Chapter 31.20
COMMUNICATIONS WITH SUBSCRIBERS

Sections:

31.20.010    Written communications to subscribers.

31.20.020    Annual notice to subscribers.

31.20.030    Notification of changes.

31.20.040    Telephone communication with customer service representatives.

31.20.050    In-person communication with subscribers.

31.20.060    Internet presence.

31.20.070    Customer contract.

31.20.010 Written communications to subscribers.

The cable operator must take appropriate steps to ensure that all written cable operator promotional materials, announcements and advertising of cable service to subscribers and the general public, where price information is listed in any manner, clearly and accurately discloses price terms. In the case of telephone orders, the cable operator will take appropriate steps to ensure that prices and terms are clearly and accurately disclosed to potential subscribers in advance of taking the order. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)

31.20.020 Annual notice to subscribers.

At the time service is installed to a subscriber and at least once annually afterwards, and at any time on request, the cable operator shall provide each subscriber and the city with hardcopy written information (or, if the subscriber affirmatively requests the information in electronic form, electronic written information) concerning:

(a)    Products and services offered;

(b)    Prices, including a schedule of rates and charges, and options for programming services and conditions of subscription to programming and other services;

(c)    Installation and service maintenance policies, delinquent subscriber reconnect and disconnect procedures, and any other of its policies applicable to subscribers;

(d)    Written instructions on how to use the cable services and for placing a service call;

(e)    Channel positions of programming carried on the cable system;

(f)    The cable operator’s billing, collection, disconnection and reconnection procedures and late charge procedures;

(g)    The procedures for making inquiries or complaints, including the name, address, local telephone number, and e-mail address of the employee or agent to whom inquiries or complaints are to be addressed;

(h)    The city official responsible for regulating the franchise, including the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the official;

(i)    The cable operator’s business hours, legal holidays, and procedures for responding to inquiries after normal business hours, including days, times of operation, and location of the customer service location and bill payment center;

(j)    A copy of the service contract applicable to the subscriber, if any;

(k)    A written notice regarding subscriber’s privacy rights pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 551;

(l)    Use and availability of parental control/lock-out devices and the cost, if any, for the use of such devices; and

(m)    Special services or equipment available for subscribers with disabilities and explanations for how to obtain and use them. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)

31.20.030 Notification of changes.

(a)    A cable operator shall provide to all subscribers and to the city at least thirty days’ hardcopy written notice before the implementation of any change in rates, programming services, channel positions, business hours, legal holidays, or procedures for responding to inquiries after normal business hours, unless such change is beyond the control of the cable operator, in which case the cable operator shall provide the maximum possible notice up to the thirty days specified herein.

(b)    In addition to the requirement of subsection (a) of this section, a cable operator shall give at least thirty days’ hardcopy written notice to subscribers and to the city before implementing any rate or service change. Such notice shall state the precise amount of any rate change and briefly explain in readily understandable fashion the cause of the rate change (e.g., inflation, change in external costs, addition/deletion of channels). When the change involves the addition or deletion of channels, each channel added or deleted must be separately identified. For purpose of the carriage of digital broadcast signals, the operator need only identify for subscribers the television signal added and not whether that signal may be multiplexed during certain dayparts.

(c)    At least five working days before distributing a subscriber notice, unless waived by the city, the cable operator shall provide to the city the specific points to be contained in a subscriber notice and the text of the subscriber notice, if available. If the text is not available, it shall be provided to the city as soon as it is available.

(d)    A cable operator shall file with the city copies of all notices provided to subscribers. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)

31.20.040 Telephone communication with customer service representatives.

(a)    All CSRs shall identify themselves to callers immediately following the greeting during each telephone contact with the public. Each CSR, technician or employee of the cable operator in each contact with a subscriber shall state the estimated cost of the service, repair, or installation prior to delivery of the service or before any work is performed, and shall provide the subscriber with an oral statement of the total charges before terminating the telephone call or before leaving the location at which the work is to be performed.

(b)    A customer service representative shall have the authority to provide credits, waive fees, schedule service appointments and change billing cycles, where appropriate. Any difficulties that cannot be resolved by the customer service representative shall be referred to the appropriate supervisor who shall contact the subscriber within twenty-four hours and attempt to resolve the problem within seventy-two hours or within such other time frame as is acceptable to the subscriber and the cable operator. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)

31.20.050 In-person communication with subscribers.

(a)    All officers, agents, and employees of the cable operator or its contractors or subcontractors who are in personal contact with subscribers shall wear on their outer clothing identification cards bearing their name and photograph. The cable operator shall make all reasonable efforts to account for all identification cards at all times.

(b)    Every vehicle of the cable operator shall be visually identified to the public as working for the cable operator. Every vehicle of a subcontractor or contractor shall be labeled with the name of the contractor or subcontractor, and shall be further identified as contracting or subcontracting for the cable operator. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)

31.20.060 Internet presence.

A cable operator shall maintain an Internet web presence. Except for normal and regularly scheduled maintenance, the website shall be available twenty-four hours and seven days a week under normal operating conditions. The following services shall be available on the website: the ability to sign up for and/or disconnect service; and receive responses to other subscriber inquiries and requests. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)

31.20.070 Customer contract.

The cable operator shall not enter into a contract with any subscriber that is in any way inconsistent with the terms of these customer service standards or the cable operator’s franchise with the city. (Ord. 4207 § 1 (part), 2009)