Bresnan Communications, LLC v. State

2013 MT 357, 315 P.3d 921, 373 Mont. 29, 2013 WL 6229177, 2013 Mont. LEXIS 483
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 2, 2013
DocketDA 12-0569
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 2013 MT 357 (Bresnan Communications, LLC v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bresnan Communications, LLC v. State, 2013 MT 357, 315 P.3d 921, 373 Mont. 29, 2013 WL 6229177, 2013 Mont. LEXIS 483 (Mo. 2013).

Opinions

JUSTICE MORRIS

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

¶1 The State of Montana Department of Revenue (Department) appeals the order of the Thirteenth Judicial District, Yellowstone County, that determined that the Department lacked authority to impose retroactive assessments on Bresnan Communications, LLC (Bresnan). The Department also appeals the separate findings of fact, conclusions of law, and order that determined that Bresnan owns exclusively class eight cable television system properties under § 15-6-138(l)(k), MCA. We reverse and remand.

¶2 We address the following issues on appeal:

1. Whether the District Court properly determined, that Bresnan owned exclusively class eight property?
2. Whether the District Court properly concluded that the Department lacked authority to impose retroactive property tax assessments?

PROCEDURAL AND FACTUAL BACKGROUND

¶3 Bresnan challenged the Department’s decision to tax Bresnan as a single entity rather than allowing Bresnan to apportion unilaterally its assets among tax classifications. Bresnan is a Delaware Limited Liability Company that operates in Montana. Bresnan purchased the cable television network infrastructure in Montana that is at the center of this dispute in 2003.

¶4 Bresnan’s 2003 network was typical of cable systems. The [31]*31“headend” of that network received and broadcasted data that Bresnan chose. The headend broadcasted data over the “trunk cable,” the industry name for the networked cable system that connected Bresnan’s data feed to each customer’s neighborhood. Once the data reached a customer’s neighborhood, the “feeder cable” transmitted data throughout the neighborhood. Each individual customer had a “drop cable” that connected the feeder cable to the customer’s home. The drop cable connected to the customer’s “terminal equipment.” The terminal equipment, commonly known as the set-top box, interpreted which data to play on a television.

¶5 Bresnan began to upgrade the network’s infrastructure to include new services shortly after the purchase. Bresnan sought to integrate services beyond basic television programming. Bresnan wanted to bundle expanded cable programming (cable), on-demand video services, high-speed internet data services (internet), and voice-over internet protocol telephony services (VoIP). Bresnan labels these services its “Triple Play” package. The upgrades necessary to include these services altered Bresnan’s network from its 2003 form.

¶6 Bresnan’s expert accounting and valuation report describes Bresnan’s “significant investment in system engineering, costly new equipment, upgraded distribution plant, and installation labor” in order to expand its cable programming. Bresnan improved its satellite receiver dishes, installed signal combiners, optical laser transmission equipment, and added optical fiber between the headend and feeder cable distribution nodes. Bresnan invested in video-on-demand servers and upgraded distribution node equipment. Bresnan also distributed new set-top boxes to customers.

¶7 Bresnan made additional investments to prepare its system for internet services following its cable upgrade. Bresnan made business arrangements to provide connection to the internet and upgraded its physical system to affect the addition of internet services. Physical upgrades included data switches in each headend to interface with the internet connections in Seattle and Denver, local data servers in main headends, and a “Cable Modem Termination System” (CMTS).

¶8 The CMTS allowed Bresnan to combine the internet data with the cable data into a single electrical signal for transfer over Bresnan’s system. Bresnan also provided cable modems to subscribers who purchased internet service. To achieve the transfer of internet service to its customers, Bresnan used both the CMTS and the recently-installed signal combiners, optical fiber between headends and distribution nodes, and existing drop cables.

[32]*32¶9 Bresnan upgraded its network further to provide VoIP residential telephone services. Bresnan contracted with Net2Phone, a joint venture partner, to effect this upgrade. Net2Phone provided most of the necessary capital and software to bring about residential VoIP capabilities. Bresnan provided use of the CMTS to combine the residential VoIP data with the cable and internet data into a single electrical signal for transfer over Bresnan’s network. Bresnan used both the CMTS and the recently-installed signal combiners, optical fiber between headends and distribution nodes, and existing drop cables to achieve the transfer of residential VoIP service to its customers.

¶10 Bresnan also engaged in the “[sjystem [hjardening” process for its network after upgrades to enable residential voice services. System hardening included further physical changes to Bresnan’s network. Specifically, Bresnan installed battery backups and other unspecified equipment to identify and reduce interference for residential VoIP service. System hardening reduced interference that specifically would have affected the data and VoIP traffic on its network.

¶ 11 Bresnan made further upgrades to enable commercial VoIP. These upgrades included new switches in select headends and data servers for commercial subscriber voicemail services. Bresnan used the CMTS to combine the commercial VoIP data with residential VoIP, cable, and internet data into a single electrical signal for transfer over Bresnan’s network. Bresnan used both the CMTS and the recently-installed signal combiners, optical fiber between headends and distribution nodes, and existing drop cables to achieve the transfer of commercial VoIP service to its customers.

¶12 Bresnan lastly began to provide the same terminal equipment to customers in 2010, without consideration of which services the customer had purchased from Bresnan. This new terminal equipment provided an integrated experience to customers. Regardless of which services the customer had purchased from Bresnan, all data arrived into a single piece of terminal equipment. The single terminal equipment processed that data and delivered the appropriate service to the customer.

¶13 Although Bresnan functionally had bundled its Triple Play services for consumers, Bresnan segregated each service for taxation purposes. Montana imposes an excise tax upon voice services, such as Bresnan’s telephony operations. Section 15-53-128 et seq., MCA. Montana imposes no excise taxes upon cable television or high speed internet. Section 15-53-128 et seq., MCA. Bresnan paid separate [33]*33franchise fees to local governments for the right to install its cable television system in public rights of way. Bresnan needed to pay no franchise fees, however, for high speed internet or telephony.

¶14 The Montana legislature amended the Montana tax code in 1999 to include language central to this dispute. The amendment specifically incorporated “telecommunications services” into the tax code when it created an assessment classification for “telecommunications services companies.” Section 15-6-156(l)(d), MCA (2001). The Department would for the first time assess centrally allocations of “telecommunications services companies” under the new amendment. Section 15-6-156(l)(d), MCA (2001).

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Bresnan Communications, LLC v. State
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2013 MT 357, 315 P.3d 921, 373 Mont. 29, 2013 WL 6229177, 2013 Mont. LEXIS 483, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bresnan-communications-llc-v-state-mont-2013.