COLUMBUS -- Consumers who have not been able to resolve a complaint with their cable television company may file a complaint with the Ohio Department of Commerce. Director of Commerce Kimberly A. Zurz has established the Cable TV Consumer Hotline at 1-800-686-7826 to assist cable consumers to file a complaint with the department.
In 2007, Governor Ted Strickland signed Senate Bill 117, which replaced local franchise processes for cable television providers with a state-issued authorization process. This enabled the Director to issue video service authorizations to cable providers in Ohio and to investigate consumer complaints.
The Director has issued 32 video service authorizations to cable television providers throughout the state. Video service authorizations can cover an entire county or just one village in a county. Ohio's covered areas principally include the state's major cities and surrounding areas, and also include some rural areas.
While many cities operate under the new system, some still operate under the old franchise system with local governments between the cable operator and the local government. These areas are not under the department's jurisdiction and Commerce cannot investigate those complaints. Commerce also does not have the authority to regulate satellite companies, Internet or phone service provided by cable television companies.
The law offers consumer protections and requires authorized cable television providers to:
* Restore cable service within 72 hours after the customer reports the problem unless the problem was caused by a natural disaster.
* Credit the customer's account for a service interruption (depending on the cause and duration).
* Provide 30 days advance written notice before removing a channel.
* Provide 30 days advance written notice prior to a rate increase.
* Provide 10 days advance written notice before disconnecting service.
Since the regulatory program went into effect, Commerce has received more than 600 consumer complaints, most involving service issues, billing disputes, and repairs. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Call Center is answering consumer calls and forwarding the information they obtain to the Department of Commerce.
For more information on the areas covered under video service authorizations, visit www.com.ohio.gov and click on Video Service Regulation. On this site, consumers can see a list of approved cable television providers, the areas that they cover, and download a complaint form.