(A) Regulation of cable service rates. The city may regulate rates for the provision of cable service to the extent allowed under federal and state law(s). A grantee must file a list of current subscriber rates and charges with the city, which lists will be maintained on file with city and will be available for public inspection. For purposes of this section, the availability of this information on a grantee’s website shall constitute compliance. A grantee shall comply with applicable law in providing the city and subscribers with notice of any change in a cable service rate or charges.
(B) Sales procedures. A grantee may not exercise deceptive sales procedures that violate state laws when marketing any of its cable services within the city. A grantee may conduct marketing consistent with local ordinances and other applicable laws and regulations.
(C) Telephone inquiries and complaints. A grantee must maintain local, toll-free or collect call telephone access lines which will be available to its subscribers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A grantee must comply with the FCC’s customer service standards, as amended, a current copy of which is attached to the ordinance codified herein and made a part hereof.
(D) Complaint and other service records.
(1) Upon written request by the city, and subject to a grantee’s obligation to maintain the privacy of certain information, a grantee must prepare and maintain written records of all written complaints received and the resolution of such complaints for a period of three years, including the date of such resolution.
(2) Written complaint records for a period of three years must be on file at the office of a grantee. Upon written request by the city, a grantee must provide the city with a written summary of such complaints and their resolution and in a form mutually agreeable to the city and grantee.
(3) (a) Upon written request by the city, a grantee must provide detailed compliance reports on a quarterly basis for a period of three years with respect to the objectively measurable service standards required in this section.
(b) A grantee will not be required to acquire equipment or perform surveys to measure compliance with the telephone answering standards contained in this section unless a historical record of complaints indicates a failure to comply.
(E) Subscriber contracts. A grantee must provide to the city upon request any standard form residential subscriber contract utilized.
(F) Video programming. All franchises will comply with 47 U.S.C. § 544(b), regarding the broad categories of video programming provided. Individual programming decisions may be made in the grantee’s sole discretion.
(G) Billing and subscriber communications.
(1) A grantee shall comply with federal law regarding giving the city and subscribers prior notice of any changes in rates, programming services, or channel alignments.
(2) Bills must be clear, concise, and understandable. Bills must clearly delineate all activity during the billing period, including optional charges, rebates, and credits. In case of a billing dispute, the grantee must respond to a written complaint from a subscriber within 30 days.
(H) Refunds and credits. A grantee shall comply with applicable law regarding the issuance of refunds or credits.
(I) Additional customer service requirements. The city may adopt additional or modified customer service requirements to address subscriber concerns or complaints to the extent permitted by law.
(Ord. 711, passed 2-11-2019)