WPCO 2BJ  Courier3|ws BoldCG Times ItalicE37XPCG Times. 918_1; LPT2HPLAS4SI.PRSx  @\[KX@2 6f F Z  3|w",tB^ f ^;C]ddCCCdCCCCddddddddddCCY~~vCN~sk~CCCddCYdYdYCdd88d8ddddJN8ddddYYdYd4dddddCddddddddd8YYYYYY~Y~Y~Y~YC8C8C8C8ddddddddddYdddddsdXdXXXddx|X~d~d|XdddddddC8ddddCdoddd|8|H~d<|8dtddddHHdlLlLlLkd|H|8~ddddddddXXXd~ddkd~ddxCddCCCWxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNdddCYQQddddddFddddFCChhd44ddzzdddvooChdF"dhd9dCCzCddoddCdYds]zUvdYYCCCCz~ozoY~NYdYC8YooYdYzsdzdd~YYzozzz~CdzYzzzzCCdddddddzCsdYC\   pxtll\tll@\@\`LHP4Si; Rm. 918_1; LPT2HPLAS4SI.PRSXw PE37\[KXP2!B X~ f CG TimesCG Times BoldCG Times ItalicCG Times Bold Italic8wC;,}Xw PE37XPD7zC;, EXz_ pi7XV"G($,}hG PE37hP6uC;,E:Xu&_ x7XXV"G($,=hG PE37hP6uC;,QXu&_ x7XX4wC;,'Xw*0 x]7X"i~'K2^$(8<><q*"xxxxWWxxxWWkkxxx J2J>8 &>>,,,,,,,,`` 8888,,,,,,,,,,zz&&>>>r",tB^ f ^;LhddCCCdCCCCddddddddddCCdxLdxxoxxxCCCddCddYdYFdo88d8odddLL8oYdYLdddd4dddddCddddddddd8dddddYYYYYL8L8L8L8oddddoooozYddddxYdxddddXXddXddXdddddooL8ddddLdkdddx8xPxdxDx8ppoddLLdpLpLpLodxLx8xdopoopoxdxLxLxLdxdoodxdxdCddCCCWxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNdddLdYYddddddCddddCCCkkd88ddzzdddsssCkdC"d~d9dCCzCddoddCdYds`zUvdddCCCCzozoYNzYYYN8YooYdYzzdzddzYzYzozzzNdzzzYzzzzCCdddddddzzzzCzdYC\   pxtll\tll@\@\`L8wC;,}Xw PE37XPD7zC;, EXz_ pi7XV"G($,}hG PE37hP6uC;,E:Xu&_ x7XX4wC;,'Xw*0 x]7X )7(Qze1v|o 9y owdopoopoxdxLxLxLdxdoodxdxdCddCCCWxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNdddLdYYddddddCddddCCCkkd88ddzzdddsssCkdC"d~d9dCCzCddoddCdYds`zUvdddCCCCzozoYNzYYYN8YooYdYzzdzddzYzYzozzzNdzzzYzzzzCCdddddddzzzzCzdYC\   pxtll\tll@\@\`L2N o\ FOR FCC RECORD ONLY  Y-$// MO&0, Cable Act of 1992, DA 941269 //$ $/ 300.623 Regulation of Rates /$ $/ 1.106 Petitions for Reconsideration /$ $/ 76.906 Presumption of no effective competion /$ $/ 76.910 Franchising authority certification /$  Yv-$/ 76.911 Petition for reconsideration of certification /$ o\ #XR  P7jQ}XP#  YH-(2 Before the  X2-W FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION`*(#DA 941269 ă  Y - Washington, D.C. 20554  Y - In the matter of hh@h)  Y - x` `  hh@h)  Y -BLUE RIDGE CABLE TELEVISION, INC.h) x` `  hh@h)  Y-Petition for Reconsideration of Certificationh)  Y{-of Washington Township, PA (PA2954)@h)  Yd-to Regulate Basic Cable Service Rates@h)  YM- ThhXpp(#p  Y-Adopted: November 14, 1994hh@h Released: November 16, 1994 By the Chief, Cable Services Bureau:  Y-} #Xz_ pi7EX#MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER#Xw PE37}XP#ă  X- I. INTRODUCTION  Yh-  YQ-x1. On November 5, 1993, Blue Ridge Cable Televis ion, Inc. ("Blue Ridge") submitted a timelyfiled petition for reconsideration challenging the certification of Washington Township, PA ("Washington") to regulate the system's rates for basic cable  Y -service and associated equipment.@ M Y -#XR  P7jQ}XP#э Washington filed its Certification of Franchising Authority to Regulate Basic Cable Service Rates and Initial Finding of Effective Competition ("FCC Form 328") on October 14, 1993. Its certification became effective on November 13, 1993.@  Y-x2. Section 623(a)(4) of the Communications Act, as amended, allows franchising authorities to become certified to regulate basic cable service rates of cable operators that are  Y!-not subject to effective competition.}!KM Y'-#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx47 U.S.C.  543(a)(4).} For purposes of the initial request for certification, local franchising authorities may rely on a presumption that cable operators within their""0*0*0*#" jurisdiction are not subject to effective competition unless the franchising authority has actual  Y-knowledge to the contrary.M Y&-#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx47 C.F.R.  76.906, 76.910(b)(4). Certification becomes effective 30 days from the date of filing unless the Commission finds that the authority does not meet the statutory certification"0*0*0* "  Y-requirements.EJM Yy-#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx 47 C.F.R.  76.910(e). Certification becomes effective unless the Commission determines that: (1) the franchising authority will not adopt and administer rate regulations that are consistent with the Commission's regulations; (2) the franchising authority lacks the legal authority to adopt, and the personnel to administer, rate regulations; (3) procedural laws and regulations applicable to rate regulation proceedings by the franchising authority do not provide a reasonable opportunity for consideration of the views of interested parties; or  Y-(4) the cable system in question is subject to effective competition. 47 C.F.R.  Y- 76.910(b). See also 47 U.S.C.  543(a)(4).E Cable operators may file petitions for reconsideration of the franchising  Y-  authority's certification within 30 days of the effective date of such certification. M Yt -#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx47 C.F.R.  1.106, 76.911; Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed  Y_ -Rulemaking, in MM Docket No. 92266, 8 FCC Rcd 5631, 5693 (1993) ("Rate Order").  Rate regulation is automatically stayed pending review of a timelyfiled petition for reconsideration  Y-alleging the presence of effective competition.qx M Y-#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx47 C.F.R.  76.911(c).q  X- #XR  P7jQ}XP#II. DISCUSSION   x3. In its petition, Blue Ridge alleges that its rates are exempt from regulation because its system "has fewer than 30 percent of the households in the franchise area that subscribe  Y1-to the cable service of its cable system."1) M Y -#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx The Commission's rules provide that only the rates of cable systems that are subject to effective competition may be regulated. The Commission's rules further provide that a cable system is subject to effective competition if fewer than 30 percent of the households in the system's franchise area subscribe to the cable service of a cable system. 47 C.F.R.  76.905(a) and (b)(1). Blue Ridge presents no specific facts or documentation to support this conclusory allegation.  Y -x #XR  P7jQ}XP# #XR  P7jQ}XP#4. In the absence of a demonstration to the contrary, cable systems are presumed not  Y -to be subject to effective competition.n ~M Y -#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx47 C.F.R.  76.906.n The cable operator bears the burden of rebutting the presumption that effective competition does not exist with evidence that effective competition, as defined by Section 76.905 of the Commission's Rules, is present within its  Y-franchise area.t /M Yp$-#XR  P7jQ}XP#эx47 C.F.R.  76.911(b)(1).t Based on the evidence, we find that Blue Ridge has not met this burden. Specifically, Blue Ridge does not indicate the number of households within its franchise area or the number of households which subscribe to its cable service. In addition, it does not provide any documentation to support its claim. Accordingly, it has failed to demonstrate that effective competition exists and, therefore, we deny its petition. " 0*0*0* "Ԍ Y- III. ORDERING CLAUSES  Y-x5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the petition for reconsideration filed by Blue Ridge Cable Television, Inc. challenging the certification of Washington Township, PA to  Y-regulate Blue Ridge's basic cable rates IS DENIED.  Yy-x6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the automatic stay imposed by Section  Yc-76.911(c) of the Commission's Rules, as amended, 47 C.F.R.  76.911(c) IS  XM-TERMINATED.  Y -x7. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Blue Ridge Cable Television, Inc. SHALL  Y -FILE the required rate justifications on the appropriate forms with Washington Township,  Y -PA within 30 days of the release date of this Memorandum Opinion and Order or within 30 days of receipt of notice from Washington Township, PA that it is regulating rates, whichever is later.  Y-x8. This action is taken pursuant to delegated authority pursuant to Section 0.321 of the Commission's Rules, as amended, 47 C.F.R.  0.321. x  Y=-x` `   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION x` `  Meredith J. Jones x` `  Chief, Cable Services Bureau