Indianapolis FCC Filings/Notice
of Proposed Rulemakings (NPRMs)
Comment Filings To The FCC By The Telecom & Video Services Agency
The Telecom & Video Services Agency will make every effort to post current NPRMs before the FCC on our website to enable NATOA members to share in the information and utilize it for their own purposes.
Comments submitted by the City of Indianapolis regarding the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with respect to the implementation of Section 621(a)(1) of the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 as amended by the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act if 1992.
FCC Media Bureau Docket No. 05-311
Introduction - Comments submitted by the City of Indianapolis
Exhibit 1 - Indianapolis Business Journal, 10/10/05.
Exhibit 2 - Indianapolis Cable Code Section 851-104.
Exhibit 3 - Multi-Channel News, 'SBC Hits a Pothole in California,' 10/31/05.
Exhibit 4 - Indianapolis's FCC Filing DA 98-1492 CC Docket #98-141SBC/Ameritech Transfer of 10/1/98.
Exhibit 5 - Letters of 11/30/94 & 10/12/98 from Children's Guardian Home Director Paul Browne describing the funding and volunteer services offered as a result of the government access produced videos. This also included that the video was shown at the National Child Conference in Orlando that year as a model for how an agency can generate funding by these means.
Exhibit 6 - Copies of awards and letters of commendation from the City's Department of Public Safety for contributions made to it by government access TV and its staff.
Exhibit 7 - Many letters from educational institutions that reflect the value of government access' contributions.
Exhibit 8 - Letters from CBS and NBC outlining their intended use of City produced programming.
Exhibit 9 - Letters from City departments reflective of value of access facilities and work done to benefit them.
Exhibit 10 - Documents from Indianapolis' not-for-profit organizations on the value that City TV provides.
Exhibit 11- Letters from the community as to how they see the City TV programs adding to the community's quality of life.
Exhibit 12- News articles on programs to be produced and aired by the City's government access TV operations.
Exhibit 13- Letter from Indianapolis Fire Department Chief on the importance of the INET.
Exhibit 14- Excel spread sheet on the yearly complaints that the Indianapolis local franchising authority takes in by category and month on the cable incumbents.
Exhibit 15- Indianapolis Star editorial of 10/11/2000.
Exhibit 16- Indianapolis Star, page 1, "FCC gives Ameritech parent a scolding," 10/11/2000.
Exhibit 17 - Samples of non-compliance correspondence between incumbent operators in Indianapolis.
Exhibit 18 - Comments Verizon, FCC's NPRM-MB Docket #05-311, page 5.
Exhibit 19- Id.
Exhibit 20- Yahoo Finance, 11/7/2005-Records Indicate Bells Engaged in 'Astroturf' Lobbying/Creation of Faux Consumer Group Designed to Influence Pending Legislation. Multi-Channel News, 11/14/05 page 18-Telcos Feed 'Grassroots Group.' Telecomweb, 10/20/05, Cable Industry: Telcos Apparently Got What They Paid For. Indianapolis Business Journal, 11/21/05, page 1, Cable Firms call foe a phony/Group touting itself as consumer group funded by biz giants. San Francisco Chronicle, 11/2/05-Cable 'Coalitions' Sketchy, http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/02/BUGGMFHGIT1.DTL&type=business
Exhibit 21 - USA Today, Money Section of 8/17/05.
2005 Effective Competition Filing for Rate Regulation Relief Initiated by Bright House Networks
Petition for special relief filed by Bright House Networks for rate deregulation with respect to the City of Indianapolis
FCC Document 1
Consolidated City of Indianapolis, Indiana's opposition to Bright House Network's petition for determination of effective competition
FCC Document 2
Bright House Network's response to the City of Indianapolis' opposition
FCC Document 3
Consolidated City of Indianapolis, Indiana's Surreply to Bright House Networks
FCC Document 4
September 6, 1998 /SBC Ameritech. DA 98-1492 CC Docket #98-141 SBC/Ameritech Transfer.
SUMMARY
With Ameritech New Media's success in providing competition and consumer choice in the communities in which they have overbuilt, we ask that the FCC carefully weigh the criteria before them as they examine the proposed transfer of control. At issue are the current and potential benefits that the consumer receives via cable TV competition provided by ANM and whether the proposed transfer of control continue and increase those consumer benefits in SBC and Ameritech's "home" areas.
July 28, 1998/CS98-102. FCC's Annual Assessment of the Status of Competition in Markets for the Delivery of Video Programming for 1998.
SUMMARY
FCC seeks information on a number of issues in this assessment. Cable Agency asserts that Comcast of Indianapolis recent increase in its Value Pak tier, an unregulated tier, is perhaps indicative of what will happen to rates in general when rate regulation sunsets for expanded basic service after March of 1999.
June 18, 1998/Ex Parte Filing for FO 91-301
SUMMARY
Filing is to counter attempts to exempt cable operators from carrying emergency alert system (EAS) messages from local municipalities. Municipalities are best suited and trained to determine a local emergency be it weather, chemical or otherwise and to advise the public accordingly. A change in the rules would now allow the cable system to determine and make an emergency announcement which would be unacceptable in our opinion.
June 3, 1998
Response by the Cable Agency to study performed by the Hudson Institute regarding competition and regulation in cable TV. Study was sponsored by the National Cable TV Association (NCTA).
March 24, 1998/Case MM97-182 & Cases DA97-2438 and CSR-4948
SUMMARY
Letter sent to FCC opposing federal pre-emption on local zoning, environmental and other authority over radio and TV towers. Letter also addresses concerns regarding the same pre-emption over cable franchising issues.
November 20, 1997/CSR Docket #95-184/ MM Docket 92-260
In the matter of Telecommunication Services Inside Wiring/Customer Premises Equipment/ Implementation of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992.
SUMMARY
The Cable Communications Agency supports measures to allow cable television to compete in multi-dwelling units thereby eliminating the exclusive contractual arrangements between SMATV service providers and landlords of multi-dwelling units. It is in the best interest of the consumer to be able to choose between his video service provider.
October 6, 1997/MM 97-182/FCC 97 296
In the Matter of Preemption of State & Local Zoning and Land Use Restrictions on the Siting, Placement and Construction of Broadcast Station Transmission Facilties:
SUMMARY
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) filed petition with the FCC claiming that local and state authorities were barriers to the expiditious turnaround in the deployment of antennas and towers to facilitate digital broadcast signals as mandated by the Telecommunications Act of 96. The Cable Communications Agency filed comments with the FCC suggesting that the FCC leave local zoning matters up to the municipalities that have ascertained community needs.
Nevertheless, the Cable Agency did recommend that the FCC adopt a national policy that would ease the burden of municipalities and streamline the permitting process, thereby allowing for quicker permitting and deployment of facilties. The policy recommended calls for the camouflaging of towers and antennas for broadcast towers as well as wireless and PCS facitilities in residential and buffering areas. Additionally, the Cable Agency calls on the FCC to encourage use of municipal land to construct facilities, thus further streamlining the zoning process for the permitting applications and deployment of facilities.
September 2, 1997/CS97-141
SUMMARY
FCC seeks comment on the status of competition in the multi-channel video industry. Cable Communications Agency filed comments that stated that DBS was virtually no competition to cable TV. This is exemplified by the fact that cable rates only go down in communities that have apples to apples, direct wireline competition (ie. Ameritech).
Furthermore, if Ameritech can overbuild with the intent of making a profit then why are not the cable operators overbuilding systems in those communities where operators under different ownership buffer each other? If the community allows for it under the terms of the franchise agreement, this would be, for all intent and purposes, less capital intensive than Ameritech's plant construction as the incumbent cable operators need only extend plant from their headends. The Cable Communications Agency concludes that the cable industry may be engaging in collusionary practices.
Further discussion includes the Cable Communications Agency's desire that cable operators be allowed to compete in multiple dwelling units (mdu's) where SMATVs have signed exclusive contracts to serve those units. The Agency charges that this is anti-competitive.
July 14, 1997: Comcast Proposed Social Contract with FCC
SUMMARY
Comcast's proposed Social Contract with the FCC will effect cable subscribers in Marion County. The Cable Communications Agency has filed ex-parte comments with the FCC in this proceeding. The FCC released the proposed Social Contract on May 2, 1997.
June 10, 1997: Comcast Proposed Social Contract with FCC
SUMMARY
Comcast's proposed Social Contract with the FCC will effect cable subscribers in Marion County. The Cable Communications Agency has filed comments with the FCC in this proceeding. The FCC released the proposed Social Contract on May 2, 1997.
March 26, 1997/Docket# 95-176
SUMMARY
FCC seeks comments to closed captioning as it pertains to the implementation of the 96 Act. Cable Agency supports position that PEG access be exempt from captioning rules as it would become an overwhelming financial burden in having to comply with any closed captioning provisions.
May 30, 1996/CS96-85
SUMMARY
FCC seeks comment on technical standards that also include aspects of Public, Educational and Government Access television. Additional comment sought on defining effective competition.
May 20, 1996/DS96-46
SUMMARY
Cable Agency submitted ex parte comments regarding the potential of OVS redlining in communities where they would provide video services. The Cable Agency submitted ex parte comments to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt opposing any consideration to allow OVS operators the ability to red line or 'cherry pick' their subscriber base.
April 26, 1996/FCC Cable Services Docket 96-83 Section 207 of the 1996 Federal telecommunications Act.
SUMMARY
Petitions for Reconsideration of the FCC Proposed Pre-emption of State & Local Restrictions of TV Broadcast and MMDS Antennas. Cable Agency filed comments that stated that local zoning matters should be decided by that particular community. The FCC has no business becoming a federal zoning board. Local zoning boards that have an understanding through ascertainment of community needs, as well as the input of neighbors and local organizations that are best suited in determining local zoning issues.