I am new to Arizona... Does anyone know whether cable is considered a utility in Arizona and do a tenant have the right to choose which cable and telephone provider they want? Can an apartment complex charge you for cable even if you don't want it? I read the Az landlord tenant act but it wasn't very clear about cable. Reason I asked; I toured an apartment complex in phoenix recently, however; I was never told during the tour that cable was included. As I was reading over the lease before signing I noticed a cable charge listed as other. Gas, H2O and sewer/trash as utilities. When I asked the agent about the cable charge; she explained that the tenants pay a flat fee for basic cable which they provide and currently the provider is Cox cable but come April/May they are switching to Ygnition network... which will have no expanded channels available. I have never heard of the company. I did not sign the lease and was refunded my deposit after threatening to sue. A tenant who overheard my conversation waited and told me that the complex had changed owner a few times, that they currently have Cox or Qwest as their cable, internet or telephone providers. Tenants are vacating upon their lease and he was too at the end of the month... he has resided in the complex for 3 years but the new owners/management are not very professional. I strongly agree.

While not done often, a complex can list in their lease control of which company, this is often done to prohibit a dozen boxes, dishes and a dozen wires being ran into apartments.

This is one of those marketing issues, if you do not agree to terms, merely don't rent there.
On the positive side, often this gets a much lower rate

As Chuck said, this is not unusual for larger apartment complexes.

Just as municipalities generally give an exclusive license to one company to run cable throughout the area, so too will apartment complexes to prevent dishes hanging out.

Generally, such wiring is very easy to tap so its not unusual for the complex to include a fee for basic cable in the rental.

This is not exclusive to Arizona, its common wherever there are large apartment complexes.