It's a cable company. They tried to get the courts to say they weren't so they wouldn't have to follow the cable rules. It didn't work out so good for them, not in CT anyways.
Your own link says:
Since Oct. 1 the new law lays out different sets of rules for traditional cable service providers and so-called video service providers. The rules for traditional cable companies are more restrictive and are subject to greater government regulation. Video service providers, however, are given more room to wiggle. But the distinction between the two is far from clear.
Bottom line - they are NOT a "cable company" on the same level of a Comcast, TWC, etc. - they are more of a "CLEC cable provider", if anything...
FWIW, AT&T got more "wiggle room" in IL, than they did in CT (putting on my surprise face as we speak...)
I would consider it more a Cable company (for TV anyways) than anything else, its certainly not a Sat companies that has many more restrictions than cable does.
While I agree w/you on the last part of your statement re: sat being more restrictive - consider this re U-verse being like cable:
- they do NOT have to follow any rules for cablecards &/or buying your own equipment (they don't let you, obviously)...since it is IP based
- they do NOT have to follow same rules for local must carry/subchannels/Sig Viewed
- they do NOT have to follow same local franchise rules as the incumbent cable co, such as service area build-out requirements, etc.
- they do NOT have to carry any/all PEG channels as the incumbent cable co do
- they have NO rate increase restrictions on ANY tiers of service; many local franchises still have regulations on at least the lowest level tier of service ("broadcast basic")
I'm sure there's others, but you get the gist...