Formed in 1987, River Oaks has had a variety of local government clients and has a proven track record of providing cable television, PCS/Wireless, PEG Access, network development and other telecommunications consulting services which produce effective results. Our negotiations on behalf of local governments have included work where the cable franchise operators on the other side of the table were Comcast, Verizon, AT&T/TCI Broadband, Media One/ Continental/US West, Time Warner, Adelphia, and others, and the telecommunications services providers were  AT&T, USWest, Ameritech, MCI/Worldcom, Sprint, and others. Given our experience level and our work with local government clients, we are uniquely qualified to understand the burgeoning telecommunications environment and know how to ardently represent the rights of our Clients.

River Oaks has successfully been, and continues to be, involved with numerous technical issues, needs assessments and franchise renewals which were very beneficial to our local government Clients. Examples Include:

  • Redmond, Washington:  Work involving franchise negotiations and drafting with AT&T Broadband.  Also, developed Model Telecommunications Ordinance to assist local governments in managing their rights-of-way. Negotiated franchise with Verizon and assisted in Verizon/Frontier Transfer Process.

  • Snohomish County, Washington: Extensive work on behalf of the County and 10 jurisdictions in drafting and negotiating franchises with Comcast and Verizon.

  • Lincoln, Nebraska:  Franchise needs assessment work, negotiations and drafting involving Time Warner, developed a Personal Wireless Ordinance and Telecommunications Right of Way Ordinance

  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:  Work concerning the development of wide-ranging ROW management policies, procedures and Code provisions, including revisions to the current fee structure and Master Ordinance development.

  • Denver, Colorado:  Completed work related to franchise provision drafting and negotiation  (including detailed I-Net provisions).  Completed organizational (I-Net) and residential needs assessment work in connection with the cable television franchise renewal process;  also assisted with telecommunications planning, CAP issues, federal and state regulatory issues, and telephone issues.

  • El Paso County, Colorado and Eagle County, Colorado: From the inception, developed franchise agreements with Comcast, Adelphia, Falcon and CenturyTel.

  • Rockville, Maryland:  Work including development of a Personal Wireless Services and Facilities Ordinance and Master Telecommunications Ordinance.  Completed work on a comprehensive Telecommunications Policy and Plan for the City.

  • Vancouver/Clark County, Washington: Completed cable television refranchising ascertainment and technical needs assessment work involving TCI, including: review of system architecture and plans for future upgrades; inventorying technical capabilities; determination of needs and interests; and other activities. 

  •  Vancouver School District, Vancouver, Washington:  Completed wide area network review and development and telecommunications needs assessment work for the District subsequent to completion of the cable television needs assessment for the City of Vancouver/Clark County.


  • Southern Colorado Educational Television Consortium (SCETC) (Colorado Springs, Colorado):  Conducted workshops and forums, participated in drafting and negotiation of a cable franchise, assisted Five Public School Districts, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College, Pikes Peak Library District and the School for the Deaf and the Blind in telecommunications, operations, Intergovernmental Agreements, PE6 and other related work for 11 years..


  • Northern Dakota County Communications Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area Communities):  Completed work on an I-Net needs assessment study including workshops/briefings, written surveys, cost analysis and architectural concept development.

  • Clackamas Country, Oregon:  Technical, I-Net and Access review, survey and audit work as part of the franchise renewal process pertaining to 12 cable companies serving the county.

  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin:  Work involving franchise negotiations with Time Warner concerning PEG Access issues.  Completed residential and intuitional needs assessment study.

  • Longmont, Colorado:  Technical and regulatory work related to the cable refranchising process and development and planned operation of City-owned telecommunications infrastructure, including a system technical review and audit, strategic alliance RFP development and video, voice and data application research.

  • Metropolitan Area Communications Commission (Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area Communities):  Work involving I-Net development oversight and network application and standards development.  Completed work on I-Net franchise provisions and assistance in negotiations.  Also performed technical review and needs assessment work related to a franchise renewal with TCI, including subscriber and Institutional Network performance, architecture, services, applications and upgrade review.

  • Ramsey-Washington Suburban Cable Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Metropolitan Area Communities):  Work involving I-Net implementation, oversight and application development.  Completed work on franchise provision development and negotiation assistance.  Also completed a cable and telecommunications needs assessment as part of the franchise renewal process with MediaOne, including a technical review, internal and community workshops, surveys, I-Net review, and Internet forum, focus groups, interviews, discussions with the operator, facilities review, PEG Access review and other activities.

  • North Suburban Cable Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Metropolitan Area Communities): Completed telecommunications needs assessment work as part of the franchise renewal process with Meredith Cable/Continental (MediaOne), including internal and community workshops, technical and I-Net review, surveys, an Internet forum, focus groups, discussions with the operator, facilities review, PEG Access analysis and other  activities.

  • Burnsville/Eagan Telecommunications Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Metropolitan Area Communities):  Work involving assistance with franchise negotiation and I-Net development pertaining to MediaOne.  Completed a technical review and audit and a needs assessment involving workshops, interviews, surveys, focus groups, and PEG and I-Net analysis.

  • Quad Cities Cable Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Metropolitan Area Communities):  Work on an Access needs assessment study included detailed facilities and equipment review, written surveys focus groups, and cost analysis.  

  • Akron, Ohio: Completed work involving wireless service infrastructure issues, technology issues, consumer electronic compatibility ("home terminal") and rate regulation. Time Warner is the cable operator.

  • Youngstown, Ohio: Completed franchise renewal involving Time Warner Cable, including needs assessment public hearings and study sessions with elected officials. 

  • Canton, Ohio:  Assisted in the development of cable television Customer Service Standards.  Time Warner is the cable operator.

  • Western Reserve Cable Consortium (Cleveland, Ohio Metropolitan Area Communities):  franchise renewal work involving Adelphia Cable, including a needs assessment survey and I-Net analysis.

  • Fort Collins, Colorado:  Completed franchise renewal with Columbine CableVision (subsequently transferred to TCI), including a technical review, needs assessment survey, workshops, public hearings, etc. River Oaks has also assisted the City with broad-based telecommunications policy development, including internal and external surveys, community forums, City Council study sessions, Internet forums, etc.

  • Aspen, Colorado:  Franchise renewal work pertaining to TCI/AT&T, including a technical review, needs assessment survey and public hearings, drafted and negotiated renewed franchise with Comcast.. 

  • Larimer County, Colorado: Completed cable franchise renewal work including a technical review, I-Net needs assessment work, franchise drafting and finalization, and Government Access review of four multiple system operators, Comcast, US Cable, Baja/Orange Broadband and NexHorizon.

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