[ghastmaster]

In most places the energy company owns the poles and the municipality grants them the right to be the sole energy provider. The access to the pole is limited to the cable company and the phone company(around here spectrum[cable] and cincinnati bell[phone]). The other option is satellite. Municipalities require payments for each lot that the company services whether or not they have a paying customer. These companies are given exclusive rights to access the poles.(Source=widowed spouse of TCI VP)

I imagine if historically cable tv and phone were transmitted by the same technology or company, there would only be one company allowed access. Since these were historically separate, they are granted access to the poles. Technically this is not a monopoly given that there are two different providers. It is monopolistic in my view. I have yet to live in an area that has more than two companies with pole access.