; (Declaratory and Injunctive Relief) Defendants. 24 Plaintiff Cox Communications Arizona, LLC (“Cox”) states its Complaint 25 against Defendants City of Tempe and Mayor Mark W. Mitchell in his official capacity 26 and alleges as follows: 27 28 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 2 of 19 NATURE OF THE ACTION 1 2 1. This lawsuit challenges the City of Tempe’s recently-enacted regulatory 3 regime that violates the uniform national framework established by the Cable 4 Communications Policy Act for regulation of cable television service. As set forth 5 below, the City has violated Federal law in a manner that directly harms Cox by 6 establishing a discriminatory regulatory framework. The City’s regulatory framework 7 imposes substantial statutory and regulatory obligations on providers of video services 8 that the City deems to be cable operators (such as Cox). The City exempts from such 9 rules and obligations providers of video services that the City deems not to be cable 10 operators (such as Google Fiber). Legally, however, Google Fiber’s proposed video 11 offering is indistinguishable from Cox’s cable service offering. The City therefore has 12 no authority or discretion under federal law to exempt Google from franchising and 13 other obligations applicable to cable operators. 14 2. Wireline providers of video programming to the public require authority 15 from the City in order to deploy their distribution facilities in the public rights-of-way. 16 Such licenses are often referred to as a “franchise” or “franchise agreement.” Federal 17 law requires a company to obtain a cable television franchise in order to distribute video 18 programming to the public in a manner that meets the definitions of providing “cable 19 service” over a “cable system.” Although state and local authorities may negotiate 20 franchises (called a “license” in Arizona) that vary from cable operator to cable operator 21 within the bounds of the federal Cable Act, they are not free to alter the scope or 22 applicability of the licensing scheme—or the cable television regulatory regime as a 23 whole—by exempting from its requirements a provider that meets the definition of a 24 “cable operator” providing “cable service” under the federal law. Tempe has violated 25 federal law because while both Cox and Google Fiber provide “cable service” over a 26 “cable system,” only Cox is subject to regulation as a cable operator. Federal law does 27 not permit such a result. 28 2 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 3 of 19 1 3. In December 2014, the City of Tempe amended its City Code by creating 2 a new category of license for “video services providers.” As required by state and 3 federal law, Tempe had long regulated cable operators, and its amendments retained that 4 classification. The recent amendments, in concert with a license granted by the City in 5 July 2015, purport to exempt Google Fiber from various rules and obligations that apply 6 specifically to cable operators. These requirements for cable operators are well 7 established under state and federal law. The July 2015 license expressly declares that 8 Google Fiber is not a cable operator, notwithstanding the absence of any factual basis or 9 legal authority for the City to make such a determination. 10 4. Tempe’s bald assertion that Google Fiber is not a cable operator is 11 incorrect. And based on this incorrect assertion, Tempe’s regulatory scheme allows 12 Google Fiber to provide video programming service to subscribers in Tempe under 13 terms and conditions that are far more favorable and far less burdensome than those 14 applicable to Cox and other cable operators, even though Cox and Google Fiber offer 15 video services that are legally indistinguishable. Some of the requirements that Tempe 16 purports to bypass are imposed on cable operators under state or local law, while others 17 are imposed by the comprehensive federal Cable Act. 18 5. The City’s decision to free Google Fiber from cable franchising and 19 regulatory requirements contravenes the Federal regulatory framework for cable 20 television established by Congress, grants Google Fiber an unfair competitive advantage 21 over existing cable operators, and deprives Tempe residents of the safeguards and 22 benefits of the national framework established for regulation of cable operators. As a 23 result, Tempe’s regulatory scheme now violates and is preempted by the federal Cable 24 Act because Tempe’s regulatory scheme conflicts with that federal law, violates equal 25 protection and due process by irrationally treating similarly situated service providers 26 differently, and violates state law by creating a new category of license not authorized 27 by law. Through this action, Cox seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to remedy 28 these violations of law. 3 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 4 of 19 PARTIES, JURISDICTION, AND VENUE 1 6. 2 3 Maricopa County, Arizona. 7. 4 5 8. Defendant Mayor Mark W. Mitchell of the City of Tempe is named in his official capacity only. 9. 8 9 Defendant City of Tempe is an Arizona municipal corporation in Maricopa County, Arizona. 6 7 Cox is a Delaware limited liability company authorized to do business in This Court has jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate this Complaint and to grant the requested relief by virtue of 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1367, and Title VI (“Cable 10 Communications”) of the federal Communications Act, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 521 11 et seq. This is an action for declaratory and equitable relief under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201 - 12 2202. 13 14 10. Defendants reside in Maricopa County, Arizona, and the claims arose here. ALLEGATIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL CLAIMS 15 16 Venue is proper in this District pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b), as the 11. For a full understanding of how Tempe’s actions have created an unlawful 17 regulatory regime, it is important to understand (a) the manner in which cable operators 18 have been licensed historically, (b) Cox’s history in Tempe, (c) Tempe’s creation of two 19 different regulatory regimes for entities that are providing cable service, and (d) the 20 harm caused Cox by Tempe’s actions. 21 Cable Licensing Under the Federal Communications Act and State Law 22 12. Cable operators use cable systems to provide video programming. They 23 transmit various kinds of signals, including local broadcast stations, national non- 24 broadcast programming services (e.g., Discovery, CNN, and ESPN), premium 25 entertainment channels (e.g., HBO and Showtime), and on-demand and pay-per-view 26 offerings. Because of the programming provided, cable operators engage in 27 constitutionally protected speech. 28 4 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 5 of 19 1 13. Cable operators cannot provide service without using public rights-of-way 2 to deploy their underground and aerial cable plant. Almost fifty years ago, when Cox 3 and a series of predecessors first began providing cable services to Tempe, they did so 4 pursuant to permission from the city in the form of a cable television license. 5 Municipalities often used their ability to withhold such permission to extract cable 6 operators’ agreement to various regulatory obligations relating to, among other things, 7 public-access channels (“PEG channels”) and license fees. 8 9 14. In 1984, the United States Congress added Title VI (the “Cable Act”) to the Federal Communications Act to regulate the cable-franchising process. 47 U.S.C. 10 § 521 et seq. Congress’s goal was to “establish a national policy concerning cable 11 communications” under which local governments would operate within uniform federal 12 standards. 47 U.S.C. §§ 521(1), (3). These statutes ensure that cable services are 13 available to the public, encourage diverse services, promote competition, and minimize 14 unnecessary regulatory burdens. Id. at (4), (6). The federal Cable Act establishes a 15 uniform regulatory framework for cable service and requires State and local adherence 16 to that framework. 17 15. The Cable Act affirmed local authorities’ right to grant franchises. It 18 provided that a “cable operator may not provide cable service without a franchise.” 47 19 U.S.C. § 541(b). Local authorities, however, were allowed to exercise their powers 20 only in accordance with the federal framework. 21 16. Under the Cable Act, 47 U.S.C. § 541, any entity providing cable service 22 over a cable system is a cable operator and must obtain a cable franchise and comply 23 with applicable legal requirements imposed upon all cable operators. 24 17. Cable service is defined as “(A) the one-way transmission to subscribers 25 of (i) video programming, or (ii) other programming service, and (B) subscriber 26 interaction, if any, which is required for the selection or use of such video programming 27 or other programming service.” 47 U.S.C. § 522(6). Nothing in the statutory definition 28 of “cable service” excludes linear internet protocol (“IP”) video service. An entity that 5 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 6 of 19 1 engages in the one-way transmission of linear video programming channels to 2 subscribers is engaged in the provision of cable service, regardless of whether such 3 channels are transmitted in IP format, as radio frequency signals, or in some other 4 fashion. Further, the fact that subscriber interaction may be involved in the selection of 5 such channels is irrelevant to whether the service being offered is a cable service 6 because the Cable Act specifically includes such interaction in the definition of “cable 7 service.” 8 9 18. A cable system is a “a facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is 10 designed to provide cable service which includes video programming and which is 11 provided to multiple subscribers within a community. . . .” 47 U.S.C. § 522(7). To the 12 extent a cable operator uses “a set of closed transmission paths” to provide cable 13 service, such as providing IP video programming over fiber optic cable, its facility 14 meets this definition of cable system. 15 19. “Cable operator” means “any person or group of persons (A) who 16 provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates 17 owns a significant interest in such cable system, or (B) who otherwise controls or is 18 responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of such a 19 cable system.” 47 U.S.C. § 522(5). Any entity that delivers cable services via IP is a 20 cable operator to the extent it delivers those services as managed video services over its 21 own facilities. 22 20. The Cable Act and its implementing regulations are designed to advance 23 pro-competitive, consumer-focused policy goals. To this end, cable operators must 24 comply with numerous requirements under the Cable Act and its rules, including a 25 number of customer service standards and local television carriage requirements 26 promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). The customer 27 service standards address, among other things, telephone response times, installation 28 time frames, and requirements that cable operators communicate with their customers, 6 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 7 of 19 1 and local franchising authorities, about the services provided, when changes in the 2 services or rates occur, and what is contained on a subscriber’s bill. E.g., 47 C.F.R. 3 §§ 76.309, 76.1602, 76.1603, § 76.1619. Local television carriage rules establish the 4 right for all local full-power television stations to demand carriage on the local cable 5 system, and cable operators’ obligations to adhere to certain network and syndicated 6 programming blackout rules protect the localism of such stations. 7 21. Cable operators must also comply with the Cable Act’s privacy 8 requirements that govern the collection and use of personally identifiable information 9 by subscribers. 47 U.S.C. § 551. The Cable Act sets forth privacy safeguards for cable 10 operators and remedies that an aggrieved subscriber may pursue to address potential 11 violations of those requirements. 12 22. Federal regulations require cable operators to participate in the Emergency 13 Alert System (“EAS”) by providing communications capabilities that enable the 14 President to address the public in the event of a national emergency. EAS participants 15 also must transmit state and local EAS alerts—that may warn subscribers of dangerous 16 weather conditions, missing children and seniors, and other potential life-threatening 17 events—originated by governors or their designees using the Common Alerting 18 Protocol standard. The regulations include extensive requirements to test the EAS 19 equipment and maintain logs of the test events, and a cable operator can be sanctioned 20 for failing to comply with these regulations. 47 C.F.R. § 11.1, et seq. 21 23. Federal law also requires cable operators to dedicate a portion of their 22 channel space to allow persons unaffiliated with the cable operator to lease channel 23 capacity on a cable system, according to a prescribed rate calculation, in order to air 24 their own programming. 47 U.S.C. § 532. These leased access requirements are 25 designed to ensure networks are open to diverse voices . 26 24. The federal Cable Act allows cable operators to install their cable system 27 transmission facilities and other equipment in public rights-of-way and “easements … 28 which have been dedicated to compatible uses… ” 47 U.S.C. § 541(a)(1). This 7 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 8 of 19 1 provision allows cable operators to use public utility easements located on private 2 property not under the government’s jurisdiction. Federal law requires cable operators 3 using such property to ensure the safety of the installation, to absorb the cost of the 4 construction, and to reimburse the owner for any damage. 47 U.S.C. § 541(a)(2). 5 25. A variety of other statutory and regulatory requirements apply to cable 6 operators, including rules governing the exchange of inside wiring, signal leakage rules 7 to ensure aeronautical frequencies are not compromised, various subscriber notification 8 provisions and restrictions on negative option billing, record-keeping and public file 9 requirements, technical standards and performance requirements, and tiering and buy- 10 11 through rules. 26. As noted above, a local government must exercise its regulatory activities 12 within the parameters authorized by the Cable Act. The Cable Act anticipated and 13 preserved state regulation of cable systems, so long as such state regulation is consistent 14 with the provisions of the Cable Act. 15 27. Consistent with the directives in federal law, the State of Arizona enacted 16 statutes regarding local governments’ authority to regulate cable operators in the state. 17 A.R.S. § 9-505, et seq. Arizona’s state act adopts definitions of “cable operator,” “cable 18 service,” and “cable television system” modeled after and substantively similar to the 19 federal definitions under the Cable Act. 20 28. Arizona’s comprehensive statutes establish requirements regarding the 21 licensing fees that can be charged and the additional obligations, such as public, 22 education or government access channels, that can be required of cable operators. 23 29. Under state law, a provider must have a cable license issued by a city, 24 town or county (for unincorporated areas) before constructing a new cable television 25 system in the relevant jurisdiction. 26 27 30. These state and federal requirements apply uniformly to all cable operators. Nothing in the federal Cable Act or state law authorizes a local government 28 8 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 9 of 19 1 to by-pass these laws by assigning a different label or regulatory scheme to a service 2 provider that provides cable service over a cable system. Cox Service in Tempe 3 31. 4 5 Since 1975, Cox and a series of predecessors, including Cox Communications Phoenix, Inc., have provided cable services to Tempe. 32. 6 As a cable operator, Cox is subject to all of the requirements of the Cable 7 Act discussed above and, throughout the years, Tempe has treated Cox as a cable 8 operator. 33. 9 Chapter 10 of Tempe’s City Code provides the framework for Tempe’s 10 regulation of cable operators within the City, consistent with state and federal legal 11 requirements. 34. 12 Currently, Cox provides cable services in Tempe pursuant to a cable 13 license effective June 30, 2007. Contract No. C97-92(D) is attached hereto as Exhibit 14 A. 15 35. Cox provides cable service and broadband service to Tempe residents 16 over its cable system. Under its existing license, Cox has the right to be in the public 17 rights-of-way to provide cable service and, pursuant to federal law, Cox is authorized to 18 build and provide broadband service on top of its cable services. 19 36. Cox has recently been expanding gigabit-speed broadband services, which 20 are not cable services, to communities in Arizona. As part of this effort, Cox has been 21 seeking to provide gigabit-speed broadband service to Tempe residents. 22 37. In order to efficiently provide gigabit-speed broadband service in Tempe, 23 Cox needs Tempe’s permission to conduct limited aerial construction, i.e., to install 24 cables and equipment on poles rather than lay cables underground. 25 38. Tempe’s ordinance and the cable license include restrictions on aerial 26 construction. The preference for underground construction in Tempe increases the cost 27 of providing service but has traditionally been an important policy priority for Tempe. 28 9 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 10 of 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 39. For ten months, Tempe refused to grant necessary permissions to Cox for that aerial construction. 40. Consequently, Cox’s plans to provide for gigabit-speed broadband service in Tempe have been significantly delayed. Tempe City Ordinance No. 02014.74 and Resolution No. R2015.75 41. While Cox was attempting to work with the City of Tempe to provide 7 gigabit-speed broadband service to Tempe, the City was creating new regulations that 8 would enable Google and presumably others to bypass the state and federal laws that 9 apply to Cox and other cable operators. 10 42. In December 2014, by Ordinance No. 02014.74, the City of Tempe made 11 substantial amendments to Chapter 10 of its City Code. While the amendments created 12 a new category of communications service called “video services,” they also retained 13 the existing “cable operator” classification. In several places, the amendments to 14 Chapter 10 imposed separate, specific obligations on “cable operators” or “cable 15 operator licensees.” 16 43. Neither federal nor state law authorizes the City to establish two different 17 regulatory regimes for entities that are providing cable service over a cable system. 18 Under the uniform national framework established by Congress, any such entity should 19 be treated as a cable operator subject to a cable franchise. 20 44. Tempe’s 2014 amendments to Chapter 10 define “video services” as “the 21 provision of video programming without regard to delivery technology, including 22 internet protocol technology, whether provided as part of a tier, on demand, or a per 23 channel basis.” Tempe City Code § 10-1(42). “Video programming” is programming 24 “that is provided by, or generally comparable to programming provided by a broadcast 25 television station or programming network.” Id. § 10-1(41). These services are 26 available to subscribers. Id. § 10-1(37). A “video services provider” is “any entity that 27 distributes video services through a video services system pursuant to a video services 28 system license.” Id. § 10-1(43). 10 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 11 of 19 1 45. All cable operators are also video service operators under the ordinance, 2 but not all video service licensees appear to be cable operators subject to the specific 3 obligations on cable operators. 4 46. Some regulatory requirements of the ordinance apply to all licensees, and 5 some apply only to cable operators. The provisions that apply only to cable operators 6 are generally those drawn from federal requirements. See, e.g., id. §§10-57 (service 7 standards); 10-60(b) (consumer information requirements); 10-61 (billing practices); 16- 8 62 (disconnection and termination of cable services). 9 47. Within eight months of inventing this discriminatory regulatory scheme, 10 the Tempe City Council considered and approved its first license application for a 11 “video services provider.” 12 48. On information and belief, the first applicant for a video services provider 13 license in Tempe was Google Fiber Arizona, LLC. In its application, Google Fiber 14 described its services as “build[ing] and/or operat[ing] a fiber optic network and 15 associated equipment to provide broadband and video services.” Google Fiber 16 Application § 2, attached hereto as Exhibit B. Google Fiber proposed to use 17 underground or aerial fiber optic cables to provide these services. Id. § 3(A)(ii). 18 49. At its July 30, 2015 meeting, the Tempe City Council adopted Resolution 19 No. R2015.75 that authorized the Mayor to execute a “License for a Video Services 20 System and Right-of-Way Use Agreement” with Google Fiber Arizona, LLC (the 21 “Google Fiber License”), attached hereto as Exhibit C. 22 50. Tempe agreed to waive certain standard City requirements, including the 23 requirement for underground construction to accommodate Google Fiber. The 24 resolutions approving the Google Fiber License and waiving certain undergrounding 25 and other requirements for Google Fiber are attached as Exhibit D. 26 27 51. The Google Fiber License granted by the City purports to specifically exempt Google Fiber from compliance with the federal Cable Act by declaring that 28 11 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 12 of 19 1 Google Fiber “is not a ‘cable operator’ and does not operate a ‘cable system’ under the 2 federal Cable Act.” 3 52. The video service that Google Fiber is proposing to provide in Tempe is, 4 however, a “cable service” under federal law. The City articulated no legally 5 cognizable rationale for reaching the conclusion that Google Fiber would not be 6 offering cable service. The FCC has specifically stated that “merely using IP to deliver 7 cable service does not alter the classification of a facility as a cable system or of an 8 entity as a cable operator.. . [T]o the extent an operator may provide video programming 9 services over its own facilities using IP delivery within its footprint it remains subject to 10 regulation as a cable operator.” Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Promoting Innovation 11 and Competition in the Provision of Multichannel Video Programming Distribution 12 Services, 80 Fed. Reg. 2078 (Jan. 15, 2015). 13 53. On information and belief, Google Fiber intends to engage in the 14 transmission of a variety of prescheduled, linear video programming channels via a 15 closed transmission path. These channels flow only “one way,” from the Google Fiber 16 network facilities to subscribers. Google Fiber will therefore be offering cable service 17 over a cable system in Tempe, and it must be classified as a cable operator subject to 18 cable franchising and other applicable federal and state obligations. 19 54. Google Fiber’s proposed video offering will include the same types of 20 programming channels furnished by cable operators, such as local broadcast stations, 21 satellite-delivered cable programming channels, premium entertainment and movie 22 channels and on-demand offerings. The vast bulk of channels provided by Google Fiber 23 in other markets where it already offers video service—and which are expected to be 24 available in Tempe—are also furnished by “traditional” cable operators such as Cox to 25 their subscribers in a fashion that is materially indistinguishable from the manner in 26 which they will be furnished to customers by Google Fiber. 27 28 12 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 13 of 19 55. 1 Under the terms of the Google Fiber License, Google Fiber is not subject 2 to the same regulatory regime as Cox and other cable operators despite the fact that 3 Google Fiber will also offer a cable service over a cable system under the Cable Act. 56. 4 For example, under the terms of the Google Fiber License, a number of 5 consumer protections, such as service standards, consumer information, and billing 6 requirements would not apply to Google Fiber, although they apply to all cable 7 operators. Indeed, the Google Fiber License imposes no obligation on Google Fiber to 8 comply with the FCC standards regarding customer service, including response times, 9 installation timeframes, and requirements regarding communication with customers and 10 local authorities about the services provided, and when changes in services or rates 11 occur. 12 57. Under the terms of the Google Fiber License, Google Fiber will not have a 13 legal obligation to comply with federal EAS regulations. Although the Google Fiber 14 License requires Google Fiber to “comply with all applicable federal and state laws and 15 regulations regarding emergency alert messaging,” under the Google Fiber License the 16 EAS regulations may not apply because the Google Fiber License declares that Google 17 Fiber is not a cable operator. In addition, while Cox is categorically required to “all 18 times comply with the Federal Emergency Alert System standards, the Google License 19 only requires adherence to regulations governing “emergency alert messaging.” There 20 are a number of EAS rules and obligations related to equipment, protocols, testing, 21 monitoring, and record-keeping that the City and/or Google Fiber may consider beyond 22 the scope of rules governing “messaging.” 23 58. The City of Tempe is allowing Google Fiber to enter the video market in a 24 manner that jettisons the uniform national framework established by Congress for 25 regulation of providers of cable service. The City has unlawfully departed from this 26 framework by establishing a separate regime for Google Fiber that permits it to come 27 into the market pursuant to regulatory requirements and franchise terms that are far 28 more favorable than those applicable to Cox or other cable operators. 13 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 14 of 19 1 59. In addition to impermissibly attempting to exempt Google Fiber from the 2 important statutory and regulatory obligations mentioned above, the Google Fiber 3 License lacks several locally-imposed provisions that provide important protections for, 4 and obligations to, the public including, but not limited to, line extension obligations. 5 The Google Fiber License permits Google Fiber to determine “at its sole discretion” the 6 areas of the City where its video service will and will not be deployed. By contrast, the 7 City requires Cox and other cable providers to comply with provisions governing line 8 extensions and service availability: “An incumbent cable operator licensee shall at its 9 sole expense extend cable service to any single family residence or dwelling unit within 10 the city” if located in an area that meets or exceeds a minimum density threshold. 11 Tempe City Code § 10-37. Before the amendments to Chapter 10, the provisions 12 governing line extensions and service availability applied to all licensees. 13 60. The Google Fiber License also would diminish other key public 14 protections by imposing less stringent obligations than the City has imposed on Cox. 15 These include, but are not limited to, provisions relating to: indemnification, insurance, 16 customer service requirements , the effect of subsequent change in law enacted by City 17 or under State or Federal law, compliance with undergrounding facilities provisions in 18 local ordinance, removal of facilities upon termination of video service, retention of 19 regulatory authority over non-cable services, liability for liquidated damages for certain 20 breaches of the license agreement, city liability for damages caused by its emergency 21 removal or relocation of facilities, and certification of the absence of commercially 22 impracticable terms. 23 61. While State and local authorities may negotiate franchises that vary from 24 cable operator to cable operator, within the bounds of the Federal Cable Act, they are 25 not free to alter the scope or applicability of the franchising scheme—or the cable 26 television regulatory regime as a whole—by exempting from its requirements a provider 27 that meets the definitions of a “cable operator” providing “cable service” under the 28 Federal law. 14 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 15 of 19 1 62. The City has unlawfully established two different regulatory frameworks 2 for providers that provide cable service: a framework for Cox and other “cable operator 3 licensees” and a framework for Google Fiber, which the City erroneously considers to 4 be functionally and legally different from a cable operator. Harm 5 6 63. The City’s actions confer a unique benefit to Google Fiber not enjoyed by 7 similarly situated competitors such as Cox. The City’s factually erroneous and legally 8 impermissible decision that Google Fiber’s proposed video offering is not a “cable 9 service” delivered over a “cable system” and that Google Fiber is thereby exempt from 10 federal cable franchising requirements applicable to Cox permits Google Fiber to 11 compete against Cox in an unlawful manner that violates and is preempted by federal 12 and state law. 13 64. Tempe’s unlawful and discriminatory regulatory regime was not tailored 14 to any legitimate (or compelling) government purpose. The end result of the City’s 15 unlawful and discriminatory regulatory regime is to harm incumbent cable franchisees 16 such as Cox by subjecting them to franchise terms and conditions that are more 17 burdensome and less favorable, despite the fact that Google Fiber offers a video service 18 that is legally indistinguishable from that offered by Cox. 19 65. Tempe has no authority under applicable law to declare Google Fiber 20 exempt from the requirements of the federal Cable Act. The unfair, discriminatory, and 21 illegal regulatory scheme in Tempe places Cox at an unlawful competitive disadvantage 22 with Google Fiber and impermissibly departs from the uniform national framework 23 established by Congress for regulation of cable television service. Count 1 (Declaratory Relief: Preemption and Violation of Federal Law) 24 25 26 66. The paragraphs above are incorporated herein. 27 28 15 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 16 of 19 1 67. Federal law expressly provides that any entity providing cable service 2 over a cable system is a cable operator that must obtain a cable franchise and comply 3 with applicable legal requirements imposed on all cable operators. 4 5 6 68. The video service Google Fiber is proposing to provide in Tempe is a “cable service” under federal law. 69. Notwithstanding that Google Fiber is a “cable service,” the City of Tempe 7 has authorized a “License for a Video Services System and Right-of-Way Use 8 Agreement” with Google Fiber that exempts Google Fiber from compliance with the 9 federal Cable Act and state law. 10 70. The federal Cable Act sets forth a uniform, national regulatory framework 11 for providers of “cable service” and defines that term to include Google Fiber’s video 12 offering. The City of Tempe’s declaration that Google Fiber is not a “cable operator” 13 provide “cable service” and is therefore exempt from franchising obligations and 14 regulatory requirements applicable to Cox enables Google Fiber to compete against Cox 15 in an unlawful manner that violates, and is preempted by, Federal law. 47 U.S.C. 16 §§ 522(6), 556(c). The City’s action is therefore preempted and superseded by the 17 Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. 18 71. Tempe has injured Cox by failing to require Google Fiber to comply with 19 federal law, including but not limited to the obligation to obtain a cable license, while at 20 the same time requiring Cox to comply with all federal requirements. 21 72. Plaintiff seeks a declaration that the City of Tempe’s failure to license 22 Google Fiber as a cable operator violates and is preempted by the federal Cable Act 23 because Google Fiber is a “cable operator” subject to the requirements of the Act. 24 Count 2 25 (Equal Protection, Due Process and First Amendment) 26 73. The paragraphs above are incorporated herein. 27 28 16 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 17 of 19 1 74. Without any rational basis or justification in state or federal law, Tempe 2 has provided Google Fiber a license that imposes much fewer burdens than the licenses 3 Tempe issued to Cox and other cable operators. 4 75. For Google Fiber, Tempe bypassed the existing regulatory scheme for 5 cable operators and waived other local requirements that apply to Cox and other cable 6 operators. 7 76. The regulatory scheme in Tempe for cable operators, including Cox and 8 Google Fiber, is discriminatory and treats similarly situated providers differently for no 9 compelling or rational reason. This discriminatory treatment is knowing, intentional, 10 11 and purposeful. 77. Both Cox and Google Fiber are speakers protected by the First 12 Amendment and, therefore, a heightened level of scrutiny applies to the regulatory 13 scheme. 14 78. The discrimination effected by Tempe’s regulations violates the rights of 15 Cox and other cable operators as First Amendment speakers, violates the Due Process 16 and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States 17 Constitution, and deprives Cox of “rights, privileges or immunities secured by the 18 Constitution and laws” of the United States, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 19 Count 3 20 21 (Declaratory Relief: Violation of State Law by Creating Unauthorized Licensing Regulations for Cable Operators) 22 79. The paragraphs above are incorporated herein. 23 80. Arizona law specifically authorizes and directs the licensing of cable 24 operators in A.R.S. §§ 9-505 through -910 in accordance with the requirements and 25 standards set forth in the federal Cable Act. 26 27 81. Under Arizona’s statutes, licensing is the responsibility of local governments, such as the City of Tempe. 28 17 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 18 of 19 1 82. Under state law, a cable operator may receive a license to construct, 2 operate and maintain a cable television system in public streets, roads and alleys. 3 Arizona localities may only issue licenses for cable television systems in accordance 4 with the provisions of § 9-506. Cable service includes video programming. The 5 Arizona cable statute defines the terms “cable operator”, “cable service”, and “cable 6 television system” in a manner consistent with the federal Cable Act. 7 83. State law does not permit local authorities to establish a regulatory 8 scheme for video services providers that is different than the regulations that apply to all 9 cable operators, as Tempe has attempted to do. 10 84. In A.R.S. §§ 9-505 through -910, the State of Arizona established a 11 uniform system of regulation that applies to all counties and cities, including charter 12 cities. These statutes address “a matter of statewide concern to ensure that “licenses to 13 cable operators to use public streets, road and alleys . . . are equitable.” 2006 Ariz. Sess. 14 Law. Ch 3. 15 85. Tempe’s amended ordinance and the Google Fiber License violate and 16 exceed the City’s authority under state law by creating a new regulatory scheme not 17 authorized by statute and failing to treat all cable operators uniformly. 18 19 Count 4 (Injunction Against the Execution and Implementation of the Google Fiber License) 20 86. The paragraphs above are incorporated herein. 21 87. By exempting Google Fiber from compliance with the federal Cable Act 22 23 24 25 and state law, the City of Tempe has violated federal and state law. 88. As a result, the City of Tempe has disadvantaged other cable operators competing in the market. 89. The harms caused by Tempe’s licensing of Google Fiber as a video 26 services provider are unique, and the losses irreparable. Injunctive relief is appropriate. 27 Cox seeks a permanent injunction to enjoin the City of Tempe and the Mayor from 28 18 Case 2:15-cv-01829-JZB Document 1 Filed 09/14/15 Page 19 of 19 1 executing or implementing the “License for a Video Services System and Right-of-Way 2 Use Agreement” with Google Fiber that violates federal and state law. RELIEF REQUESTED 3 4 WHEREFORE, Plaintiff seeks: 5 A. A declaration that the City of Tempe’s ordinance and licensing of Google 6 Fiber as a video services provider rather than as a cable provider violates federal and 7 state law; 8 B. 9 10 A declaration that the City of Tempe’s ordinance and licensing of Google Fiber violate First Amendment, due process and equal protection requirements of the United States Constitution; C. 11 A permanent injunction that prohibits the City of Tempe and the Mayor 12 from executing or implementing a “License for a Video Services System and Right-of- 13 Way Use Agreement” with Google Fiber; D. 14 15 All costs and fees as allowed by law, including an award of attorneys’ fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988; E. 16 Such other and additional relief as the Court deems just and equitable. 17 DATED this 14th day of September, 2015. 18 19 OSBORN MALEDON, P.A. 20 21 By s/ Mary R. O’Grady David B. Rosenbaum Mary R. O'Grady Eric M. Fraser Grace E. Rebling 2929 North Central Avenue 21st Floor Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2793 22 23 24 25 Attorneys for Cox Communications Arizona, LLC 26 27 6294289 28 19