Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · U.S. Code · Title 47 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS · CHAPTER 5— WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION · SUBCHAPTER V–A— CABLE COMMUNICATIONS · § 552

§ 552. Consumer protection and customer service

653 words·~3 min read·/usc/title-47/section-552

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)Franchising authority enforcement A franchising authority may establish and enforce—
(1)customer service requirements of the cable operator; and
(2)construction schedules and other construction-related requirements, including construction-related performance requirements, of the cable operator.
(b)Commission standards The Commission shall, within 180 days of October 5, 1992, establish standards by which cable operators may fulfill their customer service requirements. Such standards shall include, at a minimum, requirements governing—
(1)cable system office hours and telephone availability;
(2)installations, outages, and service calls; and
(3)communications between the cable operator and the subscriber (including standards governing bills and refunds).
(c)Subscriber notice A cable operator may provide notice of service and rate changes to subscribers using any reasonable written means at its sole discretion. Notwithstanding section 543(b)(6) of this title or any other provision of this chapter, a cable operator shall not be required to provide prior notice of any rate change that is the result of a regulatory fee, franchise fee, or any other fee, tax, assessment, or charge of any kind imposed by any Federal agency, State, or franchising authority on the transaction between the operator and the subscriber.
(d)Consumer protection laws and customer service agreements
(1)Consumer protection laws Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prohibit any State or any franchising authority from enacting or enforcing any consumer protection law, to the extent not specifically preempted by this subchapter.
(2)Customer service requirement agreements Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude a franchising authority and a cable operator from agreeing to customer service requirements that exceed the standards established by the Commission under subsection (b). Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prevent the establishment or enforcement of any municipal law or regulation, or any State law, concerning customer service that imposes customer service requirements that exceed the standards set by the Commission under this section, or that addresses matters not addressed by the standards set by the Commission under this section.
(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 632, as added Pub. L. 98–549, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2796; amended Pub. L. 102–385, § 8, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1484; Pub. L. 104–104, title III, § 301(g), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 117.)
Connections46 cite this · traces to 5
Cited by 46 sections · top 26
13 references not yet in our index
  • June 19, 1934, ch. 652
  • Pub. L. 98–549, § 2
  • 98 Stat. 2796
  • Pub. L. 102–385, § 8
  • 106 Stat. 1484
  • Pub. L. 104–104, title III, § 301(g)
  • 110 Stat. 117
  • act June 19, 1934, ch. 652
  • 48 Stat. 1064
  • Pub. L. 104–104
  • Pub. L. 102–385
  • section 28 of Pub. L. 102–385
  • section 9(a) of Pub. L. 98–549
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 552
Consumer protection and customer service
Fed. Reg.×38
Bills×4
Stat.×3
Stat. Comp.×1
ActJune 19, 1934, ch. 652
Pub. L.Pub. L. 98–549, § 2
Stat.98 Stat. 2796
Pub. L.Pub. L. 102–385, § 8
Stat.106 Stat. 1484
Cites 18 · showing 10Cited by 46 across 4 sources
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.