Small cable companies no longer need to prove their rates are fair

The US communications regulator has removed most rules about how cable companies set prices. This means smaller cable providers will no longer need to justify their rates to local governments.

For decades, local governments could ask cable companies to prove their prices were reasonable. This was a check on local monopolies. Now, for many smaller companies, that check is gone. This could mean higher prices for customers in areas served by these smaller providers.