FOR RECORD ONLY
//$Mercom, Inc., Plainwell, MI, Letter, DA 94-1544//$
$/76.922 Rates for Cable Programming Servie tiers/$
$/a la carte orders/$

                              
                             December 19, 1994


Gardner F. Gillespie
Hogan & Hartson                                                  DA 94-1544
Columbia Square                                Released:  December 20, 1994
555 Thirteenth St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004-1109

                                        File Number: LOI-93-10

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

     On November 17, 1993, the Commission requested information from Mercom, Inc.
("Mercom") concerning, among other things, a la carte services offered by it in the City of
Plainwell, Michigan.  Letter from Roy J. Stewart, Chief, Mass Media Bureau, FCC, to Mr.
Rob Ritzel, Manager, Allegan County Cablevision (Mercom), LOI-93-10 (November 17,
1993).  The inquiry was prompted by a letter from the City of Plainwell that questioned
Mercom's practice of moving channels from rate-regulated cable programming service tiers
to packages of a la carte channels.

     In a letter to the Cable Services Bureau dated October 11, 1994, the City of Plainwell
sought to withdraw its Form 329 rate complaint filed against Mercom.  The City stated in
that letter that it had completed its review of Mercom's rate justification and had resolved the
issue of whether Mercom's a la carte service offerings are rate-regulated.  In an Order
released December 12, 1994, the Cable Services Bureau granted the City's request to
withdraw its complaint against Mercom.  Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 94-1440
(Cable Services Bureau, December 12, 1994).  In addition to granting the City's request, the
Order terminated the Bureau's review of the rate justification proceeding initiated by the
complaint.  There is now neither a valid rate complaint nor a pending rate case respecting
Mercom in the City of Plainwell.  Moreover, the City has requested, by letter dated October
11, 1994, that the Commission discontinue its investigation into the issues set forth in the
Letter of Inquiry referenced above.  Under all these circumstances, we believe that the public
interest is not served by our continuing the inquiry of Mercom initiated by Letter of Inquiry
93-10.  Accordingly, we hereby terminate that inquiry.

                              Sincerely,



                              Meredith J. Jones
                              Chief, Cable Services Bureau
cc: John Pestle
    Rob Ritzel
    Ruth A. King