Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1079 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Comcast Cable Communications, LLC Petitions for Determination of Effective Competition in 3 Communities in New Mexico ) ) ) ) ) ) ) MB Docket No. 12-246, CSR-8698-E MB Docket No. 12-247, CSR-8699-E MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Adopted: May 13, 2013 Released: May 13, 2013 By the Senior Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Media Bureau: I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1. Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, on behalf of its subsidiaries and affiliates, hereinafter referred to as “Petitioner,” has filed with the Commission two petitions pursuant to Sections 76.7, 76.905(b)(2), and 76.907 of the Commission’s rules for a determination that Petitioner is subject to effective competition in the community listed on Attachment A and hereinafter referred to as the “Attachment A Community.” Petitioner alleges that its cable system serving the Attachment A Community is subject to effective competition pursuant to Section 623(l)(1)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (“Communications Act”),1 and the Commission’s implementing rules,2 and is therefore exempt from cable rate regulation in those Communities because of the competing service provided by two direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) providers, DIRECTV, Inc. (“DIRECTV”), and DISH Network (“DISH”). Petitioner additionally claims to be exempt from cable rate regulation in the communities listed on Attachment B and hereinafter referred to as “Attachment B Communities,” pursuant to Section 623(l)(1)(A) of the Communications Act3 and Section 76.905(b)(1) of the Commission’s rules,4 because the Petitioner serves fewer than 30 percent of the households in the franchise area. The petitions are unopposed. 2. In the absence of a demonstration to the contrary, cable systems are presumed not to be subject to effective competition,5 as that term is defined by Section 623(l) of the Communications Act and Section 76.905 of the Commission’s rules.6 The cable operator bears the burden of rebutting the presumption that effective competition does not exist with evidence that effective competition is present within the relevant franchise area.7 For the reasons set forth below, we grant the petitions based on our finding that Petitioner is subject to effective competition in the communities listed on Attachments A and B. 1 See 47 U.S.C. § 543(l)(1)(B). 2 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(b)(2). 3 See 47 U.S.C. § 543(l)(1)(A). 4 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(b)(1). 5 47 C.F.R. § 76.906. 6 See 47 U.S.C. § 543(l)(1); 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(b). 7 See 47 C.F.R. §§ 76.906-.907(b). Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1079 2 II. DISCUSSION A. The Competing Provider Test 3. Section 623(l)(1)(B) of the Communications Act provides that a cable operator is subject to effective competition if the franchise area is (a) served by at least two unaffiliated multi-channel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”), each of which offers comparable video programming to at least 50 percent of the households in the franchise area; and (b) the number of households subscribing to programming services offered by MVPDs other than the largest MVPD exceeds 15 percent of the households in the franchise area.8 This test is referred to as the “competing provider” test. 4. The first prong of this test has three elements: the franchise area must be “served by” at least two unaffiliated MVPDs who offer “comparable programming” to at least “50 percent” of the households in the franchise area.9 It is undisputed that the Communities are “served by” both DBS providers, DIRECTV and DISH, and that these two MVPD providers are unaffiliated with Petitioner or with each other. A franchise area is considered “served by” an MVPD if that MVPD’s service is both technically and actually available in the franchise area. DBS service is presumed to be technically available due to its nationwide satellite footprint, and presumed to be actually available if households in the franchise area are made reasonably aware of the service's availability.10 The Commission has held that a party may use evidence of penetration rates in the franchise area (the second prong of the competing provider test discussed below) coupled with the ubiquity of DBS services to show that consumers are reasonably aware of the availability of DBS service.11 We further find that Petitioner has provided sufficient evidence to support its assertion that potential customers in the Attachment A Community are reasonably aware that they may purchase the service of these MVPD providers.12 The “comparable programming” element is met if a competing MVPD provider offers at least 12 channels of video programming, including at least one channel of nonbroadcast service programming,13 and is supported in the petitions with copies of channel lineups for both DIRECTV and DISH.14 Also undisputed is Petitioner’s assertion that both DIRECTV and DISH offer service to at least “50 percent” of the households in the Attachment A Community because of their national satellite footprint.15 Accordingly, we find that the first prong of the competing provider test is satisfied. 5. The second prong of the competing provider test requires that the number of households subscribing to MVPDs, other than the largest MVPD, exceeds 15 percent of the households in a franchise area. Petitioner sought to determine the competing provider DBS penetration in the Attachment A Community by purchasing a subscriber tracking report from the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association that identified the number of subscribers attributable to the DBS providers within the Communities on a zip code plus four basis.16 Petitioner asserts that it is the largest MVPD in 8 47 U.S.C. § 543(l)(1)(B); 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(b)(2). 9 47 U.S.C. § 543(l)(1)(B)(i); 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(b)(2)(i). 10 See CSR-8699-E Petition at 3-5. 11 Mediacom Illinois LLC, 21 FCC Rcd 1175, 1176, ¶ 3 (2006). 12 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(e)(2). 13 See 47 C.F.R. § 76.905(g); see also CSR-8699-E Petition at 5. 14 See CSR-8699-E Petition at Exhibit 1. 15 See id. at 3. 16 Id. at 6-7. A zip code plus four analysis allocates DBS subscribers to a franchise area using zip code plus four information that generally reflects franchise area boundaries in a more accurate fashion than standard five digit zip code information. Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1079 3 Portles, the Attachment A Community.17 6. Based upon the aggregate DBS subscriber penetration levels that were calculated using Census 2010 household data,18 as reflected in Attachment A, we find that Petitioner has demonstrated that the number of households subscribing to programming services offered by MVPDs, other than the largest MVPD, exceeds 15 percent of the households in the Attachment A Community. Therefore, the second prong of the competing provider test is satisfied for the Attachment A Community. Based on the foregoing, we conclude that Petitioner has submitted sufficient evidence demonstrating that both prongs of the competing provider test are satisfied and Petitioner is subject to effective competition in the community listed on Attachment A. B. The Low Penetration Test 7. Section 623(l)(1)(A) of the Communications Act provides that a cable operator is subject to effective competition if the Petitioner serves fewer than 30 percent of the households in the franchise area. This test is referred to as the “low penetration” test.19 Petitioner alleges that it is subject to effective competition under the low penetration effective competition test because it serves less that 30 percent of the households in the Attachment B Communities.20 8. Based upon the subscriber penetration level calculated by Petitioner, as reflected in Attachment B, we find that Petitioner has demonstrated that the percentage of households subscribing to its cable service is less than 30 percent of the households in the Attachment B Communities. Therefore, the low penetration test is satisfied as to the Attachment B Communities. III. ORDERING CLAUSES 9. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the petitions for a determination of effective competition filed in the captioned proceeding by Comcast Cable Communications, LLC ARE GRANTED. 10. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the certification to regulate basic cable service rates granted to any of the Communities set forth on Attachments A and B IS REVOKED. 11. This action is taken pursuant to delegated authority pursuant to Section 0.283 of the Commission’s rules.21 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Steven A. Broeckaert Senior Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Media Bureau 17 See id. Petition at 7. 18 Id. at Exhibits 5-6. 19 47 U.S.C. § 543(l)(1)(A). 20 See CSR-8698-E Petition at Exhibit 2; CSR-8699-E Petitions at Exhibit 7. 21 47 C.F.R. § 0.283. Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1079 4 ATTACHMENT A MB Docket No. 12-247, CSR-8699-E COMMUNITIES SERVED BY COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS LLC Communities CUID CPR* 2010 Census Households DBS Subscribers Portales NM0019 31.37% 4,527 1,420 *CPR = Percent of competitive penetration rate of DBS Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1079 5 ATTACHMENT B MB Docket No. 12-246, CSR-8698-E MB Docket No. 12-247, CSR-8699-E COMMUNITIES SERVED BY COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS LLC Communities CUID Franchise Area Households Cable Subscribers Penetration Percentage McKinley County NM0196 14,378 434 3.02% Roosevelt County NM0035 2,559 45 1.76%