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Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of ) File No. EB-02-TC-
047
)
CableOne, Inc. ) CUID No. TX0024 (Port
Lavaca)
)
Refund Plan )
ORDER
Adopted: May 6, 2002
Released: May 8, 2002
By the Chief, Enforcement Bureau: 1
1. In this Order we consider the refund plan filed by the
above-referenced operator ("Operator") in the above-referenced
community pursuant to the Order, DA 95-10712 ("Refund Order").3
Our review of Operator's refund plan4 reveals that the refund
plan does not fulfill the requirements of the Refund Order.
Operator did not calculate the interest correctly. Operator also
requested that we offset its cable programming services tier
("CPST") overcharges with its basic service tier ("BST")
equipment undercharges. The Commission addressed the issue of
inter-tier offsets in Cencom Cable Income Partners ("Cencom").5
In Cencom, the Commission determined that such inter-tier offsets
are "inconsistent with the Commission's conclusion in the
[Implementation of Sections of the Cable Television Consumer
Protection and Competition Act of 1992, Rate Regulation, MM
Docket 92-266, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking]6 that cable operators should not balance low BST
rates with CPST rates that exceed the maximum permitted rate for
the tier."7 Therefore, we will not allow Operator to offset its
CPST overcharges with its BST undercharges.
2. We calculate Operator's refund liability as follows:
For the period from October 8, 1993 through May 14, 1994, we
calculate an overcharge of $0.14 per month per subscriber. Our
total calculation, including five percent franchise fees plus
interest on the overcharges and franchise fees through April 30,
2002, equals $7,493.00. We order Operator to refund this amount,
plus any additional interest accrued to the date of refund, to
its CPST subscribers within 60 days of the release of this Order.
3. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that Operator's refund plan
IS NOT APPROVED.
4. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Section 76.962 of the
Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. � 76.962, that Operator shall
refund to subscribers in the franchise area referenced above the
total amount of $7,493.00, plus interest accruing from April 30,
2002 to the date of refund, within 60 days of the release of this
Order.
5. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Section 76.962 of the
Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. � 76.962, that Operator shall file
a certificate of compliance with the Chief, Enforcement Bureau,
within 90 days of the release of this Order certifying its
compliance with this Order.
6. This action is taken pursuant to Sections 0.111 and
0.311 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. �� 0.111 and 0.311.
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 In the Matter of Post-Newsweek Cable, Inc., DA 95-1071, 10 FCC
Rcd 9839 (CSB 1995). On July 3, 1997, the Federal Communications
Commission received notification, pursuant to 47 C.F.R. � 76.400,
of a change of operator name from Post-Newsweek Cable, Inc. to
Cable One, Inc.
3 The Refund Order required Operator to determine the overcharges
to cable programming service tier ("CPST") subscribers for the
period stated in the Refund Order and file a report with the
Chief, Cable Services Bureau, stating the cumulative refund
amount 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.
4 Operator calculated a total refund liability of $6,212.44.
5 See In the Matter of Cencom Cable Income Partners II, LP, 12
FCC Rcd 7948 (1997).
6 8 FCC Rcd 5631 (1993).
7 Cencom at �22 (footnote omitted).