Cable TV Regulation - Inside Wiring Rules
For purposes of the following discussion, a college will be the MDU operator and the MDU property or properties will be a dormitory or dormitories owned by the college.
FCC inside wiring regulations only apply to cable home wiring and home run wiring and are not applicable to distribution wiring, which is not subject to FCC regulation ( see pop-up box with inside wiring rule definitions). In the event a college elects to terminate service with the current cable TV provider, disposition of the home run wiring and cable home wiring will be typically be determined by the rules set forth in a building by building disposition. These rules apply whether service is provided on a subscription or bulk basis. The college as owner of the MDU will be deemed to be the subscriber regarding cable home wiring. .
Building by Building home run wiring disposition: College notifies current cable TV operator in writing that service will be terminated in 90 days. Cable TV operator will then have 30 days to notify the college in writing of its election for all the “home run wiring” inside the MDU building: (a) to remove the wiring and restore the property within 30 days of the end of the 90-day notice period or within 30 days of actual service termination, whichever occurs first; (b) to abandon and not disable the wiring at the end of the 90-day notice period; or (c) to sell the wiring to the college (see pop-up box for full summary of rules or 47C.F.R.§76.804(a) under full documents below).
Cable home wiring disposition: When the college provides 90 day notice to the current cable TV operator regarding its intent to terminate service, the cable TV operator must reply within 30 days with an offer to sell to the college any cable home wiring it owns and intends to remove; and provide the college with the total per-foot replacement cost of such cable home wiring. If the college declines to purchase the cable home wiring, the college may allow the alternative cable TV provider to purchase the home wiring upon service termination under the terms and conditions of 47C.F.R.§76.802. If the college or the alternative cable TV provider elects to purchase the cable home wiring under these rules, it must so notify the current cable TV operator not later than 30 days before the current cable TV operator’s termination of access to the building will become effective. If the college and the alternative cable TV operator provider elect not to purchase the cable home wiring, the current cable TV operator must then remove the cable home wiring, under normal operating conditions, within 30 days of actual service termination, or make no subsequent attempt to remove it or to restrict its use.
Overall rule for seamless transition: The parties must cooperate to avoid service disruption to subscribers.
Full Documents:
47C.F.R.§76.804(a)
47C.F.R.§76.802
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