NEWS                                                      November 18, 1994


                  CABLE BUREAU TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED TO
                      MONITOR RATE COMPLAINT PROCESS

       ORDERS ISSUED ON ADDITIONAL CABLE TELEVISION RATE COMPLAINTS:
                THREE OPERATORS ORDERED TO PROVIDE REFUNDS
                        TOTALLING ABOUT 900 THOUSAND

As part of the Cable Service Bureau's effort to ensure that rate complaints are resolved
expeditiously and at a regular pace, the Chief of the Cable Services Bureau, Meredith J. Jones
has established a Commission  task force to analyze the Commission's rate complaint process
and determine whether there are any procedures which can be modified to speed up the process. 
The task force will monitor the progress on resolving complaints.  This will ensure fairness to
consumer, local franchising authorities and operators by making sure that all complaints are
examined in a timely fashion.  The task force plans to make its recommendations for changes
before the end of the year.

The Cable Services Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission today also issued 6
orders resolving 24 cable service rate complaints filed by consumers and local franchising
authorities against cable operators.  In three of the 6 cases, consumer refunds were ordered,
totalling approximately $900,000.  The refunds were ordered in Milwaukee, WI (Warner Cable),
Virginia Beach, VA (Cox Cable), and parts of Los Angeles, CA (United Cable).  The orders
resolve these complaints and cover rates in effect prior to May 15, 1994.

In addition to the three refund orders, complaints involving three other franchise areas served
by one other operator have been resolved.  In these cases the rates were found to comply with
the Commission's rate orders.  Those additional franchise areas are: Toledo, OH, Rossford, OH,
and Oregon, OH.  All three areas are served by Buckeye Cablevision.

The 1992 Cable Act permits subscribers and local franchising authorities to file complaints
challenging the compliance of a cable operator with rate regulations.  The complaints trigger a
Commission adjudicatory proceeding whereby the cable operator is required to file a detailed
written response justifying the rates it is charging.  The Cable Services Bureau's Consumer
Protection Division analyzes and reviews the complaint, the response and any supplementary
information provided by the cable company, to determine whether the rates being charged are
reasonable.  
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All six of the orders issued today are benchmark orders.  Essentially, under the benchmark
system, an operator's rates are compared to benchmark levels, which approximate the rates that
would be charged by similar systems which are subject to effective competition.  Cost-of-service
cases are determined by examining the actual costs an operator incurs in providing cable service.

     Action by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau, November 18, 1994, by Memorandum
Opinion andOrders (DA 94-1283-1288).

                                  - FCC -

     Cable Services Bureau news media contact: Morgan Broman (202) 416-0852
     Cable Services Bureau contacts: Jeffrey Steinberg, Mary Woytek (202) 416-0800