Lorna Cherot Littleway is reporting for The Columbia Paper Consolidated Communications, the company that bought Fairpoint Communications, is looking to compete with Spectrum/Time Warner to provide cable television service in Hillsdale and other towns in the Hudson Valley. Consolidated representatives Peter Mercer and Bill Mulrein made their pitch to the Hillsdale Town Board this month. Mercer used a census map of Hillsdale to identify areas that currently are underserved, and he also fielded questions from town Broadband Committee chair, Andrew Dash. Mercer said the state agreement that underwrites much of the cost for service providers to upgrade their systems, bars towns from entering into an exclusive franchise agreement with any service provider. Mercer estimated that if Hillsdale awarded the company a television franchise, it would take two years to fully install the service. He said Consolidated's rates would be less than Spectrum's, but that customers would have to make a two-year commitment. If the town board accepts CCI’s application, the terms will be negotiated and a public hearing set. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.