In addition to satisfying such additional or stricter conditions as the county finds
necessary based on its investigations, the following elements shall be required in
every franchise serving more than one thousand subscribers: an operator who provides
service in an area which is defined as "isolated rural" maybe exempted from the minimum
franchise requirements for that area.
(a)
System Design. Each franchisee shall provide a cable system that uses at least seven
hundred fifty MHz equipment of high quality and reliability. Each franchisee shall
install and activate the return portion of the cable system in the sub-low frequency
spectrum of five MHz to thirty MHz.
(b)
Public, Educational and Government Use of the System.
(1)
A franchisee shall provide channels for PEG access to each subscriber; the number
of channels shall be specified in the franchise.
(2)
Each franchisee shall install, maintain and replace as necessary, a dedicated, bi-directional
fiber optic link between its headend and a location designated by the county as the
primary access center.
(3)
Each franchisee shall install, maintain and replace activated two-way cable plant
and all headend, cable plant, and node equipment required to make it operable so that
the county, schools and all designated PEG access centers and access facilities located
within the franchise area will be able to send and receive signals (video, audio and
data) using the activated two-way cable plant.
(4)
Each franchisee shall ensure that technically adequate signal quality, routing systems,
and switching and/or processing equipment are initially and continuously provided
for all access interconnections both within franchisee's cable system and with other
cable systems throughout the duration of its franchise.
(5)
In the event a franchisee makes any change in the cable system and related equipment
and facilities or in the franchisee's signal delivery technology which directly or
indirectly substantially affects the signal quality or transmission of access programming,
the franchisee shall at its expense take necessary steps or provide necessary technical
assistance, including the acquisition of all necessary equipment, to ensure that the
capabilities of access programmers are not diminished or adversely affected by such
change.
(6)
A franchisee shall maintain all access channels (both upstream channels and downstream
channels) and all interconnections of access channels at the same level of technical
quality and reliability as the best commercial channels carried on the system.
(c)
Service to Franchise Area. It is the policy of the County to ensure that every cable
system provides service in its franchise area upon request to any person or any government
building. Each franchisee shall extend service upon request within its franchise area;
provided that, a franchise may permit a franchisee to require a potential subscriber
to contribute a fair share of the capital costs of installation or extension as a
condition of extension or installation in cases where such extension or installation
may be unduly expensive. Service must be provided within time limits specified in section 43-24(d).
(d)
Time for Extension. Except as a franchise otherwise provides, service must be extended
upon request to any person or to any government building in a franchisee's franchise
area: (i) within seven days of the request, where service can be provided by activating
or installing a drop; (ii) within ninety days of the request where an extension of
one-half mile or less is required; or (iii) within six months where an extension of
one-half mile or more is required.
(e)
Technical Standards. A cable system within the county shall meet or exceed the technical
standards set forth in 47 C.F.R. Section 76.601 and any other applicable technical standards.
(f)
Testing. Each cable operator shall perform at its expense such tests as may be necessary
to show whether or not the franchisee is in compliance with its obligations under
applicable FCC standards, this chapter or a franchise.
(g)
Interconnection. Upon request of the county, every cable system shall be required
to interconnect with every other cable system within the county, or adjacent to the
county, on fair and reasonable terms for purposes of providing PEG and I-Net services.
(h)
Continuity of Service. Each franchisee shall, during the term of the franchise, ensure
that subscribers are able to receive continuous service. In the event the franchise
is revoked or terminated, the franchisee may be required to continue to provide service
for a reasonable period to assure an orderly transition of service from the franchisee
to another entity. A franchise may establish more particular requirements under which
these obligations will be satisfied.
