HomeMy WebLinkAbout14 ENFORCE FCC STDS. 08-06-01AGENDA REPORT
NO. 14
08-06-01
MEETING DATE:
AUGUST 6, 2001
uuU-~u
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
CITY ATTORNEY
SUBJECT:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN,
· CALIFORNIA PROVIDING NOTICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S INTENTION TO
ENFORCE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CUSTOMER
SERVICE STANDARDS FOR CABLE TELEVISION OPERATIONS WITHIN THE
CITY
SUMMARY:
The Federal Communications Commissions ("FCC") has promulgated minimum
customer service standards that may supplement the standards established by the
Tustin City Code and cable television franchises. The City is authorized by federal law
to enforce the FCC standards upon 90 days' notice to the cable operators of the City's
intent to enforce them. The attached resolution provides the required notice, and
specifies that the City's current customer service standards remain effective to the
extent that they supplement or exceed the FCC standards.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Tustin, California providing notice of the
City Council's intention to enforce Federal Communications Commission customer service
standards for cable television operations within the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
BACKGROUND:
The FCC Customer Service Standards may supplement the standards established by
the Tustin City Code and those agreed to by cable operators in their cable television
franchises.
The standards promulgated by the FCC provide more detail than those established by
the Tustin City Code and those additional standards established in the current
franchises with City's cable television operators. For example, the FCC regulations
specify that under normal operating conditions, telephone answer time by a customer
representative, including wait time, shall not exceed 30 seconds when the connection is
made.
The current franchise with Cox specifies that Cox will comply with the FCC standards
and the additional standards established by the Tustin City Code. However, the current
franchise with Media One/AT&T only requires the cable televiSion operator to comply
with the Tustin City Code standards, and those standards set forth in its current
franchise. Those standards lack the' specificity provided by the FCC standards with
respect to response times, customer wait times, installation and service times. While
Media One/AT&T has agreed to comply with the FCC standards as part of its franchise
renewal, the City is still reviewing the franchise renewal proposal by Media One/AT&T.
Media One/AT&T's current franchise does not expire until the end of July 2002. It is
expected that enforcement of the FCC standards will prod all cable television
franchisees to improve customer service.
The Cox and Media One/AT&T current franchises provide that the City may terminate
the franchises if the cable operators fail to correct a material breach of their franchises,
or any order, directive, rule or regulation, which is not corrected or remedied within 30
calendar days of the mailing of notice of the breach. The Public Works Department in
conjunction with the City Attorney'.s office will be considering additional options under
federal and state law to monitor and enforce compliance with the FCC standards.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
FCC Customer Service Standards
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RESOLUTION NO. 01-81
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, PROVIDING NOTICE OF ITS
INTENTION TO ENFORCE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS FOR
CABLE TELEVISION OPERATIONS WITHIN THE CITY.
WHEREAS, United States Federal Communications Commission Regulations codified
at Section 76.309 of Title 47, Part 76, Subpart H, of the United States Code of Federal
Regulations (the "Regulations") establish minimum customer service standards for Cable
Television Operators ("FCC Customer Service Standards" or "Standards"); and
WHEREAS, the Regulations authorize the City to enforce the Standards, provided the
City provides cable operators ninety (90) days written notice of its intent to enforce the
Standards; and
WHEREAS, the City Council expects cable operators to comply with the Standards
and improve customer service; and
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA,
finds, determines and orders as follows:
SECTION 1. Cable Television Operators doing business within the City are hereby
provided with notice of the City Council's intention to enforce.the FCC Customer Service
Standards promulgated by the United States Federal Communications Commission for Cable
Television Operators at 47 Code Federal Regulations § 76.309, and any subsequent
amendments thereto. The FCC Standards shall be enforced by the City commencing on the
ninety-first (91st) day of the date that notice of the adoption of this Resolution is placed in the
United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the business address on file with the City,
of each Cable Television Operator within the City. The FCC Standards are attached hereto
as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2. The customer Service standards established under Title 7, Chapter 4, of
the Tustin City Code pertaining to Cable Television Systems, and those standards agreed to
by the City and Cable Television Operators within the existing Cable Television franchises
shall remain effective and binding ucpon Cable Television Operators within the City to the
extent that they supplement or exceed the FCC Standards.
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on the
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Tustin
day of ,2001.
TRACY WILLS WORLEY, MAYOR
ATTEST:
PAMELA STOKER
CITY CLERK
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EXHIBIT A
-4-
P, 002/004
§ 76.3Q~
honor ruquuscs madu b~ mull but may
do so if It chooses.
(Seca. 2. 3, 4. 9. 301.30~1, 3u7. 31lB. -mi}il. ,~15. :!17,
4B SLat... a.~ ,.qne~{ded. 1084. IO~, IO~fl, IDfl~,
lgl{, Ill,Z, ION~, lOCi. 10~5, l(l~, IIIR~; (47 U,S.~,
1~2. 153. t~. 155, 3ill. 303, 3~7, 0~6.309. 3i5. 3171)
13U FR ~918~. Au{~, 14. 1974. ~ am~dcd uT 40
~ 250~..h~c i2. 1975; 42 ~ 19349. ~pr, i3.
1977; 5i FR 26251, July 2L t99G; 3G ~R igGI?,
Apr, 29, l~l: 67 FR ~1001, Apr. 1, 1092:58
?993. Feb. Z{, 1093:G0 ~ 671~. DK. Z8, lUe4]
a~cam ~li make the aysce~. I~q pub-
]lc lnsp~ton rile (If ~uh'~l by
~TG.JU5). and i~ records or su~crtbers
available for ~l)ec:l~ upon rcquu~k
~ any ~ucl~orized representative ~' ~e
Comm~sion ac any re.enable hour,
142 ~ 19340, Apr. 13. 10771
~~ DA~ N~: Ac 65 ~ 53615,
Sept, ~, 2000. S?G.JG7 w~ ,'emerY.
O~. 5. 2000.
f176.309 Custom~ sunice obligations.
urtforco ~c ~Lomur so,ice s~ndar~
· et forth ~ paruEraph (c) at' this sec-
Lion a~alns~ cable oi~ra~o~. ~e fran-
ch~o uu~rity m~: provi~ i~ected
~ble opera:ors ninety (90) days writ-
tun notice of i~ intent to enforce :he
scsnda,'ds.
(bi No~hlng in ~ rule ~muld be
~L~cd ~o prc~L or pro.bi:;
(I) A franch~ln~ auLhoti[y and u
cable op~or from agrcuin8 to c~-
tamer sel~lce ~quiremenL~ the: ex-
coed the m:~durds ~et for~ in para-
graph (c) et' this
(g) A franch{s{n8 auchori~ fi'om en-
forcing, ~hrough the end of ~u fr~-
d~k~e term. pr~~cing c~com~r sea-
ice requ;re~env, s chgc exc~d the s~nd-
ards se~ forgh In p~'afirapl~ ici ~
sec~on and are confined in cu~enc
franchise agreement;
0)A~y State or any l~~lng
oricy ~rom cna:ting or enforcing any
consumer protection law. :o the
[lot sp~ll'lca11~ pl'~mpted herein:
C4) The es~bli~menc or enforcement
Of a~y State or municipal ~aw or regu-
lact~ coacerl~ll~ c~to~ner se~lce
that tmp~es customer ~e~ice require-
m~ts that excel, or address m~tte~
47 CFR Ch. I (10-1-00 Edition)
not addre.~sed by the standards set
forl:h in purasruph (c) o/' this section.
(c) Ett'ecctve July 1, 1993, a cable op-
erator shall he sub~ect to rile following
customer service standards:
{1) Cable syscom office .hour~ und
telephone ava{labll Icy--
Cfi Tho cable operator will rm~inCatn
lucul, Loll-£rue or colh.,cc cull ~'etephone
ac~.ess line which will be available to
ils subscribers ge hours a day,
days a week.
L*J Trained company representatives
wLll be available :o rc~pond to
torner telephone tnqulrle~ during nor-
mai business hours.
CB) After normal business hours, the
access lin~ may be, answered by a ~erv-
Ice or an automated response system.
including an answerLnl~ machine. In-
quiries received afr~e.r normal bu.~tness
hours must be responded to by a
tratnt~l company rupre~enl'uUve on the
next business day.
(ltl Under normal operating condi-
tions, r.e. lephone ~n.~wer time by
:omar representative., lncludlnfi wait
~'tme, ~haJl not exceed ~hircy (30) sac-
ends when the connection ts made.
clue call needs to be traast'er['ed,
for :[m~ shall nec exceed chirl:y 00)
seconds. The~e standards sha~ be met
no less than rflne~y (g0) I)ercenc of the
r.[me under normal opera:[nl~ condi-
tions, measured on a quarterly basis.
(iii) The operator will nec be required
to acquire equipment or perform sur-
veys co measure complL~nce with the
telephone unswertng standurd-~ 'above
unle.~ Rn hlsr. orleal record of com.
plaints indioates a clear t'allure to com-
ply,
(tv) Under no,mai operating condt-
/:ions. I:he cusl:omer will receive u busy
signal le~ss than tl~ree (3) percent of the
:line.
(vi Cu~orn~-r suTvlce can:er and bill
p~yment lecher, lens will he open R: ]eR.qT.
during normal business hours and will
be conveniently located.
(2] InstalLations, outages and set--Ice
calls. Unde~ nor*rrml operating condi-
tions, each of the [ollowtng four stand-
ards will be. me: no less than ninety
rive (~$) percent of the time measured
on a quarterly basis:
(ii Standard Installations will be per-
~'ormed within seven (7) business d~ys
filO
,.TUL-31-2001 16:17 95Z P. 02
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14:Z4
P, O0 /O04
Feclorol Communicoliom Commission
§ 76.309
alLot an ordur has buurt plaued. "S~md-
ard" lnscallaUons arc t~hose tidal zu-e
located up to 125 fe~ i~m the exlsctnt
distribution
(il) E~cluding conditions beyond
con~ro[ or ~e operator. ~e otbJe oper-
in~r~upEto~" prompdy und tn no
event later clean 24 hours a~ tl~e
[ntert'upCton becom~ known. Th~ cubic
opera:or m~E begin acUo~ ~o correct
oth~ semite problems the ne~ busL-
ness day a~er nottr[ca~on or ~e sea-
ice problem.
(tit) The "appoln~ent ~ndow"
cernactves rot t~:&lIatt~, ~rvice
curls, and o~er ~Hutt~ a~tvtttes
will be etcher a s~t]c :[me or, at
maximum. ~ r~r-hour ume block dur-
In8 normal business I~ours. ~e oper-
a,or may sched~u service ~]Ls and
edger ~tal[a~on acttvt:t~ ou~tdo
norm~ b~tness hou~ ~o~ the
convenience of fl~e custom~.)
(tv) An opera,or may nec ~ncel
appointment wt~h ~ customer after
close of busings on ~e busJ~ss
prior co die scheduI~ ap~btCmcnL.
(v) [~ a e[tbJe opc~a~r representative
Is running late for en appo[n~ent
with a customer and wtl2 nec bc able co
keep the appointment as scheduled, =l~e
cus:om~t wfll be contacted, ~e ap-
pointment wi J[ be reacheduled. ~s nec-
essa~, at a :tree wl~J~ ts conventen:
[or ~he customer.
(S) Communication, baleen Gsble
operators m~d c~ble sub~tbe~--
(0 Refund~Refund ch~ will be
~suca prompcI,y, bec no L~cr ~
ther~
(A) The c~tomer's n~t billing cycle
rollowtnB resolution of the te~ues:
O~ircy (30) alsys, whichever Is earlier, or
(B) Tim r~curn or [1~ ~uLpm~ ~up-
p~t~ by ch~ cable op~aLur tt a~~
r. erln InRoad.
OiL] Cr~t~Credi~ for ~ice will
be L~uud no iu[ur rhun ~u
n~c bi]ll~g cycle tbl]owtng the deter-
~nucion chac ~ ~edit ~ warr~ntcd. (4) O~ftnt~io~--
~) Normsl busme~ hou~~e term
"normal business bourn" means ~ose
hour~ dur~ which most ~m~ar
nesses In ~he community are open
serve ~lstomem. In all ces~. "normal
b~~s hours" m~ tn~u~ some
evening hnurs ac least one night per
we, eh .~tnd/or some weekend
term "normal ope~clng conditions"
m~ Lhos~ so~tcc condi~ion~ which .
ape within [l~e con,roi et' the cable op-
crater. ~oso condt:i~s which are
~chin the contel oF cbs ~ble oper-
etta' Include, bu~ are nec llmtc~l co,
na:ural disasters, c/vii d~:urbanc~,
i)~er ou:&ges, teI~ph~ n~Lwork
a~s, and s~ere or unusua~ weather
conditions. ~ose condt:ions whlcim
ordinarily w~dmln d~e c~crol or [h~
cubic operator include, but are not lim-
ited to, specie1 promotions, pay-pe~
view even~, race tn~~. rugu~r
peak ar se~o~l demand p~io~, and
matn:~ce or upgrade of the ~bl~
s~tem.
(Ill) 5ervYce ~nrerruprlot~Tl~e ~rm
"~urvice tnLer~p~ton" means [he loss
of pl~ure or ~u~ ~ ~ or mom
cable chunn~.
[511 l.'l[ z1 Itl.q, Apr. Ig, 1993. :~ :s-:etldml
I-'R IB~?. Apr. 30. tugs: eS FI~ Saei5, SepL.
Sept. ~. lUO0, 676.300 ~as amended
illR ~raR~pl~s (~J)(I) and (~(3)([J) a~1d
~destgnacitlB paragraphs (c) (fl} (t ll) .nil (Iv)
Oct. 5. 2000. For ~e c~v~l~cc et'the
tho supe~e~d t~ is m~ fo~h us follo~:
§ ?(1,,~l)# CuiLumur .urvluu ul,l~l~litEonN,
(I) N,,cl{'lca,lon.., LO sub.~crlbcr.,e--
(Al The =able uperacor .hall provide writ.
ten inl'ormaciorB un each gl' [~le l'oilewi.~l
areas at the r. tme of lnsr~llatlon of service.
a: least annually to all subscribers, and at
any time upon request:
([] Products ,~nd acrvtcc~
(2) I~t[¢c~ and ol~clo~ £o~ p¢oRjammtn8
~crvtcc~ nrKJ curtd/Llufl~ u(' .ub.~c~lpLiu~l
prol4j'ammlnR aJld ocJlet' aet'vlce~:
(3) tr~LailuLJon
(4) l,~LrUc~lans an how Co use ~:he cable
.~viCr.:
(~ Channel positton~ programm~nl~ anrt~ed
on cl~e system: and.
1(;} :BiLtin~ nnd complaint procedure=, tn-
=~udlng the address and telephone number
the ]ocal franchise ~uthority'e cable office,
(B} Ct=tamers will bo notified o1' nny
chea~ges tn rates, pro~ammtnl~ service, o,'
cha~mnel positions aa =eon am possible In writ-
lnl~. Notloe must be l~lven to subscribers a
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P, 004/004
§ 76.400
~ninlmum or t:hlrty (:lO) days in advance of
trol o~ ch, ~bla oporator. In nddltton, lhe
c~c opom~r s~lI no~ ~ub~b~a ~h~ty
(301 days In ~d~nce cf any slgnlfl~nc
cl~nRe.~ In ~he ~er Inf~rmsUo~l r~uh'ed by
paraRraph (e)(~)(1)~) or u~is s~lor~.
th~ ~ult o~ n rcgulnto~ ~oo, tYnn~e
~ n~y other ~. ~x, as~os~ent, or
o~' any kind lmpo~d by nny FodaraI ag~.
State, or fr~noh~g ~u~h~rlty on the
action botwoan t~ appear ~d ~ sub-
s~lbor.
(1~) Dtlllng--
(A) ~Slt~ wll~ ~ cl~r, canctsa an~ under-
~t~mdablc. 0111~ mu~t ~ f~lly tt~l~d, w~th
ttem l~tto~s Jnchtdlng, but nat limited to,
~c ~d premium se~L~ eha~e~
eqmpment cl~rgea. B~L~ wlU al~ ct~rly
Llitea~ all aCLiel~;y durlnR ~hc bllltt~g
l~cluelln~ ~Uomd churgcs, ~bntas and ~-
(~) In c~o or' n billing d~pu:e, the
p~nt h'om e ~beerLbe~' wLthla ~
Subpad I--Forms and Repods
§?0.400 Operator, meg udctress, and
oporata~onal etn~ ~ngem.
Within 30 days f~lowtng a chanse of
Cubic Tel~ision System Operator,
or change of ~e operator's marl ~td-
dress, an~ur change in the operational
scat~ of a ca~e celev~on systum.
Operu[or shall inform the Commission
In writing of :ho follow,g, ~ appro-
prlaLe:
(u) Tho legal name of the operator
und whether ehe operator Ls an lndl.
vidual, prl~te association, par~e~up
or corporation. See ~76.5fcc). Ir Om op-
erat~ ~ a par~mrshtp, the lugal
o[ the purser respo~tble for commu-
nlca:lon~ with the ~ommlsson sl~al~ be
supplied:
(b) ~e :~sum~ namu (If uny) ~ed
Eot doing buatness In e~ch community:
(c) The new m~l[[ address. Including
~t) code, ~o whl~ ali communlcut~t~
are Lo bo
(d) The nature or the operuclonal s~-
cue change (e.g., b~me opera:~nal on
~ear) 0nearlY, ~ce~l~ 40 su~tbcrs,
~euuded 400 subscrlbu~, operation ter-
minated tem~mrlly, opera:Ion ~rmt-
noted permanently):
47 CFR cfi. I (lO-l-430 Edlllon)
(c) Thc numt:~ and FCC identifiers
(e,g,, CAO001) or tl~e sysr, em commu-
ntctes affected.
NOTIZ: :FCC system COIllI~IU:llL~ Jdenl~lrler.~
are ruuLlnel¥ a~tgrmd upon rugistrutlon.
They trove been ~smlgned to all reported sys-
tem communities based on ptevlou.m Forln 325
dam. Ir a gys~e{n com,nurdcy Ut operation
pr~or to Mm. eh 31. Ig72. llal~ hoc pt'evhJU~ly
been a.~.~lgrled a syste, tn communlr,y
rte., all. t)l]e, eaLOr .~f,all prlwl(Je I~e t'nllowtn(:
Jars'mai:Its In Jleti Oi~ I:he IclertClfter. Commu-
Tdt.! Name. CofrltTlurllty Type (I,o,, intel
etc,} County Nume. State, Opetato£
Name. Operator Assumed N~mo for Doing
Bu~lnes~ m the community, Operator MaU
Address, and Year and Month aervlce
fLr~t provlded by ,.he phys~ca/system.
~42 FR 20~34, Apr, 111, ~r7, am amended at 4:t
:FR 40000, Oct, ~0, 1978:at4 FR ~:IIt43, Oct.
· ~rF~ DATF. NOTE; At (;~ FR ~3GL~.
Sept. ~, ~-00~, §75,400 wee removed, effectJve
ecL. $, gU00.
I~6.403 C~ble televi~ion a~a[em
Tho oporator o£ every operational
cable televLsLon sys:em tk~sc .~erve.~
20,000 or more subscrlbcr$ sl~qll £Llu
with cbc Commi~-~ton a Form 3Z5 sollc-
lr. lnff general Intbrmaclon and
que~cy and signal dis:rlbuCton in£of
mution on ~ Physical Sy,~tem ?dentl-
flcaclon Number ("PS~D")basis. These
forms shall be completed and returned
~o the Gommlssion within $0 days
c~e dale o£ roeutpr by the operator.
~OTE: The Commission retains lr_,~ mu~l~nh
ICy to require Form 325 to be £11ed by a man,-
pllr~ al' cable operators with loss than ZU,UUU
.~ubscrlbcrs,
[04 F-R 28]08. May 25, 19901
Subpart J~Ownermhip o{ Cable
Systems
§ '/0.601 Ct~ee-ownarehip.
(a) No cable television sy$cem
cludlng all parctes ut~tle~ commort con.
crol) shaJl curry r. he stgnal of any :ele-
vtston broadcast ~t.~ttola It' such
dtrecrl), or lndtrecrly owns, opct'a~.
¢ontrots, or ~ un interest in ~
broacle. J~$t station whose predicted
Grade B cortt;ou£, comput:ed tn accord-
anco wtt:h §73,(184 of pur~' 73 e£ thl~
612
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