Cable TV Consumer Rights

As a cable TV subscriber in Arlington, you have a right to:

1. Appeal to the County Cable Administrator for assistance, after contacting the cable company without satisfaction.
2. A clear procedure from the cable company for resolving complaints.
3. Service calls, installations, and disconnects during the hours of 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. with a company’s best efforts to complete service calls within three (3) days from the date of the initial request, and new installations with seven (7) business days of the request.
4. Telephone answering time of less than thirty (30) seconds, with an additional thirty (30) seconds maximum time to transfer the call to a customer service representative.
5. A specific time for a service calls within a time block equal to or less than four (4) hours in length.
6. An appointment scheduled at a specific time between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., seven (7) days a week, convenient to you, if the technician does not meet a previously scheduled time.
7. Pickup and/or replacement of converters or other equipment at your request at your address by the cable service company if you are “mobility-limited.”
8. Receive from the cable TV provider the following materials, once every twelve (12) months:
   • Instructions on how to use the cable service;
   • Billing and complaint procedures, and written instructions for placing a service call, filing a complaint, or requesting an adjustment (including when a subscriber is entitled to refunds for outages and how to obtain them);
   • A notice showing the telephone number of the County office responsible for receiving unresolved customer complaints;
   • A schedule of rates and charges, channel positions, and a description of products and services offered;
   • Prices and options for programming services and conditions of subscription to programming and other services; and
   • A description of the franchisee’s installation and service maintenance policies, delinquent subscriber disconnect and reconnect procedures, and any other of its policies applicable to its subscribers.
9. A least thirty (30) days prior notice of any significant changes in the information listed above, in writing and by announcement on the system.
10. Promotional materials, announcements, and advertising of cable service including price information with clearly and accurately disclosed price terms.
11. A minimum of forty-eight (48) hours prior notice of anticipated service interruptions.
12. Credit on your next bill of an amount equal to 1/30 of the monthly charge for loss of service for more than eight (8) hours in any 24-hour period, other than a planned interruption.
13. A telephone contact number for service or billing problems clearly displayed on your monthly bill.
14. A billing statement that is clear, concise and understandable.
15. An initial response or acknowledgment to your written billing complaints within five (5) days of receipt of the complaint, and a final written response within thirty (30) days of receipt of your complaint.
16. Refund checks and service credit issued to you no later than the next billing cycle
17. Termination of service at any time, and to downgrade service without charge unless a service call is required.
18. Return disconnected equipment within five (5) business days of disconnection without charge.
19. Cable service without disconnection until after forty-five (45) days from the due date of unpaid monthly subscriber fee or charges, plus at least another ten (10) days after written notice of intent to disconnect, unless the cable company’s system or equipment is being damaged or destroyed, or you are not authorized to receive the service.
20. Safe streets and walkways free of cable company wires or equipment interfering with their use.