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How do I contact my cable company? |
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You may reach Comcast by calling 1-888-262-6300.
You may reach Millennium Digital Media by calling 1-800-829-2225.
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How to I resolve issues with my cable company? |
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First, contact your cable
company at the number listed above. Be courteous and state the facts
briefly, providing any additional information which supports your position.
It will be helpful if you have your account number, copies of bills,
receipts, cancelled checks, letters, and company notices – anything which
supports your position.
When talking to your cable
company, be sure to get the name of the people you talk with and keep copies
of any correspondence from them. If you are sending a complaint by mail, do
not send it with your bill and make sure you send it to the address listed
on the top of the bill. Please do not send it to the City, as this will
slow down any response.
Be very specific about what it
is you are asking about. If you have more than one question or complaint,
right them down so you cover them all. Also be specific about what it is
you are asking your cable company to do: whether you are calling about a
service call or a credit, tell them directly.
If you do not receive a
satisfactory response, ask to speak with a supervisor. This is your right.
If you are still not satisfied, you may contact us at the Office of Cable
Communications for assistance. You may email a complaint to
www.cityofseattle.net/cable/comment or call our hotline at
206-684-8498. Please be sure to include your name, the name of the person
on the account, your telephone number on the account, and the address.
Describe the problem clearly.
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My bill shows a “franchise fee.” What is this? |
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The City of Seattle charges your cable company
a franchise fee to use the public rights-of-way for private enterprise. The
franchise fee is five percent of the company’s gross revenue, and is used to
support the Seattle channel, community technology initiatives, the Citizens’
Technology and Telecommunications Advisory Board, and this Office of Cable
Communications.
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What are the different cable services I can get
in Seattle? |
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That depends on your cable company, although
both Broadstripe and Comcast provide the full range of television
and Internet cable services. Comcast provides Limited Basic, Expanded Basic, Digital
TV/radio, and cable modem Internet. Millennium provides Expanded Basic and
Digital TV/radio and cable modem Internet. Both companies offer programming
packages as well as pay per view opportunities.
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Who regulates cable rates? |
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Basic Service Regulations
The City of Seattle has limited authority to regulate rates for basic cable service, installation, and service charges related to basic service, including the ability to review FCC rate filings by Comcast to ensure that the filings are prepared in accordance with FCC guidelines. The City does not have the ability to regulate any rates for Broadstripe due to their federal classification as a small cable operator.
Basic service is the lowest level of cable service a subscriber can buy. It includes, at a minimum, all over-the-air television broadcast signals carried pursuant to the FCC must-carry rules, and any public, educational or government access channels required by the cable operator's franchise.
Expanded Basic / All other Tiers of Service Regulations
These levels of service include all program channels on the system other than basic service such as CNN, Showtime and pay-per-view. Rates for this level of programming are no longer regulated by the FCC or the local franchise authority as of March 31, 1999.
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Are there discounts for senior citizens or
disabled people? |
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Yes. Comcast provides a discount of approximately $4 off of the monthly rate for any tier of cable service for low income seniors, low income disabled, and people living in subsidized housing.
Millennium Digital Media also provides provides a discount of approximately $4 off of the monthly rate for any tier of cable service for low income seniors, low income disabled, and people living in subsidized housing.
For more information, you may contact Comcast at 1-888-262-6300 or Broadstripe at 1-800-829-2225. Seniors may also contact the Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens at 684-0500 for information regarding cable discounts and other senior benefits in Seattle.
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Does Seattle have any consumer protection
standards to help me with my cable company? |
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Yes. Seattle has the Cable Customer Bill of
Rights (CCBOR), adopted in 1999, which established standards for cable
companies and procedures and standards if those standards are not met.
Amended in 2002, the CCBOR specifies, for example, that if you don’t get
offered an installation or service appointment within one week, you are
entitled to free installation or credit, depending upon the service
provided. The complete CCBOR may be downloaded here. If you prefer, we can send you a copy.
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Where can I pay my cable bill? |
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Please see the payment center page on this webiste for details on where to make cable service payments and drop off equipment. The City of Seattle does not accept cable payments or equipment.
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What regulations govern cable television in
Seattle? |
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The City of Seattle has awarded franchises to two cable companies,
Millennium Digital Media and Comcast. To view their respective franchises,
please go to the franchises webpage. The City's Cable Code (SMC Chapter 21.60) also provides regulations that govern cable television in Seattle.
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Who should I contact if I have a complaint regarding a program on the Seattle Community Access Network (SCAN) on Channel 29/77? |
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You may call the Seattle Community Access Channel at 206-522-4758.
Public access provides citizens with a video “soapbox” to express themselves on whatever topic they choose, within a set of rules established by SCAN and applicable law. As long as the producer stays within these standards, the program can continue to be broadcast.
Because the program producer
enjoys rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution, programs are
not previewed before they are broadcast. SCAN’s rules, however, establish a process for reviewing a program if and when a complaint is
received. If you watch a program that you believe is objectionable, please
contact SCAN at 522-4758 for information regarding how to file a complaint. Your written complaint will trigger a review process. If the program is found to be obscene, that finding may result in a suspension of broadcast privileges for the program producer.
The City is not authorized to review program content on SCAN, therefore, it is best to contact SCAN directly regarding issues concerning programs you find objectionable.
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Can I block channels on my TV? |
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Yes, to block channels you do not want to watch, you may call your
cable company and ask them to do it; use your converter box or remote
“parent control feature,” or use your TV’s V-chip. Your cable company
should be able to help you with this process.
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Who regulates telephone services in the state of Washington? |
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The Washington Utilities and Telecommunications Commission (WUTC) regulates telephone services in the state of Washington. You make contact them with questions or complaints by calling 1-800-562-6150 or by email at consumer@wutc.wa.gov. You may also go to the WUTC website at www.wutc.wa.gov and click on "complaint form" on the right hand side of the WUTC home page.
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How can I get cable information from the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC)? |
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Cable Service Bureau Fact Sheets are available
for viewing at the FCC web site, at http://www.fcc.gov/. |
