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Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of )
) File No. EB-02-TC-019
Bresnan Communications Company )
) CUID No. MI0102 (Essexville)
Complaints Regarding )
Cable Programming Services Tier )
ORDER
Adopted: May 6, 2002 Released: May 8, 2002
By the Chief, Enforcement Bureau:1
1. In this Order we consider
complaints2 against the rates charged by the above-referenced
operator ("Operator")3 for its cable programming services tier
("CPST") in the community referenced above. The Cable Services
Bureau has already issued an order ("Prior Order"),4 in which it
found Operator's CPST rates in effect through May 14, 1994 to be
unreasonable. In its Prior Order, it stated that its findings
"do not in any way prejudge the reasonableness of the prices for
CPS service after May 14, 1994 under our new rate regulations." 5
On February 17, 2000, Operator filed an amended refund plan in
response to the Prior Order. In its refund plan, Operator
calculated its refund liability through July 14, 1994.6 On
February 15, 2002, the Cable Services Bureau issued an order
accepting Operator's refund plan as modified therein.7 In this
Order, we address only the reasonableness of Operator's CPST
rates for the above-referenced community, for the period
beginning July 15, 1994.
2. Under the provisions of the Communications Act8 that
were in effect at the time the referenced complaint was filed,
the Federal Communications Commission ("Commission") is
authorized to review the CPST rates of cable systems not subject
to effective competition to ensure that rates charged are not
unreasonable. The Cable Television Consumer Protection and
Competition Act of 19929 ("1992 Cable Act") required the
Commission to review CPST rates upon the filing of a valid
complaint by a subscriber or local franchising authority ("LFA").
The filing of a complete and timely complaint triggers an
obligation upon the cable operator to file a justification of its
CPST rates.10 The Operator has the burden of demonstrating that
the CPST rates complained about are reasonable.11 If the
Commission finds a rate to be unreasonable, it shall determine
the correct rate and any refund liability.12
3. Operators must use the FCC Form 1200 series to justify
rates for the period beginning May 15, 1994.13 Operators may
file an FCC Form 1210 to justify quarterly rate increases based
on the addition and deletion of channels, changes in certain
external costs and inflation.14 Operators may justify their
rates on an annual basis using an FCC Form 1240 to reflect
reasonably certain and quantifiable changes in external costs,
inflation, and the number of regulated channels that are
projected for the twelve months following the rate change.15 Any
incurred cost that is not projected may be accrued with interest
and added to rates at a later time.16
4. Upon review of Operator's FCC Form 1200, we adjusted
Line A1 (Channels per Tier as of 3/31/94) from 24 to 22, Line A6
(Monthly Charge per Tier as of 3/31/94) to $10.96, and Line C1
(Channels per tier as of 3/31/94) and Line C2 (Number of
Regulated Non-Broadcast Channels per Tier) to 22 for the CPST.
All of these adjustments were made to conform Operator's FCC Form
1200 to the revised FCC Form 393 reviewed in the Prior Order.
The adjustments reduced Operator's maximum permitted rate ("MPR")
from $10.74 to $10.27. Upon review of Operator's FCC Form 1210
covering the period April 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994, the
Cable Services Bureau adjusted Line A1 (Transition Rate per Tier)
to conform to Operator's revised FCC Form 1200. This adjustment
reduced Operator's FCC Form 1210 MPR from $11.30 to $10.46.
Because Operator's actual CPST rate of $11.44, effective July 1,
1994 through August 31, 1994, exceeds its revised MPR of $10.46,
we find Operator's actual CPST rate of $11.44, effective July 1,
1994 through August 31, 1994, to be unreasonable. Because
Operator's actual CPST rate of $11.30, effective September 1,
1994 through December 31, 1994, exceeds its revised MPR of
$10.46, we find Operator's actual CPST rate of $11.30, effective
September 1, 1994 through December 31, 1994, to be unreasonable.
5. Upon review of Operator's FCC Form 1210 covering the
period July 1, 1994 through December 31, 1994, we adjusted
Operator's Line A1 to reflect the revised MPR of $10.46 from its
previous FCC Form 1210. This adjustment reduced Operator's MPR
from $11.51 to $11.08. Because Operator's actual CPST rate of
$11.51, effective January 1, 1995 through March 31, 1995, exceeds
its revised MPR of $11.08, we find Operator's actual CPST rate of
$11.51, effective January 1, 1995 through March 31, 1995, to be
unreasonable.
6. Upon review of Operator's FCC Form 1210 covering the
period January 1, 1995 through March 31, 1995, we find Operator's
actual CPST rate of $11.63, effective April 1, 1995 to be
reasonable.
7. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 0.111
and 0.311 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.111 and
0.311, that the CPST rate of $11.44, charged by Operator in the
community referenced above, effective July 15, 1994 through
August 31, 1994, IS UNREASONABLE
8. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 0.111 and
0.311 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.111 and 0.311,
that the CPST rate of $11.30, charged by Operator in the
community referenced above, effective September 1, 1994 through
December 31, 1994, IS UNREASONABLE.
9. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 0.111 and
0.311 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.111 and 0.311,
that the CPST rate of $11.51, charged by Operator in the
community referenced above, effective January 1, 1995 through
March 31, 1995, IS UNREASONABLE.
10. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 0.111 and
0.311 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.111 and 0.311,
that the CPST rate of $11.63, charged by Operator in the
community referenced above, effective April 1, 1995 IS
REASONABLE.
11. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Section 76.961 of
the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 76.961, that Operator shall
refund to subscribers that portion of the amount paid in excess
of the maximum permitted CPST rate of $10.46 per month (plus
franchise fees), plus interest to the date of the refund, for the
period July 15, 1994 through December 31, 1994.
12. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Section 76.961 of
the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 76.961, that Operator shall
refund to subscribers that portion of the amount paid in excess
of the maximum permitted CPST rate of $11.08 per month (plus
franchise fees), plus interest to the date of the refund, for the
period January 1, 1995 through March 31, 1995.
13. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Operator shall promptly
determine the overcharges to CPST subscribers for the stated
periods, and shall within 30 days of the release of this Order,
file a report with the Chief, Enforcement Bureau, stating the
cumulative refund amount so determined (including franchise fees
and interest), describing the calculation thereof, and describing
its plan to implement the refund within 60 days of Commission
approval of the plan.
14. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 0.111 and
0.311 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.111 and 0.311,
that the complaints referenced herein against the rates charged
by Operator in the community referenced above ARE GRANTED.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
David H. Solomon
Chief, Enforcement Bureau
_________________________
1 Effective March 25, 2002, the Commission transferred
responsibility for resolving cable programming services tier rate
complaints from the former Cable Services Bureau to the
Enforcement Bureau. See Establishment of the Media Bureau, the
Wireline Competition Bureau and the Consumer and Governmental
Affairs Bureau, Reorganization of the International Bureau and
Other Organizational Changes, FCC 02-10, 17 FCC Rcd 4672 (2002).
2 The first valid complaint against Operator's CPST rate in the
community referenced above was filed on October 8, 1993.
3 The term "Operator" includes Operator's predecessors and
successors in interest.
4 In the Matter of Bresnan Communications Company, DA 95-1380, 10
FCC Rcd 7184 (CSB 1995); recon. den., In the Matter of Bresnan
Communications Company, DA 97-2033, 13 FCC Rcd 13120 (CSB 1998);
recon. granted in part and den. in part, In the Matter of Bresnan
Communications Company, DA 98-1877, 13 FCC Rcd 19615 (CSB 1998);
recon. den., In the Matter of Bresnan Communications Company, DA
99-1779 (CSB released September 7, 1999).
5 Prior Order at n. 1.
6 The Commission's rules provide for a refund liability deferral
period, if timely requested by the Operator, beginning May 15,
1994 and ending July 14, 1994, for any overcharges resulting from
Operator's calculation of a new maximum permitted rate on its FCC
Form 1200. See 47 C.F.R. § 76.922(b)(6)(ii). Operator elected to
defer refund liability. However, Operator will incur refund
liability from May 15, 1994 through July 14, 1994 for any CPST
rates charged above the FCC Form 393 maximum permitted rate
approved by the Commission. Operator included this period in its
refund plan calculation approved by the Commission.
7 See In the Matter of Bresnan Communications Company, DA 02-340
(CSB released February 15, 2002).
8 Communications Act, Section 623(c), as amended, 47 U.S.C.
§543(c) (1996).
9 Pub. L. No. 102-385, 106 Stat. 1460 (1992).
10 See Section 76.956 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §
76.956.
11 Id.
12 See Section 76.957 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §
76.957.
13 See Section 76.922 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.
§76.922.
14 Id.
15 Id.
16 Id.