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MPSC: Annual Video Services Competition Report IssuedFeb 01, 2013 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Agency: Michigan Public Service Commission The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today issued its sixth annual report on the status of competition for video services in Michigan. The report is required by the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act (Public Act 480 of 2006). "Michigan continues to see signs of progress in video/cable competition," noted MPSC Chairman John D. Quackenbush. "The state now has 47 cable providers compared to only 39 cable in 2008. That's good news for the state's 2.3 million video/cable customers." Highlights of the report include: - Prior to the Act, only 53 municipalities reported having two or more video/cable providers offering service. Since the Act took effect that number has almost doubled, as 105 municipalities report having two or more video/cable providers offering service. - In 2012, 24 communities reported having three providers; 81 communities reported having two providers, and 247 communities reported having one provider. Twenty-one communities reported having no providers. - One new provider began offering video/cable services to Michigan residents in 2012: Vogtmann Engineering. - During 2012, providers reported 2,316,197 video/cable customers in Michigan, an increase of 2,116 over what was reported the previous year. (This does not include subscribers to satellite services.) - There are currently 1,991 franchise agreements (both individual franchise agreements entered into before the Act that have not expired and Uniform Video Service Local Franchise Agreements required by the Act) in Michigan, a net increase of 31 compared to the previous year. Of the total, 1,401 are classified as the Uniform Video Service Local Franchise Agreement, an increase of 119 from the previous year. - The three providers with the largest number of video/cable subscribers in Michigan are: Comcast, Charter Communications, and AT&T Michigan (U-verse). Since Jan. 1, 2007, 15 new video/cable providers have begun to offer service in Michigan. - The Commission received 880 customer complaints and inquiries in the video franchise area in 2012, a 16 percent increase over 2011. The most frequent complaints were: billing, charges and credits; customer service; and service outage. - Providers reported investing $380 million in the video/cable market in Michigan in 2012. - The MPSC made three recommendations to the legislature: changing the due date of the annual report to March 1 from February 1 to provide survey respondents more time to provide information to the MPSC; requiring providers to provide certain contact information to the MPSC; and requiring a provider to notify the Commission if it changes its name, goes out of business, or merges with another company. For more information on filing a video/cable complaint, see the MPSC's Consumer Tips sheet on the subject. The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Contact: Judy Palnau, 517-241-3323 ((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to [email protected]. |