Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XXII Chapter 166A
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 166A, § 3 (2026)

Licenses for construction or operation of systems, necessity, non-exclusiveness, contents

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 3. No person shall construct, commence construction, or operate a CATV system in any city or town by means of wires and cables of its own or of any other person, without first obtaining as herein provided a written license from each city or town in which such wires or cables are installed or are to be installed, a copy of which shall be forwarded to the division. Such license must be non-exclusive. Each such license shall contain the following provisions:—

(a) The area or areas to be served;

(b) The completion date of the installation of all equipment, wires and cables necessary to serve the named area or areas;

(c) The date service shall be available to the named area or areas;

(d) The term of the license, which shall not be more than fifteen years; and

(e) Such other terms and conditions as have been authorized by the division.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1995–2015 · leading case: DIRECTV, LLC v. Dep't of Revenue, 25 N.E.3d 258 (Mass. 2015).
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DIRECTV, LLC v. Dep't of Revenue, 25 N.E.3d 258 (Mass. 2015). · cites it 2× “” G. L. c. 166A, § 3. Franchise fees and related obligations are, in this sense, not rent payments, but rather statutorily authorized tax payments.”
City of Springfield v. Dep't of Telecomm. & Cable, 931 N.E.2d 942 (Mass. 2010). “Comcast is the largest provider of cable television services in the Commonwealth and has provided cable television services to the city since at least 1997 under license agreements entered into in accordance with G. L. c. 166A, § 3. 5 Because Comcast does not face “effective…”
Amsat Cable Ltd. P'ship III v. Colonial Point Phase I Realty, Inc., 4 Mass. L. Rptr. 499 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1995). “Cablevision is licensed pursuant to G.L.c. 166A, §3 to provide cable television service in Worcester.”
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