Letter from Philadelphia City Council to Comcast

KathleenSullivanVicePresident,GovernmentAffairs,ComcastMs.Sullivan,ThefranchisenegotiationswithComcastgivetheCityofPhiladelphiaachancetorenewtheCitysfourcablefranchiseagreementswithComcast.Tothatend,agreementsnegotiatedbetweenComcastandtheCitywillcomebeforeCityCouncilforreviewandapproval.IanticipatethatthelegislationauthorizingtheagreementwillbereferredtotheCommitteeonPublicPropertyandPublicWorks,ofwhichIamtheChair.Broadly,myCommitteememberswillbefocusedonissuesrelatedtoquality,affordabilityandaccessibilityofservices.And,whileahearingonanyproposedlegislationwillonlybescheduledafterallmembersofCityCouncilhaveadequatetimetoreviewandconsiderthedetailsoftheagreement,Ihaveidentifiedanumberofkeyissuesandquestionsbasedonmyconversationswithmycolleagues.Inordertofacilitateatransparentandefficientprocess,IaskthatyourespondtoeachoftheissuesraisedinthisletterinwritingbySeptember1,2015.MyselfandmanyofmycolleaguesconsiderComcasttobeanintegralmemberofthePhiladelphiafamily.Youareamajoremployer.YouhavedemonstratedyourcommitmenttoyourhomebybuildingtwoskyscrapersinCenterCity.Youcontributetolocalnonprofitsandcharities.Wethankyouforyourdedicationtoourhome.ButwealsorecognizethatthecurrentnegotiationsareanincredibleopportunityforthecitizensofPhiladelphiaandComcasttomovePhiladelphiaforward.WhileitistruethattheFederalCommunicationsCommissionhasanarrowviewofthescopeofthesetypesnegotiations,weknowthatComcastisacommittedcorporatecitizenandmemberofthePhiladelphiafamily.Internetaccesshasgonefromluxurytoanecessarypublicutility.Theaffordabilityandqualityoftheservicesyouprovidehaveademonstratedimpactoncommunitiesandindividualsaccesstoserviceisacivilrightsissue.Likeyou,IwantthebestforPhiladelphiaandexpectthatthisnegotiationwillresultinanagreementthatwilldefineourfutureandestablishusthenationalmodel. IfyouhaveanyquestionsaboutmyexpectationsortheCityCouncilprocess,pleasedonthesitatetoletmeknow.Thankyouforyouropennessandpartnershipinthisprocessthusfar,andfortakingthetimetorespondtothequestionsandissuesoutlinedhere.CityCouncilwilllookforwardtoengaginginproductive,thoughtfulconsiderationofthefranchiseagreementandratifyinganewagreementthatbothwidensaccesstotheInternetforourcitizensandstrengthensthebondbetweenComcastanditshomeCity.Sincerely,BobbyHenonCouncilman,6thDistrictandChair,CommitteeonPublicPropertyandPublicWorksInordertofacilitateatransparentandefficientprocess,IaskthatyourespondtoeachoftheissuesraisedinbelowinwritingbySeptember1,2015.CityCounciliscommittedtoexpandingaccesstohighquality,affordableInternetservicesforourconstituents.ComcastrecentlyannouncedanexpansionofthepopularInternetEssentialsprogramtoexpandopportunitiesforlowincomefamiliestoaccessInternet.Canyoupleaseprovidedetailsabouttheimprovementsthatyoumadetotheprogram? TowhatextentareyouwillingtofurtherexpandtheInternetEssentialsprogramtoprovidereducedpricehighspeedInternetaccesstoseniorcitizensandpersonswithdisabilities?Doyouseeanyopportunitiestoprecertifylowincomecustomersforreducepriceservices,suchasresidentsinpublicorpubliclysubsidizedaffordablehousingdevelopmentsorindividualsalreadyreceivingmeanstestedpublicbenefits?PleasecomparethereducedprogramsandservicesofferedinotherjurisdictionstotheprogramsandservicesofferedtoPhiladelphiacustomers. Pleasedescribe,indetail,howComcastcomparesintermsofpricingforbothhighspeedInternetandcabletelevisionservicesinPhiladelphia,relativetootherjurisdictionsandmunicipalities. TowhatextentisComcastabletoofferPhiladelphiacustomersaratefreezeorrollbackofratesorratereductionaspartofthesuiteofbenefitsofferedtoconsumersaspartofthenegotiationprocess?Followingmediacoveragedetailingcustomerserviceissuescompanywide,pleasedescribehowComcasthasadoptedstrategiestoimprovecustomerserviceandresponsestocomplaintsandtoensuretransparencyinpricingandserviceterms. PleaseseetheattachedComcastbill.Pleaseexplainthepricestructuresandservicetermsinplainlanguage.TowhatextentdoesComcastnotifycustomersbeforespecialpricingorstartupdealsareending?WillComcastcommittonotifyingcustomersatleast30dayspriortochangestoservicecosts? PleasedetailanyplanstobetteraddressmaintenanceissuesrelatingtophysicalcableinfrastructureinPhiladelphianeighborhoods.CanyoudiscussthefeasibilityofprovidingforfreeorsubstantiallydiscountedhighspeedwirelessInternetaccessineveryrecreationcenter,healthcenter,homelessshelter,womensshelter,municipalbuilding,policebuilding,firehouse,prison,publicpark,KeySpotlocationandanyfacilityorstructurewheremunicipalservicesareprovidedtothegeneralpublic?PleasedescribeanyandalleffortsComcastiswillingtoundertaketopartnerwiththeCityofPhiladelphiatoaddresscomplexmunicipalchallenges,particularlybysupportinginitiativestoconnectCityassetsandimprovepublicsafety,includingthesharingofdataandinformationthatwillfacilitatepartnershipsandimprovedservices.Pleaseprovidedetailondifference,ifany,insignalqualityorfunctionalitybetweenlocalbroadcastchannelsandPEG(public,educationalandgovernment)channelsanddescribetheextenttowhichComcastprovidesandiswillingtoexpandsupportforPEGprogramming.AmongthegoalssharedbymanyinCityCouncilistopositionPhiladelphiapublicschoolstudentsasamongthemostdigitallyliterateandjobreadystudentsinthecountry.CanyouspeaktowaysComcastcansupportthisgoal,includingthroughnewinvestmentsinhardware,software,serviceconnections,staffing,and/orapprenticeshipprograms?PleasedetailhowComcastcancontinueworkingtogetherwithPhiladelphiasburgeoningtechnologysectorandgroupsthereinonmakingPhiladelphiaaleaderindigitalentrepreneurshipandsupportingaclimateoftechnologicaladvancementandcreativity.AsComcastgrowsinitshometownwithboththeconstructionofitssecondskyscraperandtheexpansionofitsbusinessandhumancapital,pleasedescribehowthecompanyhas,orplansto,increasecontractingopportunitiesforwomen,minoritiesandPhiladelphiabasedbusinesses,ensurelivablewagesandlaborconditionsforallComcastworkers(includingindependentcontractors),respectworkersrightstoformaunionwithoutinterference,andcommittotransparencyintheseareas.ComcastrecentlyannouncedinvestmentinnewCustomerCallCenters.DoyouplantoopenanysuchcentersinPhiladelphia.PleasedescribehowComcastplanstosustainengagementwithCouncilasawhole,Councilmembersindividually,stakeholdersandthegeneralpublicasthefranchisenegotiationsprogress.