Providing Cable TV oversight for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

DIGITAL TV ?     WHAT'S THAT??

Digital TV (DTV) is an advanced broadcasting technology that will transform your television viewing experience. DTV enables broadcasters to offer television with movie-quality picture and sound. It can also offer multiple programming choices, called multicasting, and interactive capabilities.

Converting to DTV also will free up parts of the scarce and valuable broadcast spectrum. Those portions of the spectrum can then be used for other important services, such as public and safety services (police and fire departments, emergency rescue), and advanced wireless services.

The Transition to Digital TV

TV stations serving all markets in the United States are airing digital television programming today, although most will continue to provide analog - or conventional TV - programming through February 17, 2009. At that point, full-power TV stations will cease broadcasting on their current analog channels, and the spectrum they use for analog broadcasting will be reclaimed and put to other uses.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is the federal organization that is managing the transition from analog to digital television broadcasting.  The FCC has issued a digital tuner rule that specifies that as of March 1, 2007, all new TVs must include digital tuners. This rule prohibits the manufacture, import, or interstate shipment of any device containing an analog tuner, unless it also contains a digital tuner.

Despite this prohibition on manufacture and shipment, retailers may continue to sell analog-only devices from existing inventory. As a result, at the point of sale, many consumers may not be aware that this equipment will not be able to receive over-the-air-television signals after February 17, 2009.  TV sellers are now required to inform customers if the television(s) being sold have analog tuners.

For more information about Digital TV, call the Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission's digital television website : www.dtv.gov.  

Click here for DTV information in Spanish:  DTV En Espanol

GOT CABLE?  TAKE ONE OF OUR SURVEYS....

Let us know what YOU think! 

• CUSTOMER SERVICE & EQUIPMENT SURVEY - (English)

The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Cable Office is researching the level of customer satisfaction as it relates to services provided by our cable operators – Adelphia and Time Warner.  If you're a cable subscriber, your input will provide the Cable Office with valuable information for use in reviewing the operating performance of our cable companies.  Click here to take the survey  or call the Cable TV Hotline at 704.336.CATV (2288) to get a printed copy our survey.

• CUSTOMER SERVICE & EQUIPMENT SURVEY - (En Espanol)

La Ciudad de Charlotte y la Oficina de Cable del Condado de Mecklenburg esta encuestando el nivel de satisfaccion del cliente en cuanto a los servicios proveidos por los operadores de cable – Adelphia y Time Warner. Si usted es un suscriptor de cable su participacion proveera a la Oficina de Cable con informacion valuosa que sera utilizada para revisar la operacion de las operadoras de cable. Porfavor tome unos minutos y complete la encuesta a continuacion.

• WANT TO COMMENT ON THESE AND OTHER AREAS OF YOUR CABLE SERVICE? Take this in-depth survey (English only):

Click on the link to take our  full length  Cable TV Customer Satisfaction Survey

 

• Got a COMPLAINT OR COMPLIMENT ABOUT YOUR CABLE TV SERVICE?

Connect with our Cable TV Hotline -  Click here to submit a Complaint/Compliment Online

MECKLENBURG COUNTY SEEKS TO RECOVER  TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN LAWSUIT AGAINST TIME WARNER CABLE

Seeking to recover funds on behalf of the taxpayers, attorneys for Mecklenburg County have filed a lawsuit against cable television provider Time Warner. The lawsuit, filed June 22, 2005 in Mecklenburg County civil court, also seeks to require Time Warner to install the cable infrastructure promised to the County by Time-Warner and its predecessor.

Click here to view a copy of the PRESS RELEASE.

 Click here to view a copy of the LAWSUIT.

(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these documents.)

IN THE NEWS.......

Class Action Lawsuit - Parker, et al. v. Time Warner Entertainment Co., et al

A settlement has been proposed in a class action lawsuit known as Parker, et al. v. Time Warner Entertainment Co., et al., which claimed that Time Warner Cable sold personal information pertaining to some of its subscribers to other companies for marketing purposes. The lawsuit claimed that Time Warner Cable is required to tell subscribers how it collects and uses their personal information, and that Time Warner Cable failed to do so in compliance with applicable law. While Time Warner Cable denies that it did anything wrong or violated any law, the parties have agreed to settle the lawsuit to avoid the costs and risks of a trial.

The proposed settlement will provide free Time Warner Cable services to anyone who subscribed to Time Warner Cable at anytime between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1998 and was on a list of subscribers whose information may have been sold.

For more information - Go to  http://www.twcsettlement.com/

Local Franchising Issues

In February 2006  Cable Office filed comments  supporting the continuation of local governments issuing appropriate local franchise agreements  for new entrants into the video services field on a timely basis. 

Click here to view:  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Files Comments with FCC - Local Franchising(requires Adobe.pdf Reader)