Following are some of the more frequently asked questions concerning Cable TV. Click on the question to get the answer.
Why is there a Cable Sales Tax on my Cable Bill?
Effective January 1, 2006 cable operators in North Carolina have the right to collect sales taxes (payable to the state) on cable services and equipment. This law was passed by state legislators; local franchising authorities were not asked to provide input on behalf of the communities in which they serve. For more information contact the North Carolina Department of Revenue - Taxpayer Assistance Division by calling 1.877.252.3052 or by writing to the Taxpayer Assistance Division, North Carolina Department of Revenue - PO Box 25000 - Raleigh, NC 27640-0001.
What can I do to get a specific channel added to the lineup?
Customers may make requests for specific channels at any time by sending a note to the cable company or the CATV Office. Cable operators take these requests into consideration along with business concerns when considering the addition of new channels to the lineup. For example, Time Warner added Univision to the program lineup because of the many requests from the Hispanic community.
I do not approve of some of the programs I have seen on the Public Access Channel (Ch. 21). How can I get them off the air?
Public Access provides any citizen with a "soapbox" to express themselves in whatever manner they choose. However, they must stay within certain specific standards of "decency", as governed by state and federal law. As long as the producer stays within these standards, there is nothing that can be done to remove the program.
Because of censorship restrictions, programs are not reviewed before they are cablecast on this channel. If you watch a program that you think goes beyond the legal standards, we suggest that you notify the CATV Office and let us know the name of the program and the date/time that the program was seen. Your inquiry will be investigated.
The Public, Educational and Government (PEG) Access channels were created by Congress to ensure that large media companies could not control all the programming seen on cable television and provide an opportunity for local community representatives to have a voice on the cable system.
How can I block the channels I do not want my children to watch?
Most converters have a 'parent control feature' that allows an adult to lock out one or more channels by using a special code or key.
Call the cable company's customer service department to learn how to use this feature on your current converter or to make arrangements to upgrade your converter to one that offers this capability.
Why is there a franchise fee on my monthly cable bill?
Cable companies in Charlotte-Mecklenburg operate within the public right-of-way and have a Franchise Agreement with either the City of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County.
This agreement governs cable company operations and requires the cable operator to pay a 5% of gross revenues franchise fee to the City. This fee covers the cable company's right to utilize the public's right-of-way for placement of cable company lines and facilities. It is the same type of fee that utility companies pay to the State for right-of-way use. Under Federal law, cable companies are permitted to pass this fee on to cable subscribers and so it is charged on monthly cable bills.
The City and County deposit the revenues from the franchise fees into their General Funds, which are utilized to pay for City and County services, such as Police and Fire protection, these costs would otherwise be paid by taxpayer dollars.
Why do I need a converter box when my television set is cable ready?
Converters operate like mini-computers in the subscriber's home. They help to ensure that only customers paying for certain services, such as Showtime or the History Channel, are receiving them. In the future, they will also allow your cable company to provide additional state of the art services as they become available, without having to schedule a special installation appointment for a technician to come to your home.
Cable companies utilize several different types of technology for translating the signals which come off their cable lines into signals which can be received by a television set. TV sets are not built to accommodate all of the technical methods which can be utilized by a cable company. Therefore, the term "cable ready" only means that the television set can receive up to a certain number of channels - it does not necessarily mean that it can translate all of the specialized electronic cable signals your cable provider sends down the cable into your home.
The cable converter takes the cable company's signals off the cable system lines and translates them into usable electronic signals which your television set can understand and display on the video screen and play through its audio speakers.
