Annual cable notice

2018 Annual Cable Notice

Welcome! Thanks for being a customer of Reinbeck Telecommunications Utility (RTU) Cable TV. We’ve designed this 2018 Annual Notice to help you with any questions you may have about RTU cable TV service.

Products and Services Offered, with pricing (effective 1/1/18)

Limited Basic	$29.51 19 channels	Our “lifeline” service features TV stations, The Weather Channel, CSPAN, and other essential channels.
Basic	$76.93 71 channels	Includes Limited Basic. Our most popular package offers the widest variety of sports, entertainment, information, and more.
Digital Plus	$88.48 108 channels	Includes one SD set-top box, Basic, and 37 additional channels.
HD Plus	$91.63 179 channels	Includes one HD set-top box, Basic and Digital Plus channels, and 71 channels in stunning HIGH DEFINITION!
DVR Plus	$102.13 179 channels	DVR (1 set-top included) allows you to record and replay your favorite programs. Also includes Basic, Digital Plus and HD Plus channels!

Premium Channels (requires at least Limited Basic)

HBO $15.95	Cinemax $9.95
Starz/Encore $9.95	Showtime/TMC $13.95

Additional Equipment

SD Digital set-top box $4.95	HD set-top box $6.95
DVR $14.95	CableCard $4.95-1^st $2.96-add’l

As a courtesy to our customers, RTU provides unscrambled digital signals for many channels at no additional charge. For a list of QAM channels visit our website at www.reinbeck.net.

Service Installation & Maintenance

For a standard installation, technicians bring the cable to the point in your home nearest our facilities and along the easiest route. The cable will be grounded. Standard connections provide visible wiring and include a loop-through hookup to your VCR or DVD player. An installation fee may be applicable. Concealed wiring and other custom installation services are available at additional cost. RTU does not repair holes in floors, ceilings, or walls upon disconnection of the cable service. We offer an appointment window for installation, service calls, or other installation activities that are either a specific time, or at a maximum, a four-hour time block during normal business hours. We commit to a policy to not cancel our appointment with you after the close of business in the business day prior to a scheduled appointment. If we are running late for an appointment, we will attempt to contact you and will, as necessary, attempt to reschedule to a time that is convenient for you. If you have any questions about how to use the service you are receiving, a technician will go over those details during the installation appointment to make sure you know how to use all the services you’ve signed up for.

If you experience problems with your service, please call RTU at 788-7888. A customer service representative will ask a series of questions about your problem. In some cases, your problem can be diagnosed and solved over the phone. If not, a technician will be dispatched at your convenience to resolve the problem. If the service problem is related to RTU facilities or equipment up to and including the demarcation box on the side of your home, RTU will fix the problem at no charge. If the problem is related to your inside wiring, you will be charged based on time and materials.

If RTU is required to enter your home to perform repair work or installation, we require that a representative of your home be present at all times. The person must be of legal age.

Billing Policies and Procedures

Your bill for communications services (including cable TV) will be mailed on or around the 25th of each month. This bill will contain monthly charges for the next month, plus any miscellaneous charges that have occurred since your last bill. Payment is due upon receipt. If payment is not received on or before the 15th of the month for which services are billed, it will be considered delinquent. Bills may be paid by mail, at our drop box, by direct payment at the RTU office, or by automatic withdrawal through a bank or credit union. If there are any billing errors or other requests for credit, please bring them to our attention within 20 days of the bill date. Bill payments received by RTU after the past due date (15th) shall be assessed a late payment penalty. Each account shall be granted one complete forgiveness of the late payment penalty in each calendar year. If your cable TV service is disconnected for non-payment, we may require that you pay all past due charges, a non-payment processing fee, and a deposit before we reconnect your service. If you do not reconnect, any rental equipment must be returned to RTU. RTU may require customers who have past due accounts to bring their accounts up to date before ordering additional communications services. A security deposit may be required for new customers or a new or additional deposit may be required of a customer whose initial deposit has been refunded or is found to be inadequate. A service charge shall be assessed as established by RTU to any customer whose check and/or ACH is returned or not honored by the bank on which it is drawn.

Complaint Procedures

Complaints concerning the charges, practices, facilities, or service of RTU shall be investigated promptly and thoroughly. RTU shall keep records of written complaints sufficient to enable review and analysis of its procedures and actions. Customers shall be asked to submit complaints in writing. The complaint shall include the following information: Name(s) of complainant, Address(es) of complainant, Telephone number(s) of complainant Nature of the complaint Relief sought Initial contact by a customer regarding a complaint shall be made with an RTU customer service representative. The complaint may be pursued by the General Manager if the customer is not satisfied with the handling of the complaint. If the customer is not satisfied with the General Manager’s handling of the complaint, a written complaint may be filed with the Chair of the RTU Board of Trustees. If the Chair believes the customer’s complaint warrants further attention, the Chair may place the complaint on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled Board meeting for the ultimate resolution of the complaint. A customer who is unable to travel need not appear before any RTU official described above in person to explain the nature of their complaint. They may do so by telephone or in some other mutually agreeable fashion. Complaints involving policies or actions of RTU that are regulated by the FCC may also be filed with the FCC in accordance with applicable regulations.

Equipment Compatibility

Most customers have TV receivers and VCR’s that can tune to most of the channels we provide. Others may have older sets that do not tune to all the cable channels. In this case RTU has digital converter boxes available for rental. The converters we use can be operated with a hand-held remote-control device which we include as part of our services with a box. It is also possible that the remote control that came with your TV or VCR or a universal remote you have purchased is capable of controlling our boxes as well.

The programming you enjoy through RTU is delivered through a complex series of electronic components and many miles of cable & fiber installed throughout the community of Spencer. For each channel, RTU has to receive signals to process and convert for distribution to our customers. Even if you have a TV or VCR that was advertised as being able to receive all cable channels, some of you may still need a converter. This is because there have been no standards governing the reception of cable channels and so your TV or VCR, however it may have been advertised, may not tune to all the channels we provide. According to government rules, TV’s and VCR’s sold in the United States as of July 1997 cannot be called “cable ready” or

“cable compatible” unless they comply with the new technical requirements adopted by the FCC, including the ability to tune cable channels properly. You may still encounter problems or interference when your TV or VCR is connected directly to cable.

Personal Information

As a cable subscriber, there are some forms of personal information that will be collected in connection with and operation of RTU’s communications services. This information includes: your name, both physical and mailing address, loaned or returned equipment, service record, social security number and driver’s license number, employer and any complaints. This information may not be disclosed for any purpose without your consent except as described in this statement. Collected information, as well as delivery or maintenance services and equipment, billing, accounts, collection, advertising, or detection of unauthorized reception of communications services, is necessary to provide our communications service or other services to you and to conduct legitimate business activities related to our communications system. This information will be maintained for a minimum of five years after the end of service.

In addition to these activities, this information may be disclosed on a day-to-day basis to employees or agents of our system, including, but not limited to sales or marketing personnel, billing or collection services, auditors, accountants, attorneys, lenders, programmers and regulatory agencies. Your name and address may also be disclosed to program guide suppliers or other non-cable services so that you may receive programming guides or other services. This disclosure will not indicate the extent or type of any use you make over the system. If you wish for us to limit or prohibit this disclosure, you must notify us in writing that you do not want the information released. Information personally identifying you may also be disclosed after notice to you if required by a court order authorizing such disclosure or as required by an agency having jurisdiction over the utility or as otherwise required by law. Information that personally identifies you shall be maintained by our office for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. You may have access to review and correct this information in our Customer Service Center at any time during normal business hours. Please contact us in advance if you wish to review your records.

Customer Proprietary Network Information

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted rules pertaining to the Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) regarding records RTU has because of the services provided to you. This would include such things as the type and quantity of services subscribed to, the equipment and facilities used, and the numbers, dates, times and duration of the calls you place. You have a right under federal law to protect the confidentiality of your account information and RTU adheres to all FCC adopted rules regarding CPNI. A copy of the FCC CPNI rules is available at the RTU Customer Service Center upon request.

Service Fees

Billed service calls are $45.00 per hour during normal business hours with a 1-hour minimum and $60.00 per hour after business hours with a 2-hour minimum. Service charges apply for: establishing service, reconnection of service for nonpayment, move of service from one premise to another, telephone number change made at the request of the customer, rearrangement or relocation of facilities at customer’s request, troubleshooting and repair of service that is the responsibility of the customer.