# Cable TV and FCC regulations on equipment - HELP! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-and-fcc-regulations-on-equipment-help/72297 "2001-07-13T00:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-and-fcc-regulations-on-equipment-help/72297/1 "2001-07-13T00:14:52Z")
I am in the process of moving and today I contacted all of my local utility companies for disconnect notice. Everything was going fine until I talk to my local cable company. It was my understanding that the FCC had ruled that cable companies had to allow you to purchase all equipment needed to decode their signal both analog and digital. This is explained [here.](http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/061198/new_fcc.shtml) It was also my understanding that if you leased equipment through the cable company that you could not be charged for more than the decoder was worth. Therefore if you had been leasing an analog set top converter that was worth 125$ for 2.50$ a month for 50 months it would be paid off and you would own it. (I could not find any links for this and may very well be wrong) I try to explain this to the customer service representative, and ended up going around in circles for 10 minutes. Her: But it won’t work anywhere else, why not just bring it back? Me: Because I have paid off the complete value of it and possibly more. She then spoke to her supervisor who had no idea of any court of FCC rulings regarding this. I explained to her that I would check into this further and contact their office with the info. I finished contacting the other utility companies and get ready for work. When I arrive I find a message on my voice mail from a representative from the cable company. (???) He states that yes there was a ruling by the FCC but just in regards to digital converters and not analog ones. He then goes on to say that he really needs me to drop off the converter at their local branch and if I can’t that they could pick it up from me at my place of employment. (???) At the end of his message he went on to say that if the set top had been modified in any way that they would not pursue any action against me and that they just wanted the converter back. (???) This one really pissed me off. I searched through [http://www.fcc.gov](http://www.fcc.gov) and found the same info listed above regarding a customers ability to purchase both digital and analog equipment. I called him back and stated what I had found and he said that after talking to his legal department he was correct and I was not. He then asked “So what do you have in the converter?” [livid rage] At this point I told him that he had better consult with someone more intelligent in his legal office and that I was going to contact the FCC regarding my rights. He laughed and said “That would be funny!”. So… I have read through the FCC page but am still unclear on my exact stand here. [ul][li]Has he violated FCC regulations by not even acknowledging analog equipment can be purchased as well as digital?[/li][li]Do I have any rights regarding the leasing of the equipment and payments over its value?[/li][li]Should I drive over to his house and kick the living crap out of him?[/li][li]Should I try to contact the cable companies main office or should I go strait to the FCC?[/li][li]Should I bother?[/ul][/li]I realize that the purchasing or leasing of equipment would generally be agreed upon at the time of installation but this ruling went through after install. The cable company should have informed all of its customers of this after the ruling but I never received any info from them. The fact that the cable companies employees had no knowledge of the customers ability to purchase analog converters is a direct violation of FCC standards. Any suggestions ideas??? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-and-fcc-regulations-on-equipment-help/72297/2 "2001-07-13T03:00:57Z")
No particular ideas, but maybe suggestions as to whom to talk to for clarification. First, try calling the FCC’s Consumer Hotline…1-800-CALL-FCC (1-800-225-5322), then when given the menu, select option 0. You might not get anywhere…the people at the FCC hotline are generally idiots, but it’s a good place to start. Make sure you know what you’re going to say ahead of time. After that, assuming they can’t help you, you have a few options. You might want to call the Cable Services Bureau, especially Steve Broeckaert at (202)418-1075, Deborah Klein at (202)418-1058 or Thomas Horan at (202)418-2486. Alternately, you might want to try calling the Investigations and Hearings Division of the Enforcement Bureau, at (202)418-1420. You might not get anywhere with them, but it’s worth a shot…I wish I could be of more help, but I’m not really familiar with cable rules. What I did find seems to suggest that the FCC changed their rules to let people buy their own cable boxes (from stores) rather than be forced to rent them. I’m really not sure, though. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-and-fcc-regulations-on-equipment-help/72297/3 "2001-07-13T03:03:49Z")
Excerpts on a silver platter: [http://www.fcc.gov/csb/facts/csgen.html](http://www.fcc.gov/csb/facts/csgen.html) > [@](#): > > The rules further provide that cable operators must offer subscribers the > option of having all signals whose reception does not require use of a converter to pass those signals directly to the subscriber’s TV or VCR, without passing through the set-top device. > > The rules prohibit cable operators from scrambling signals on the basic tier of cable service. This prohibition ensures that consumers who have TVs and VCRs capable of tuning basic service channels are able to continue to receive service on those channels without a set-top device. > > Under the consumer education program requirements, cable operators must also inform subscribers that: certain TVs and VCRs simply may not be able to receive all of the channels offered by the cable system once they are connected directly to the cable system; there are various types of channelization (tuner reception) incompatibilities; and offer suggestions for resolving channelization problems, e.g., use a set-top channel converter device that could be obtained from either the cable system or a retailer (in the latter case, only simple channel converter devices that do not include descrambling capability); and subscribers may purchase compatible remote control units from other sources. With respect to this last element, cable systems must provide a list of the models of set-top devices they provide to subscribers and a representative list of the remote control units currently available from retailers that are compatible with the set-top devices they employ. [http://www.fcc.gov/csb/facts/complain.html](http://www.fcc.gov/csb/facts/complain.html) > [@](#): > > You should contact your franchising authority if you have questions or complaints about the following issues: > > ~Rates for basic service and equipment, installation and service charges related to basic service. This refers to the lowest level of cable service you can buy and generally includes local broadcast channels and public, educational and governmental access channels. > > ~Customer service problems, including billing disputes, office hours, telephone availability of personnel, installations, outages and service calls. Local franchise authorities may adopt the Commission’s Customer Service rules, at any time. The local franchise authority must provide the cable operator 90-days notice prior to enforcing the federal standards and may not adopt more stringent standards without the cable operator’s consent. > > You may contact the FCC at 1-888-CALLFCC (1-888-225-5322). ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-and-fcc-regulations-on-equipment-help/72297/4 "2001-07-13T04:00:58Z")
Unfortunately, that excerpt doesn’t say that cable companies are required to let you buy boxes from them, only that “subscribers may purchase compatible remote control units from other sources.” ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2001, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-and-fcc-regulations-on-equipment-help/72297/5 "2001-07-13T20:41:15Z")
Thanks for the replies peeps. I’m gonna email the cable companies main office (I had only been working with the local representatives) and ask why the employee and his legal department gave me the wrong information regarding the FCC ruling. I am going to point out that this is in direct violation of FCC regulations and that I would like an apology from the representative. I plan on sending it this afternoon. My plan is to really mess up his Monday and therefore his whole week… just cuz I’m mean like that. A friend of mine mentioned that I should send my story into the local paper and inform everyone of their rights regarding cable. I think this may be a good idea. 🙂 If I don’t get some type of reply from them then I’ll call those numbers. Thanks again!