The North Metro Telecommunications Commission (the “Commission”), on behalf of its member cities of Blaine, Centerville, Circle Pines, Ham Lake, Lexington, Lino Lakes and Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, issued a rate order on March 20, 2013, requiring Comcast: (i) to re-file its 2012 FCC Form 1205 with the Commission and to recalculate the rates for basic-only and non-basic-only standard definition and high definition converter boxes on an actual-cost basis in accordance with Federal Communications Commission rules; (ii) to remove regulated equipment costs from the HD Technology Fee, the HD DVR Service Fee and the Digital Transport Adapter Additional Outlet Service Fee; and (iii) to eliminate the $5.99 and $1.99 Convenience Fees. Pursuant to the Commission’s rate order, Comcast may not charge any rates for regulated equipment that are higher than the maximum permitted rates required by the rate order. Comcast may, however, charge rates for regulated equipment which are less than the maximum permitted rates established by the rate order, provided those rates are applied in a uniform and nondiscriminatory way. Comcast must re-file a revised 2012 FCC Form 1205 with the Commission within thirty (30) days of the effective date of the Commission’s rate order, and make all necessary rate reductions and subscriber refunds, with interest, within sixty (60) days of the effective date of the Commission’s rate order. Under federal rate regulation rules, Comcast may appeal the Commission’s rate order to the Federal Communications Commission and seek a stay of the rate order’s effectiveness.
Copies of the Commission’s rate order are available, free of charge, at the Commission’s offices, which are located at 12520 Polk Street NE, Blaine, Minnesota. The rate order is also available for review at the Commission’s office. If you have any questions concerning the Commission’s rate order, please contact Heidi Arnson, the Commission’s Executive Director, at 763-231-2801.
