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Yesterday the Collegiate Times errone-ously reported that the Federal CommunicationsnCommission (FCC) banned cable companies from making exclusive contracts with apartment complexes, citing NTC as one of those companies.
The FCC did adopt a Report and Order banning the use of exclusivity clauses of video services to apartment complexes, but the order does not apply to private cable operators such as NTC.
"None of the services provided by Shentel Converged Services are affected by the proposed ban," said Jonathan Spencer, vice president and general counsel at NTC, which is a Shentel company. "We are a private cable operator, we do not hold a franchise, we're not subject to regulation in that regard."
Spencer said that the FCC's order only applies to local franchise operators. He cited Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox Cable as examples of companies that cannot enter into an agreement with complexes because of the ban.
Sena Fitzmaurice, senior director, Corporate Communications and Government Affairs of Comcast said in an e-mail that the concessions that building owners have been able to bargain for on behalf of their residents will be lost because of the ban.
"Consumers in apartment buildings and condos across the nation received a blow (yesterday) from the action taken by the FCC," said Fitzmaurice. "The result of this decision is likely to be higher prices for services and years of litigation and uncertainty for consumers."
According to a FCC news release, the commission also adopted a Further Notice of the Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on whether they should take action to address exclusivity clauses entered into by DBS providers, private cable operators, and other MVPDs. However, at this time these providers are not subject to the FCC's new regulation.
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The article that I read yesterday did not have a reference to NTC anywhere.
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Could you add a link to yesterday's article?
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http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/2007/11/01/new_fcc_regulations_may_give_students_options
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The statement "Terrace View Apartments, Collegiate Suites and several other complexes in Blacksburg had exclusive contracts with cable companies and will now be required to offer students other choices for cable access." alludes to NTC, so i guess that's what the CT is referring to
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That's not good news. I and other VT students will continue to be forced to pay for crappy services because we have no other choice.
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Figures they find a way around it. I'm sick of the fuzzy picture and few HD channels NTC provides. Apparently we have to choose where we live according to the cable company, and that's absurd.
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It's important to note that, in the FCC's official news release, they say, "The Commission also adopted a Further Notice of the Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice) that seeks comment on whether we should take action to address exclusivity clauses entered into by DBS providers, private cable operators, and other MVPDs who are not subject to Section 628." So while this one ruling might not affect private cable operators, they are far from immune to the FCC cracking down on these extortion like practices. Personally, I don't even see how NTC can be considered a private cable operator - They may be privately owned, but their cable "service" is atrocious by the standards of the 1980's, and most would say they rarely operate. This ruling should certainly be extended to companies like NTC, and if it is extended to NTC, I will enjoy nothing more than watching them go bankrupt . . .
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Please join the Facebook group "Students against NTC/Shenandoah Telecommunications". I'm trying to start a campaign against NTC's extortionist policies.
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Why is NTC a "private compay"? If private means sub-par service and high rates then they are a private company. I'm still in America right?
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