What
the City of Cypress Can Do |
What
the City of Cypress Can't Do |
|---|---|
Can
require specific cable system capacity and functionality. |
Cannot require a specific transmission technology. |
Can
require support of PEG access through facilities, equipment,
and channels (spectrum). |
Cannot specify which channels
are or are not carried and cannot specify which channels are on
which tier of service (other than PEG access).
|
Can
establish customer service standards, including ones related
to answering telephones calls, response to complaints, and
imposition of late fees. Can require a local customer service
office.
|
Cannot regulate rates
(other than lowest cost tier of service).
|
Through
an enabling ordinance can require a specific definition of gross
revenues. |
Cannot require franchise
fees of more than 5 percent of gross revenues, as defined in the
franchise agreement.
|
Can
regulate the video portion of services offered.
|
Cannot regulate any voice
(telephone) services (regulated by state Public Utilities Commission).
|
Must
be willing to negotiate in good faith with additional cable companies. |
Cannot specify engineering performance standards in those areas where FCC has preemptive authority. |
Can
require construction of an Institutional Network (I-Net)
linking schools, libraries, and public buildings for voice,
video and data communications.
|
Cannot
grant an exclusive franchise.
|
For
the public access channel, can require placement at a specific
location. |
Cannot regulate
data services, including Internet services.
|
When a cable company does construction in public
rights of way, can specify that it must do so in a manner that
does not disrupt those rights of way unreasonably. Company must
apply for and be issued all necessary construction and occupancy
permits.
|
Cannot regulate any voice
(telephone) services. The City does not have any regulatory authority
over cable phone services. Those
services are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC). If
you are complaining about a utility or carrier, it is requested
that you try to resolve the complaint informally by contacting
the utility or carrier before registering your complaint with the
California Public Utilities Commission. If
you desire to file a complaint, you may contact the CPUC at the
following address:
505 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102-3298 Phone: 1-800-649-7570 or 1-415-703-1170 |
| Cannot regulate data services, including Internet services. In March 2002, the Federal Communications Commission, FCC, ruled that the State and local jurisdictions have no regulation authority over Cable Internet services. Cable Internet complaints must be handled by the specific carrier on an individual basis. |
4. Why have I
lost some of my cable channels and where have they moved?
Oftentimes, cable
service providers delete channels or change
certain channels or stations to different channel
numbers. This is usually the result of a Federal
Communications Commission regulation known
as "must carry." ("Must Carry" is
a 1992 Cable Act term requiring a cable system
to carry signals of both commercial and noncommercial
television broadcast stations that are "local" to
the area served by the cable system.)
When a local broadcast station elects to be
carried by your cable provider, regardless of what type of programming,
your cable provider must carry that station on the basic cable tier.
Because there are a limited amount of analog channels (channels which
appear on the basic cable tier; an "analog signal" is a
signaling method that uses continuous changes in the amplitude or
frequency of a radio transmission to convey information), existing
channels must be dropped or moved over to digital service.
Digital Television (DTV) is a new technology
for transmitting and receiving broadcast television signals. DTV
provides clearer resolution and improved sound quality.
5. What is the
franchise fee listed on my cable bill?
The City of Cypress
has a nonexclusive* franchise with local cable
providers. As the Local Franchise Authority,
the City determines and retains the franchise
fee. The provider pays the City a fee for use
of City right-of-ways and easements. Without
using City property, cable providers would
be unable to deliver cable signals.
*Non-exclusive: To prevent a monopoly, the
City is open to any other cable company who would like to do business
in Cypress. The City cannot force cable providers to offer services
in Cypress.
6. Does
the City of Cypress broadcast a local television channel?
Channel
36 is the official station of the City
of Cypress. You will find live broadcasts of
City Council Meetings on the second and fourth
Mondays of every month at 7:00 p.m. Televised
coverage also includes the Cypress Police Department's "Your
City, Your Town," and "Discover Cypress," a
guide to events and programs in the City. In
addition, the City features outside programming
in the areas of other cities, non-commercial
programming, national galleries, other federal
agencies, NASA, world news programs, county
agencies, arts, entertainment, and the environment.
7. What
is PEG?
This refers
to cable television channels reserved by
a cable agreement for use by Public, Education
and Government access services.