A. Grantee will at all times comply with the town’s customer service standards in addition to compliance with the FCC standards (Title 47 C.F.R. Part 76.309 (Cable Television Service), Subpart H (General Operating Requirements) as amended.
B. The town’s customer service standards are:
(a) The customer service standards as set forth below are the standards set for all affected cable operators. This provision is the town’s notice of its intent to enforce the standards.
(b) Effective with adoption of this chapter, a cable operator shall be subject to the following customer service standards:
(1) Cable system office hours and telephone availability.
(A) The cable operator will maintain a local, toll-free or collect call telephone access line which will be available to its subscribers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(i) Trained representatives will be available to respond to customer telephone inquiries during normal business hours.
(ii) After normal business hours, the access line may be answered by a service or an automated response system, including an answering machine. Inquiries received after normal business hours must be responded to by a trained representative on the next business day.
(B) Under normal operating conditions, telephone answer time by a trained representative, including wait time, shall not exceed 30 seconds when the connection is made. If the call needs to be transferred, transfer time shall not exceed 30 seconds. These standards shall be met no less than 90% of the time under normal operating conditions, measured on a quarterly basis.
(C) The cable operator will not be required to acquire equipment or perform surveys to measure compliance with the telephone answering standards above, unless an historical record of complaints indicates a clear failure to comply.
(D) Under normal operating conditions, the customer will receive a busy signal less than 3% of the time.
(E) Customer service center and bill payment locations will be open at least during normal business hours and will be conveniently located.
(2) Installations, outages, and service calls. Under normal operating conditions, each of the following four standards will be met no less than 95% of the time measured on a quarterly basis:
(A) Standard installations will be performed within seven business days after an order has been placed.
(B) Excluding conditions beyond the control of the cable operator, the cable operator will begin working on “service interruptions” promptly and in no event later than 24 hours after the interruption becomes known. The cable operator must begin actions to correct other service problems the next business day after notification f the service problem.
(C) The “appointment window” alternatives for installations, service calls, and other installation activities will be either a specific time or, at maximum, a four-hour time block during normal business hours. (The cable operator may schedule service calls and other installation activities outside of normal business hours for the express convenience of the customer.)
(D) A cable operator may not cancel an appointment with a customer after the close of business on the business day prior to the scheduled appointment.
(E) If a cable operator representative is running late for an appointment with a customer and will not be able to keep the appointment as scheduled, the customer will be contacted. The appointment will be rescheduled, as necessary, at a time that is convenient for the customer.
(3) Communications between cable operators and cable subscribers.
(A) Notifications to subscribers.
1. The cable operator shall provide written information on each of the following areas at the time of installation of service, at least annually to all subscribers, and at any time upon request:
(i) Products and services offered;
(ii) Prices and options for programming services and conditions of subscription to programming and other services;
(iii) Installation and service maintenance policies;
(iv) Instruction on how to use the cable service;
(v) Channel positions of programming carried on the system; and
(vi) Billing and complaint procedures, including the address and telephone number of the local franchise authority’s cable office.
2. Customers will be notified of any changes in rates, programming service, or channel positions as soon as possible in writing. Notice must be given to subscribers a minimum of 30 days in advance of such changes if the change is within the control of the cable operator. In addition, the cable operator shall notify subscribers 30 days in advance of any significant changes in the other information required by paragraph (c)(3)(i)(a). Notwithstanding any other provision of Part 76, a cable operator shall not be required to provide prior notice of any rate change that is the result of a regulatory fee, franchise fee, or any other fee, tax, assessment, or charge of any kind imposed by any federal agency, state, or franchising authority on the transaction between the operator and the subscriber.
(B) Billing.
1. Bills will be clear, concise, and understandable. Bills must be fully itemized, with itemizations, including but not limited to basic and premium service charges and equipment charges. Bills will also clearly delineate all activity during the billing period, including optional charges, rebates, and credits.
2. In case of a billing dispute, the cable operator must respond to a written complaint from a subscriber within 30 days.
(C) Refunds. Refund checks will be issued promptly, but no later than either:
1. The customer’s next billing cycle following resolution of the request or 30 days, whichever is earlier; or
2. The return of the equipment supplied by the cable operator if service is terminated.
(D) Credits. Credits for service will be issued no later than the customer’s next billing cycle following the determination that a credit is warranted.