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No Digital Upgrade Here Says Charter

post #1 of 9
1/15/09 at 7:50am
Thread Starter 
We live in West Olive, Michigan where Charter Cable has a narrow corridor of franchise. Charter tells us they are not upgrading to digital here. Our local township is the franchise authority, but they seem to know less about this than we do. We thought that the FCC required cable companies to upgrade. How can we find out what Charter Cable should, by law, be doing to upgrade here or why they have received some sort of exemption. There is no local Charter phone number or office here, and calls to Charter in other areas nearby are of little or no help. The township office tells us that they don't even have the authority to regulate the rates that Charter charges us for cable. What is going on? Help!
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post #2 of 9
1/15/09 at 8:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by susanmanuel View Post

We thought that the FCC required cable companies to upgrade. How can we find out what Charter Cable should, by law, be doing to upgrade here or why they have received some sort of exemption.

That's where you may be wrong. By law (or the FCC)... they don't have to provide "digital" or upgrade at this time.

For digital, your options are OTA (antenna for locals) or perhaps satellite (DirecTV/Dish).
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post #3 of 9
1/15/09 at 9:26am
This cannot be good news for Charter:

http://www.multichannel.com/article/....html?nid=4262

No wonder they're being conservative with capital expenditures.
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post #4 of 9
1/15/09 at 10:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by susanmanuel View Post

We live in West Olive, Michigan where Charter Cable has a narrow corridor of franchise. Charter tells us they are not upgrading to digital here. Our local township is the franchise authority, but they seem to know less about this than we do. We thought that the FCC required cable companies to upgrade. How can we find out what Charter Cable should, by law, be doing to upgrade here or why they have received some sort of exemption. There is no local Charter phone number or office here, and calls to Charter in other areas nearby are of little or no help. The township office tells us that they don't even have the authority to regulate the rates that Charter charges us for cable. What is going on? Help!

Get your facts strait. The digital transition has nothing to do with cable companies or other private providers. It refers to free over the air signals. Analog is going dark and digital will remain the only free over the air broadcasts. Cable companies can and continue to do business indifferent to this transition. Slap whoever mislead you enough to call for accountability on something you're misinformed about.

Aside: this transition does, on the other hand, indicate the beginning of the end for analog TV's and cable companies may reduce their channel lineup as demand decreases. They, however, do not have to and don't misinterpret any changes they make as an FCC requirement.
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post #5 of 9
1/27/09 at 1:44am
For what its worth. I think Cable Operators are required to offer Analog service until 2012 or 2013. They are not yet required to offer digital.
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post #6 of 9
1/27/09 at 5:13pm
However, the regulation that requires provision of analog service 'til 2012 explicitly outlines two possible ways of delivering analog service: (1) Actual analog transmissions; or (2) in-the-clear digital transmissions, with digital-to-analog cable converters available (perhaps for a fee). It was one of cable's few "wins" with regard to FCC regulations over the last five years.
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post #7 of 9
1/27/09 at 6:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bicker1 View Post

However, the regulation that requires provision of analog service through 2012 explicitly outlines two possible ways of delivering analog service: (1) Actual analog transmissions; or (2) in-the-clear digital transmissions, with digital-to-analog cable converters available (perhaps for a fee). It was one of cable's few "wins" with regard to FCC regulations over the last five years.

I think you, or someone else, said it was through 2012, and I posted the FCC regs. saying it is through 17 Feb. 2012, with the caveats you mentioned.
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post #8 of 9
1/27/09 at 8:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by susanmanuel View Post

We thought that the FCC required cable companies to upgrade... What is going on? Help!

Find all the information right here http://www.dtv.gov/index.html

Does the DTV transition affect TV sets that are connected to cable services?

No. If you subscribe to cable service, the DTV transition should not affect any TV sets that are connected to your cable services. The DTV transition applies only to full-power broadcast television stations – stations that use the public airwaves to transmit their programming to viewers through a broadcast antenna.
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post #9 of 9
1/28/09 at 2:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by QZ1 View Post

I think you, or someone else, said it was through 2012, and I posted the FCC regs. saying it is through 17 Feb. 2012, with the caveats you mentioned.

Yeah, I changed the word "through" to "'til".
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