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A. a.(1)(a) i) a)DocumentgPleadingHeader for Numbered Pleading PaperE!n    X X` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8:7f =thH"i~'^:DpddȨDDDdp4D48ddddddddddDDpppd|Ld|pȐD8DtdDdpXpXDdp8Dp8pdppXLDpdddXP,PhD4htDDD4DDDDDDdDp8dddddȐXXXXXJ8J8J8J8pddddppppddpddddzpdddXXhXXXXXdddhdptL8LpLDLpphhp8ZDP8pppddƐXXXpLpLpLphfDtppppppȐhXXXpDppLDd4ddC6CWxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNHxxHjdDdddddd><q*"xxxxWWxxxWWkkxxxRd{h Numbers2f aZ,m",tB^ f ^;C`ddCCCdCCCCddddddddddCCdxxxsCYoxxdoxxooCCCddCddYdY8dd88Y8ddddLL8dYYYLYdYd4dddddCddddddddd8xdxdxdxdxdYxYxYxYxYC8C8C8C8dddddddddoYxddddoYdxdxdxdxdXXddxxXxdxdxXdddddddD8ddddCdddddp8pHodp8p8dxddddxLxLxddLdLdLddpHp8odddddddodpLpLpLdoddddododxCddCCCWxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxNdddCd]]ddddddFddddFCCddd88ddzzdddkddCddF"ddd9dCCzCdzdoddCdYds]zUvdYYCCCCzzzozoYzNoYdYC8YooYdYzzdzddoYoYzzozzzzzCdoozYzzzzCCddddzdddooozCsdYC\   pxtll\tll@\@\`L Y- $/ FOR FCC RECORD ONLY /$ $// MO&O, Cable Act of 1992, DA 95189//$ $/ 300.623 Regulation of Rates /$ $/ 1.106 Petitions for Reconsideration /$ $/ 76.906 Presumption of no effective competition /$ $/ 76.910 Franchising authority certification /$  Y`-$/ 76.911 Petition for reconsideration of certification /$#x6X@`72X@#  X-#Xj\  P6G;XP##Xj\  P6G;XP#  #Xw PE37XP# (2Before the  X -[ #Xj\  P6G;XP#FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION#\  P6G;RP#у  X -#Xw PE37XP#Washington, D.C. 20554TP  Yf - In the Matter of:Th)ppDA 95189xx  YO-Th)  Y8-TELEMEDIA COMPANYTh)  Y!-xOF MARYLANDhh@h)  Y -Th)  Y-Petition for ReconsiderationTh)  Y-of Certification ofTh)  Y-Cecil County, Maryland (MD0136)Th)  Y-to Regulate Basic Cable Service RatesTh)  X-} MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER  Xi-  YR- Adopted: February 8, 1995R;hReleased: February 9, 1995  X;-  Y$- By the Chief, Cable Services Bureau:  Y- I. INTRODUCTION  Y-x1.` ` On March 22, 1994, TeleMedia Company of Maryland ("TeleMedia") filed a timely petition for reconsideration challenging the certification of Cecil County, Maryland ("Cecil County" or the "County") to regulate rates for basic cable service and associated  Y -equipment.C ȝ Y"-ԍ#Xw PE37XP#xCecil County submitted its "Certification of Franchising Authority to Regulate Basic Cable Service Rates and Initial Finding of Effective Competition" ("Form 328") on March 3, 1994. Its certification became effective on April 2, 1994.C On March 31, 1994, the County filed its opposition. On August 19, 1994, the County submitted a supplemental pleading in response to the Commission's July 29, 1994"m!K0*0*0*""  Y-Order.Jȝ Yy-ԍx#Xw PE37XP#Cable Operator's Petitions for Reconsideration ad Revocation of Franchising  Yd-Authorities' Certifications to Regulate Basic Cable Service Rates, 9 FCC Rcd 3656  YO-("Effective Competition Order").J  Y-x2.` ` Section 623(a)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, allows franchising authorities to become certified to regulate basic cable service rates of cable operators which are not subject to effective competition as defined in the Communications  Y-Act.Q Y -ԍ #Xw PE37=9XP#xCommunications Act of 1934  623(a)(4), 47 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 jurisdiction are not subject to such  Y_-effective competition unless they have actual knowledge to the contrary._ Y-ԍx#Xw PE37=9XP#47 C.F.R.  76.906, 76.910(b)(4). Such certification becomes effective 30 days from the date of filing unless the Commission finds that the  Y1-authority does not meet the statutory certification requirements.=J1 Y-ԍx#Xw PE37=9XP#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.  76.910(b).  Y-See also 47 U.S.C.  543(a)(4).= Cable operators may file petitions for   reconsideration of the franchising authority's certification within 30 days of the  Y -date such certification becomes effective.   Yy-ԍ #Xw PE37=9XP#x47 C.F.R.  1.106, 76.911; Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed  Yd-Rulemaking, in MM Docket No. 92266, 8 FCC Rcd 5631, 5693 (1993).  Rate regulation is automatically stayed pending review of a timely filed petition for reconsideration alleging effective competition as defined  Y -in the Communications Act.x c Y-ԍ #Xw PE37=9XP#x47 C.F.R.  76.911(c).x  X - II. DISCUSSION  X-T ă  Yy-x3.` ` In its petition, TeleMedia argues that its cable system is subject to effective competition as defined in the Communications Act in the unincorporated areas of Cecil County, its franchise area, because it serves fewer than thirty percent of the total number of"K0*0*0**"  Y-households.v= Yy-ԍx#Xw PE37=9XP#The 1992 Cable Act (Communications Act of 1934  623(a)(2)) and the Commission's rules (47 C.F.R.  76.905(a)) provide that only the rates of cable systems that are not subject to effective competition may be regulated. One of the bases by which a cable system will be deemed subject to effective competition is if fewer than 30 percent of the households in the franchise area subscribe to the cable service of the cable system. Communications Act of  Y-1934  623(l)(1)(A), 47 U.S.C.  543(l)(1)(A); 47 C.F.R.  76.905(b)(1).#Xj\  P6G;+XP#Ѱ Specifically, TeleMedia claims that it serves 252 of the 20,000 "households" or approximately 1.26 percent of the "households" in the unincorporated areas of Cecil County. xX` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8: