In the States

Time Warner Cable is suing North Kansas City to prevent the town from offering cable service to its 25K residents over a proposed muni fiber network. The town, which stands just across the Missouri River from its brawnier namesake, set aside nearly $9mln to pay for the fiber build, in order to provide alternative phone and data services to residents. Time Warner says that the town fathers are trying to backdoor a video tier in the mix as well, which would be legal only if it were put to a vote. NKC Mayor Gene Burns refuted the MSO’s claims, calling the fiber initiative a matter of "free enterprise." — The Philly city council last week introduced a bill that would allow Time Warner Cable to buy the outstanding shares (60%) of the city’s 50K-sub franchise, Urban Cableworks.