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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-11-15-CAC-min.pdf Communications Advisory Committee Minutes of November 15, 2001 meeting. Committee members attending were Jane Gharibian (Chair), Miriam Boucher, Steve Ellis, David Kanter, Mike Morrisey, Jennifer Taub, Robert Warshawer and David Becker Also present were Tim Counihan and Howard Cravis, prospective CAC members, and Peggy Sullivan, representing AT&T Broadband. The published agenda was accepted. The minutes of the last meeting were accepted subject to corrections listed at the end of this report. Mike Morrisey has been chosen to fill the single vacancy on the CAC. AT&T Status Peggy Sullivan reported. There have been several executive changes at AT&T Broadband, and it is possible that the operation may be sold. Peggy feels very positive that money will be available for the Lexington upgrade in 2002. Preliminary tests indicate that AT&T may be able to use most of the existing underground cable plant with the upgraded system. If this proves out, the upgrade will require less money and time than previously estimated. Discussions with Tom Steel (RCN)have not led to a way of making the Hancock Church signal available on the RCN network. Peggy believes that customer service problems experienced by AT&T customers will be resolved within approximately a month as the company completes its integration of several legsacy computer systems (from MediaOne, Cablevision, ) into a single system. Peggy would like to accelerate negotiations on the license renewal. She offered to take on some tasks which may more properly be the responsibility of the CAC. For the next license term, Peggy expressed interest in transferring operation of their studio to the Town (or an access corporation). She pointed out that AT&T is permitted to pass-through certain capital and operation costs to subscribers. RCN Status RCN has not yet named a replacement for Steve Grossman, and the company did not have a representative at the meeting. However, Tom Steel sent a written status report, which has been distributed to CAC members. Town Network Status Steve Ellis reported that approximately 90% of INet connections have been switched to the RCN INet. Among connections yet to be transferred are Page 2 Minutes 11/15/01 those at the Senior Center and areas under construction at the High School. Within the past two weeks there was a serious breakdown of the AT&T INet, which was resolved be very capable AT&T technicians. The Town needs the AT&T INet to remain operational as long as any Town data or video streams require it. Steve expects that the contractor will shortly run cable thorough a new conduit to provide the SCOLA service to subscribers. Access Corporation Mike Morrisey provided his initial cost estimates for readying a building as an access corporation studio. Not including real estate acquisition/rental costs, he believes it might take $200,000 (at the high end) for construction and approximately$250,000 for equipment. Dave Becker and Tim Counihan will attend an Access Leadership Institute on November 30 at Bristol Community College. The Institute is sponsored by the Massachusetts chapter of the Alliance for Community Media, a national organization devoted to public access television. The local sponsors are the people who run access corporations in this state. The program is intended to educate personnel at new and prospective access corporations in the requirements for setting up a corporation and the local and national resources available to help. Wireless Report by David Kanter David provided the latest draft of what is intended to be a comprehensive list of all antennas operating within Lexington. As previously reported, David met with Miriam Boucher and Ed Vail to explain the process and form through which an applicant requests an antenna license. David next plans to let the "students" work through a real application package to see how applicants often submit incomplete/incorrect information. At the request of the Town's controller, David provided the reference in the Massachusetts General Laws under which the MWRA must share with Lexington revenues from antennas attached to its water tower The CAC has been solicited, through David, to submit any necessary technical corrections to Article 15 of the Zoning Bylaw (dealing with antennas and towers). There is a narrow window of time in which such corrections can be consolidated with others already known for consideration by the Town Meeting. Page 3 Minutes 11/15/01 Cable The FCC ruled that, for one of its forms relating to signal leakage, a cable company may report summary information for its entire system instead for each franchise. The importance of this is not the relatively minor technical issue, but that it continues the trend toward allowing the companies to report on a system basis, taking additional authority away from local authorities (who essentially cannot obtain information about their own franchises with which to challenge actions by the companies). Other David Kanter handled three complaints in October, two for people trying to get cable service and one about a disrespectful customer service representative. When he called RCN to report on this behavior, an RCN supervisor called back to say that the treatment of the customer was unacceptable and that the offending representative had been "appropriately disciplined." The next meeting is scheduled for December 20 at 5 45 P.M. The meeting was adjourned at 7 15 P.M. Minutes submitted by David Becker, acting secretary ************ Corrections to minutes of October 18, 2001 meeting 1) In the list of Guest Candidates,Mr. Cravis' first name is Howard, not Harold. 2) Under Wireless Antennas/Facilities, the last statement should read. Miriam and Ed be were walked through the wireless application process by David Kanter. The Church of Our Redeemer will serve as a model for a following exercise. 3) In the INet report, the last sentence should read. David Kanter reported that a recent FCC opinion stated that cable operators may list franchise fees on bills to subscribers.