FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

FACT SHEET

September 1997

CABLE TELEVISION FACT SHEET

SUBSCRIBER SIGNAL QUALITY STANDARDS

Q: Does the FCC have requirements regarding the technical quality of the cable TV picture I receive?

A: Yes. The FCC has technical quality standards that define a basic quality of service which cable subscribers are entitled to receive.

Q: What sort of picture quality should I receive if my cable company is in compliance with the FCC's standards?

A: Compliance with the Commission's standards generally will result in a picture that is high enough in quality to provide enjoyable viewing with barely perceptible impairments.

Q: What should I do if I am not receiving a good quality picture?

A: You should first check to make sure all the equipment and wiring you own that is connected to the cable wiring works properly, including TVs, VCRs and subscriber-owned converters.

Q: I have determined that my equipment is in good working condition and believe there is a problem with the cable signal delivered to my home. What is my next step?

A: Complaints regarding signal quality should be referred directly to the cable operator. The FCC's rules require cable operators to have in place a process to resolve subscriber complaints on signal quality. Operators must also notify subscribers of their complaint resolution process at least once per year.

Q: Who should I contact if the cable operator has not resolved my signal quality complaint?

A: You should contact your local franchising authority, which is the local city, county or other government organization that regulates your cable television service. The FCC's technical rules are generally enforced by the local franchising authorities, who are the most likely to be familiar with local system operation and plant. The rules are also available to assist the local franchising authority in judging the cable operator's technical performance in the franchise renewal process. This renewal process determines whether a cable operator can continue to provide cable service to the community.

Q: Are cable operators required to test their systems to demonstrate that they are in compliance with the FCC's standards?

A: Yes. The FCC's rules require cable operators serving 1,000 or more subscribers to conduct semi-annual testing to demonstrate compliance with the Commission's technical standards. Systems serving less than 1,000 subscribers are exempt from the testing requirements; however, they are still expected to meet the standards set forth in the rules.

Q: The cable operator tells me that because of FCC technical testing requirements, they will have to temporarily interrupt service. Is this true?

A: Yes. Some of the tests cable operators need to perform to verify that they are within our standards may require them to temporarily interrupt the service on certain channels. These interruptions are generally during off-peak viewing hours and should be no longer than a few minutes.

Q: How can I find out if my cable operator is in compliance with the FCC's subscriber signal quality standards?

A: The FCC's rules require the cable operator to show, upon request by an authorized representative of the local franchising authority, that the system does, in fact, comply with the rules. If you have a concern about your operator's compliance, you should contact your local franchising authority.

Q: Does the FCC require cable operators to deliver a signal that allows for the use of my closed-captioned equipment?

A: Yes. The FCC requires cable operators to deliver closed-captioned data, intact, as it is received at the system's headend. This allows hearing-impaired subscribers who have closed-captioned decoders to receive written information on the audio portion of the programming.