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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCable Committee 06/07/2001Commonwealth,M*s lc j[. etts Towh'o���ansfi,l$ Ad-Hoc Committee,for`the Renew 4pr1ile Cable License �_NYuW 7, 2001, E Minutesi,pfm' Attendance: Committee Members Lou Amoruso, Selectman Bruce Fallows, Chairman Mike Healey, Vice Chairman Pat Kerley, Clerk Absent: John D'Agostino, Town Manager Andy Gazzolo Meeting began at 7:15 p.m. Motion to approve the May 10, 2001 minutes subject to videotape review — vote to approve 4 to 0. Bruce Fallows again thanked the residents for the overwhelming response to the survey. Pat Kerley noted that the written comments fell into four categories: 1. The cost is too high and the residents are very aware of the bill rising all the times and the changes in basic tiers. 2. AT&T service is not responsive and almost impossible to reach. 3. Other towns get more for the money. Residents want to know how it is possible that other towns get channels such as NESN, MSNBC and Mansfield residents don't. 4. Residents stated that without any competition AT&T could care less about them. Each member compared their results of the survey and all had similar statistics. Lou Amoruso commented that people are going to dish satellite. Reception traced back to a bad modem at the school. The School will buy a new modem, but AT&T didn't give the specs. The new modem may resolve the problem. Lou requested the residents to call AT&T to complain. Mike Healy asked the residents to put it in writing and send it to the Board of Selectmen. Lou noted that AT&T would not give information about Mansfield's telephone responses etc. Bruce Fallows discussed The Sun Chronicle's article (5/19/01) "North wants answers from AT&T." North Attleboro's Selectmen voted unanimously not to approve a new contract with AT&T Broadband until questions about the cable provider's compliance with current contract are resolved. (Attachment A) Pat Kerley read part of a letter from a resident comparing the other surrounding towns receiving more for their cable service. Other towns receive in Tier I under $35 per month Comedy Channel, Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, History Channel, and TCM etc. In Mansfield you need Basic 1, 2, 3 & some New Choice package. Review of the License F Article 5.3(a) Needs to change so that we get money and not have AT&T fix it. Accounting now is not forthcoming. The amount of $5,000 plus inflation was suggested. Mike will ask Access if they want this option and what amount they want. No pass thru. Article 5.3(b) Stays in. It needs wording and no pass thru. Ad -Hoc Committee for the Renewal of the Cable License June 7, 2001 `.. Page 2 of 3 Need to get an equipment list from the Access Board. Access needs $500,000 without switching to digital and $1 million minimum to switch to digital. Cameras at the School, Town Hall, and every other place need to be replaced if switched to digital. Page 59 deals with the number of channels. We lost one and were borrowed by the cable provided. Need to know what is a cable channel worth. It is difficult to put on a value, but there has been an estimate at $30,000 plus inflation. This needs to be settled before the contract ends. Lou wants a penalty if the AT&T does not comply. Article 5.5 System Maintenance of Channels. Monitor test results are forward to Licensing Authority Committee. Article 5.7Right of Public Service Announcement Insertion. It is a keeper, but want to know how they will maintain it. Article 6.1 Want a business office in Mansfield. Article 6.1(b) Stays. Answering phone by a customer service representative including wait time. How do we enforce. Want telephone logs quarterly. Discussions regarding AT&T customer service reps are overwhelmed. Want the ability to leave a message and have them call back. Article 6.3(a) Request 7 days and if not... Need some recourse for the consumer i.e. week's free service. Article 6.3(e) Standby personnel 24/7 Article 63(g) Don't know if the comment card distribution is happening. Article 6.7 "Parental control." The Committee noted that many of the responses on the survey indicated that they did not know they had a parental control feature. Pat Kerley stated that the cable company in New York City had a channel that played continuously with instructions and demonstrations of all the features of the cable service including how to use Parental Controls, Hook up the VCR, etc. Scrambling now is not sufficient. Cable ready TVs without a cable box can get a brief view of the channel. Article 6.8 Billing & termination procedures. AT&T should allow each subscriber to cancel a package at least once per year. Bill needs to find a section. Article 6.10 Privacy paragraph. Is it sufficient? The Committee will write to Bill August regarding the population growth. The Committee wanted to know if he was able to find out if amortization for the entire pass thru charges has been paid off. When the current contract was drafted, there were zero subscribers and now there are 5,000+ subscribers. Next meetings will be - - Thursday, June 28, 2001 at 7 PM Town Hall, Room 3AB — License Review Ad -Hoe Committee for the Renewal of the Cable License June 7, 2001 Page 3 of 3 - Thursday, July 12, 2001 at 7 PM Town Hall, Room 3AB — License Review Attachment A: The Sun Chronicle's article "North wants answers from AT&T" dated 5/19/01 Minutes: Pat Kerley Meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.