Qwest Colorado President Chuck Ward has a full plate these days: He's spearheading the company's efforts to enter the state's pay-TV market and is in charge of providing communications services for the 2008 Democratic National Convention — all while he's overseeing the telco's operations in Denver.

Dealing with the vicissitudes of politics and policy wasn't what the Pittsburgh native, 54, intended when he started out in the telecom industry 33 years ago. Ward, who has a undergraduate science degree and an MBA, first worked on the technical side, including as a network engineer and in operating services for Southwestern Bell before eventually joining AT&T. He's been in his current post at Qwest for about a year and spoke recently to the Rocky Mountain News about his job.

1. A House committee last month blocked a bill that would give Qwest the ability to offer pay TV anywhere in the state. So what happens next?

We're going to keep offering a video alternative through our partnership with DirecTV, and we're going to continue deploying broadband capabilities in our neighborhoods. And we're going to continue to work through video franchises with our cities.

We're going to continue the status quo because the legislature found the status quo for Colorado is OK, which I continue to be amazed at. Seven percent price increases for cable service doesn't seem to be a good status quo to me.

I'm hoping the cities will embrace a competitive model and give us the chance to bring any competition to cable.

2. Franchising legislation seems to be getting more traction in other states right now. Why not Colorado?

There's a number of states around the country - not just in Qwest territory - that are looking at video franchising and are trying to streamline the process. . . . I don't think that cities are an obstacle or are opposed to competition, but it's this process that we have to go through where I get a yes from Douglas County but a no from Centennial; a yes from Littleton but a no from Englewood. It's such a mishmash that it's difficult to manage your capital, it's difficult to manage the service introduction, and it doesn't encourage this type of risky capital investment.

I'm hopeful that the fact that other states are looking at this, and that there's a larger debate going on, will send a message to Colorado's legislators and voters that competition is how you address the larger issue of cable price increases.

3. Given that TV services have been on your mind a lot lately, what do you watch? Lots of C-SPAN?

No. Nor Channel 8, though I know more about public access channels than I care to after these past few months.

24, Lost and Ugly Betty - that's my softer side. My wife's a big fan. I love college basketball and football - I like the uncertainty surrounding college sports.

4. Qwest early on agreed to pledge $6 million to bring the Democratic National Convention to Denver in 2008. Why is this so important to the company?

It's such a great opportunity for Qwest and the city and the state to bring intense attention to Denver. We'll have an opportunity to show Qwest's technology to 35,000 national delegates and the international media for at least a week, probably two. There are parochial interests from the company, but we're also proud of Denver and the Rocky Mountain region, and it's a chance to show that off.