Queen Annes County, MD Complaints

The County Administrator, or his designee, is designated as having primary responsibility for the continuing administration of a franchise and implementation of complaint procedures.

Unless otherwise provided in the franchise agreement, a grantee shall maintain, during the term of a franchise and any renewal thereof, a central office for the purpose of receiving and resolving all complaints regarding the quality of service, equipment malfunctions, and similar mailers. The office must be reachable by a local, toll-free telephone call. A grantee will use its good faith efforts to arrange for one or more payment locations in a central location where customers can pay bills or conduct other business activities.

As subscribers are connected or reconnected to a grantee's cable system, the grantee shall, by appropriate means, such as a card or brochure, furnish information concerning the procedures for making inquiries or complaints, including the address and local telephone number of customer service.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the County shall have the right and authority to require a grantee to test, analyze and report on the performance of its system, provided that the County shall not require a grantee to test the system as a whole, or any specific part thereof, more than once during any calendar year, unless a test shows that the system or such a specific part fails to meet relevant performance specifications. A grantee shall fully cooperate with the County in performing such testing and shall prepare results and a report, if requested, within 45 days after notice.

(1)

Such report shall include the following information:

(a)

The nature of the complaint or problem which precipitated the tests;

(b)

What system component was tested;

(c)

The equipment used and procedures employed in testing;

(d)

The method, if any, in which such complaint or problem was resolved; and

(e)

Any other information pertinent to the tests and analysis which may be required.

(2)

A grantee's periodic proof of performance tests conducted pursuant to FCC standards and requirements may satisfy a test or report required by the County under this subsection.

(3)

The County may require an independent review of a performance test, with the independent reviewer selected by the County to review the cable system in cooperation with the grantee. Should such a test prove that the grantee failed to meet a technical standard, the grantee shall bear the cost of such independent observer. If the test should prove that the grantee met the technical standards, the County shall bear the cost of such test.