International banks like cable better than telcos

This may or may not (lean towards may) have implications for the U.S. cable market, but word from our foreign cousins is that banks there think cable TV companies have a better chance of building a national broadband network than telcos.

According to Jeffrey Krogh, director of media and telecom finance at BNP Paribas, cable TV had several advantages over telcos: the infrastructure is already in the ground (most of it fiber) and there are deals with content providers in hand. Speaking at a roundtable discussion in London, Keogh said that banks would be "more patient" waiting for a return on their money if telcos would build next-generation fiber networks.

And for those with a wireless bent, he said an upgrade to LTE from 3G made less sense in densely populated areas than just putting in the fiber.

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