Every franchise agreement shall require a franchisee to comply
with all applicable federal, state and local customer service requirements
and shall specify the minimum customer service requirements the franchisee
must satisfy. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, every franchisee
must satisfy the following requirements, whether or not specified
in its franchise agreement:
A.
The franchisee shall maintain a business office at a location where
subscribers may readily visit and may call without incurring toll
charges that shall be open at least during normal business hours,
which shall include evening hours and some weekend hours.
B.
The franchisee shall render sufficient service, make repairs promptly
and interrupt service only for good cause and for the shortest time
possible. The franchisee shall generally respond to all service calls
within 24 hours and correct cable malfunctions as promptly as possible,
and shall maintain a competent staff sufficient to provide adequate
and prompt service to its subscribers. The franchisee shall provide
a pro rata credit to subscribers for periods of interruption of service
in accordance with applicable law.
C.
The franchisee shall maintain adequate telephone lines and personnel
to respond to subscriber complaints or inquiries and schedule service
calls in a timely manner. The franchisee shall respond to written
subscriber complaints in writing within 10 business days, with a copy
to the township. The franchisee shall also respond to township complaints
in writing within 10 business days.
The franchisee shall give at least 30 days' notice to subscribers
and the township of any change in programming decisions or channel
realignment.
The franchisee shall restore service to customers wishing restoration
of service, provided that the customer shall first satisfy any previous
obligations owed including the full payment of previous balances,
penalties and interest.
Subscribers shall have the right to have broadband service disconnected.
A refund of unused service charges shall be paid to the customer within
30 days from the date of termination of service.
The franchisee shall provide parental control devices to all
subscribers who wish to be able to cut off any objectionable channel
or channels of programming from the broadband service entering the
subscriber's home.
The Township Manager shall be responsible as the township official
for receiving and acting upon any unresolved complaints. Written notice
of this complaint procedure, including the identity of the township
official responsible for receiving unresolved complaints, shall be
given to each subscriber at the time of initial subscription to the
system.
