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137 <br /> <br />considered as an issue as part of the proposed economic <br />development commission. Ms. Slaughter also questioned the <br />status of the report which was to be prepared on this. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix stated that the report would be sent to <br />Council in 30 days. <br /> <br />PRESENTATION: ADELPHIA CABLE <br /> <br /> Mr. Joseph Price, representing Adelphia Cable, <br />introduced Dell Hanley, Randy Fisher, and Jim Rigas, also of <br />Adelphia, and explained that he was appearing before Council <br />to respond to recent concerns expressed by Council regarding <br />Adelphia Cable rates and service. Mr. Price stated that <br />Adelphia uses Cable Data Billing Service, additional locations <br />for payment of bills have been added, more telephone lines <br />and staff have been added to handle the demand, and billing <br />and service calls can be taken seven days a week, 24 hours a <br />day by a trained customer care center employee. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter stated that she felt that Adelphia customers <br />found it hard to read and understand their cable bill and <br />questioned whether customers, in not understanding the charges, <br />simply did not respond to Adelphia and thus automatically <br />received the additional channels at a higher charge. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever stated that he felt providing additional <br />billing places benefited~Adelphia more than customers. <br /> <br /> Responding to concerns expressed previously by Council <br />regarding the ~50 installation charge to broadcast service <br />customers, Mr. Price stated that the charge, which actually <br />cost Adelphia $75 and which Adelphia was allowing customers <br />to pay over a two-month period, with hardship cases allowed <br />five months to pay, allowed higher levels of cable service, to <br />be unscrambled. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter questioned whether the installation charge <br />was an attempt by Adelphia to reduce the number of broadcast <br />service customers in anticipation of re-regulation of this <br />service is approved by Congress. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever questioned the number of customers who had <br />previously received the broadcast service and the number who <br />have subsequently chosen to remain in the broadcast service <br />level since the installation charge had been levied. <br /> <br /> Mr. Price replied that the charge was not made in an <br />attempt to avoid regulation, approximately 40% of customers <br />had previously received the broadcast service, and that <br />approximately 140 or 150 customers out of a total of 24,000 <br />had chosen to remain in the broadcast service level. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever noted that if 40% of Adelphia's customers <br />increased their monthly payment from $11 to $14, then <br />Adelphia's aggregate revenues would be greater this year as a <br />result of restructuring. <br /> <br /> Rev. Edwards stated that he has received complaints <br />about the clarity of the reception on Adelphia Cable, he felt <br />it was unfair for consumers to pay the $50 installation fee, <br />and he thought service provided by Adelphia Cable has <br />deteriorated. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix emphasized that the City has always pushed <br />to protect the lowest level of cable service and rates and <br />the installation charge levied by Adelphia has in effect <br />eliminated that service, regardless of their motivation. Mr. <br />Hendrix presented the following issues: 1) the current <br />franchise agreement with Adelphia requires a rebuild of the <br />system which has not started; 2) people are dissatisfied with <br />customer service provided by Adelphia; and 3) the cycle <br /> <br /> <br />