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Services > Cable
Overview  |  Bulletin Board Request  |  Cable Provider
Cable Resolutions  |  FAQ's  |  Forms  |  Guest Info
This document is available to view in PDF format. Letter To Comcast Subscribers  |  Policies and Procedures
Program Development Process  |  Program Schedule
Workshops  |  Video on Demand

Cable Provider

The first Bloomfield Township cable franchise was a locally approved franchise with Booth Communications in the early 1980's. That franchise was transferred to MediaOne in 1999, and then to Comcast in 2000. This franchise was always non-exclusive, meaning that any cable provider who wished to do business in Bloomfield Township could apply for a franchise. Unfortunately, no other cable provider chose to compete and for years Township residents had no choice in cable TV services.

In 2007, following state legislation that established the Uniform State Video franchise, (P.A. 480) AT&T applied for a state franchise to offer video services in Bloomfield Township. According to law, that franchise was approved in April 2007.

Unlike our local franchise, P.A. 480 does not require a cable or video provider to service every home in a community. Therefore, while Comcast provides cable service throughout all of Bloomfield Township, AT&T selectively provides service to parts of the Township and not others. This is allowed by law and Bloomfield Township cannot regulate it. For details on Bloomfield Township's attempts to encourage cable competition and to keep its local franchise, see the Resolutions at the end of this section.

If you would like to know if AT&T's video service is available at your home, call the customer service number, 800.288.2020, or see the AT&T website.

To contact Comcast call 877.266.2278 or visit the Comcast website.

In 2010 Wide Open West (WOW) was granted franchises in several neighboring communities. Over the years, Bloomfield Township has contacted WOW's top local administrators, encouraging them to seek a franchise in Bloomfield Township. Each time, WOW officials have said they were focusing on the communities in which they already provided services and had no immediate plans to expand further. We will continue to encourage competition to the extent we are able to do so.

For the most recent letter to WOW, click here.

Cable Complaints

If you have a problem with your cable or video service that was not resolved satisfactorily when you called your provider, you may call Bloomfield Township's Cable Studio at 248.433.7792 and leave a message. Someone will call you back to get details and intervene with the cable company on your behalf. Or, you may call the Michigan Public Service Commission. For details on that agency's complaint resolution process, please see the MPSC Consumer Tips.

Public Education and Government (PEG) Channels and Cable/Video Providers

Bloomfield Community Television (BCTV) produces approximately 500 local programs a year. (To see more about programs, see the Overview page and/or the Program Schedule.)

All of these programs are carried on the Comcast cable system, Channel 15 in Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills.

At this time, these programs are NOT carried on AT&T’s U-verse video system. If you subscribe to U-verse, you will not receive BCTV, Bloomfield Township’s locally produced Public, Education and Government (PEG) programming. This is because of three reasons. First, AT&T requires municipalities to bear the cost of transmitting the channel to AT&T. The cost would have to cover a major equipment purchase initially and ongoing monthly transmission expenses.

Second, U-verse does not give PEG programs their own channels. PEG channels from all over the tri-county area are grouped together on a computer application that is technically inferior to all the other channels. The technical quality of BCTV’s programs would be degraded.

Third, because of the way U-verse is engineered, a viewer cannot get to a PEG channel by simply surfing or going up or down the channel lineup. The viewer must select a number in the U-verse lineup, scroll through a drop-down menu, select the desired channel from a list from other communities, then wait almost 20 seconds for the program to load. We believe this process will discourage people from watching BCTV’s programs.

Resolutions

Cable Resolution
Cable Franchising Resolution
Cable Local Resolution
Cable Open For Business Resolution

 

 

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Bringing the World to Your Corner of the WorldCharter Township of Bloomfield
4200 Telegraph Road
P.O. Box 489
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0489
248.433.7700
All information © 2012 Bloomfield Township, Michigan 

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