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From YouTube: Boston Cable Hearing on Comcast Renewal
Description
The purpose of the hearing is to afford an opportunity for the City of Boston Issuing Authority for Cable Licensing to obtain public comment on the Renewal License of Comcast of Boston, Inc., for the Boston Cable System. In reviewing a license for renewal, the issuing authority shall consider the licensee’s management & technical expertise, financial capability, and legal ability to operate a cable system. Specifically, the Issuing Authority considers whether the cable operator has substantially complied with the material terms of the existing franchise and with applicable law; the quality of the cable operator’s service, including signal quality, and response to consumer complaints.
Comcast of Boston, Inc., is the incumbent provider of one of the city's existing cable franchises since July 17, 2002, when Transfer and Amendment of the License was accepted from AT&T Corp.
Please be advised that instructions for attending and participating in the virtual hearing will be posted, along with the Hearing agenda and relevant materials, at: www.boston.gov/departments/broadband-and-cable/cable-competition-boston
For further information, please call the Boston DoIT Broadband & Cable Office at (617) 635-3112 or email: Cable@Boston.gov .
A
Good
morning,
my
name
is
mike
lynch
from
the
city's
broadband
and
cable
office
within
boston's
department
of
innovation
and
technology.
Welcome
to
today's
boston,
public
hearing
for
the
cable
television
license
renewal
of
comcast
of
boston,
we're
holding
this
hearing
on
behalf
of
the
issuing
authority,
mayor
kim
cheney
for
their
license.
Renewal
of
the
2010
comcast
license
joining
me
here
today
on
behalf
of
the
issuing
authority,
is
the
city's
outside
council
of
telecommunications
gerry
lederer
of
best
best
in
krieger
law.
A
The
massachusetts
updated
open
meeting
law
guidance,
which
was
revised
last
june
during
the
coven
pandemic,
requires
notice
to
the
public
that
this
meeting
is
being
recorded
and
provided
under
alternative
means
of
public
access
to
technology
that
enable
the
public
to
clearly
follow
proceedings
of
the
public
body
in
real
time.
Please
be
aware
that
an
audio
and
visual
recording
of
this
meeting
is
being
made
and
also
broadcast
by
boston
city,
tv
at
comcast,
channel,
24,
rcn,
channel
13
and
fios
channel
962.
A
The
city
works
to
address
the
needs
of
our
residents
as
we
manage
access
to
the
public
rights
of
way
for
cable
and
broadband
providers
to
deploy
their
fiber
boston,
focuses
on
the
three-legged
stool
of
broadband,
access,
affordability
and
adoption.
We
do
this
by
adding
free
wi-fi
near
city,
buildings,
schools
and
libraries.
Some
of
you
know
this
as
wicked
free
wi-fi
and
we
also
support
non-profits
in
boston
designed
to
address
digital
equity,
and
these
include
boston,
neighborhood
network
media
tech
goes
home
in
the
timothy
smith
networks
all
offer
ongoing
digital
skills
training
by
next
week.
A
The
city
hopes
to
offer
local
service
agencies
and
non-profits
a
new
city
grant
opportunity
through
the
digital
equity
fund.
Potential
grant
awards
will
be
available
in
the
range
of
five
thousand
to
thirty
five
thousand
dollars
to
organizations
who
implement
digital
equity
initiatives
that
focus
on
things
like
equipment,
access
and
training
in
boston.
We
are
fortunate
to
have
multiple
broadband
providers
and
our
broadband
by
cable
providers
are
comcast,
rcn
and
fios.
A
A
Comcast,
along
with
rcn
and
verizon,
are
facilities-based
cable
varieties
as
such
each
has
city
license
for
cable
television
to
build
in
or
under
our
streets
and
service
our
homes.
All
three
also
provide
broadband
service
outside
of
their
cable
license,
but
inside
the
same
fiber,
all
three
kept.
The
fcc's
connect.
America
keep
america
connected
pledge
this
year
in
providing
broadband
and
wireless
services
to
keep
folks
connected
during
the
pandemic.
A
A
The
purpose
of
today's
hearing
is
to
renew
the
multi-year
renewal
discovery.
Excuse
me
to
review
their
multi-year
renewable
discovery
and
to
afford
an
opportunity
for
the
city
of
boston's
issuing
currency,
for
cable
licensing,
to
obtain
public
comment
on
the
renewal
license
of
comcast
boston
for
the
boston
cable
system
in
cable
television
license
renewal.
A
There
is
review
of
the
license,
and
the
issuing
authority
considers
the
licensee's
management
technical
expertise,
as
well
as
the
financial
capabilities
and
legal
abilities
to
operate
the
system.
Specifically,
the
issuing
authority
considers
whether
the
cable
operator
has
substantially
complied
with
the
material
terms
of
the
existing
franchise
and
with
applicable
law.
A
A
It
needs
comcast,
cable
system
evaluation,
again
the
field
audit
of
cable
wires
and
grounding
out
in
our
roadways
and
on
our
sidewalks
and
above
on
utility.
Poles,
annual
reviews
and
increase
of
cable
rate
increases
and
related
reporting,
review
of
the
cable,
operator's,
financial
and
customer
service
filings
and,
in
this
case,
two
financial
audits
that
were
revenue
related
and
only
for
the
boston
system.
A
A
A
A
I'd
like
to
note
here-
and
I
think
I'm
doing
this
because
it
is
required.
So
please
allow
me
today's
hearing
has
been
duly
noticed
and
advertised
in
the
boston
herald
on
march
10th
and
17th
on
the
city
website,
at
the
link
provided
in
the
city
record,
a
pdf
of
which
is
on
the
link
provided
and
in
the
city
clerics,
public
notices
of
the
day
as
as
well
as
being
on
boston's
public
education
and
government
access
channels.
A
At
this
time,
I'd
like
to
introduce
and
welcome
our
comcast
greater
boston
region
team
members.
We
have
tim
kelly
vice
president
of
government
regulatory
affairs,
jerry
buckley
senior
director
for
government
regulatory
affairs
and
angela
holmes,
director
government
regulatory
affairs,
comcast
of
fall
boston,
kelly
angela,
who
would
like
to
take
this
at
this
point
I'll
I'll
forward.
Your
slide.
A
B
Just
like
to
introduce
ourselves
so
comcast
has
a
proud
history
of
providing
cable
service
to
the
residents
of
boston
since
the
early
2000s,
as
you
mentioned.
During
that
time,
we've
invested
over
400
million
dollars
in
our
hybrid
fiber
network,
passing
99.5
of
homes
in
every
corner
of
the
city,
we've
provided
over
200
million
dollars
of
support
for
boston's,
public
educational
and
municipal
government
programming.
B
Over
the
past
five
years,
we've
made
capacity
available
for
five
channels:
cable,
casting
city
content
and
we've
constructed
a
public
institutional
fiber
network
with
more
than
130
sites
supporting
systems
that
run
the
day-to-day
city
operations
benefiting
all
of
boston's
residents.
In
addition,
we've
made
over
a
million
dollars
in
payments
since
2014
to
support
the
boston
neighborhood
network.
B
We
are
committed
to
diversity,
equity
and
inclusion
initiatives
both
nationally
and
locally,
through
programs
such
as
comcast
rise
and
strive
to
maintain
an
inclusive
environment
for
our
workforce
and
for
our
customers.
Year
after
year.
Comcast
is
named
top
places
to
work
by
boston,
business
journal
and
the
boston
globe,
and
we
take
great
pride
in
our
workforce
and
in
the
work
we
do
in
the
community
and
if
mike
mike,
if
you
could
go
to
the
next
slide,
maybe
the
next
one
after
that
we'll
go
back
to
the
map,
all
right
yep.
B
B
We
engage
local,
non-profit
partners,
community-based
organizations
and
city
of
boston
partners
to
identify
project
locations
where
the
need
is
greatest.
Comcast
cares
day,
brings
together,
volunteer
employees,
family
members,
friends,
city
of
boston
partners
such
as
local
electeds
and
city
department,
heads
and
city
year
partners
to
beautify
with
landscaping,
public
art,
painting,
a
gymnasium
or
a
playground.
B
giving
back
to
the
communities
we
serve
as
a
core
tenant
of
who
we
are
at
comcast.
And
it's
ingrained
in
our
dna
boston
is
all
about
creating
these
partnerships
to
achieve
goals,
and
we
look
forward
to
remaining
an
active
partner
with
the
city
of
boston
and
mike.
If
you
could
go
to
the
next
slide,
I'm
going
to
hand
it
over
to
timothy
kelly
from
my
team.
C
Thank
you
angela
great
way
to
encapsulate
what
done
city
of
boston
relative
to
investment
and
also
partnership.
So
this
slide,
I
want
to
focus
on
both
the
partnership
piece
and
the
city
of
boston,
being
the
hub
of
innovation
and
a
place
where
we
launched
new
products.
I
would
say
we
have
a
national
footprint
of
39
states
in
the
district
of
columbia
and
a
lot
of
product
launches
happened
in
the
city
of
boston
and
we,
as
a
local
team,
are
very
proud
of
that.
C
So
in
2010,
just
for
a
little
history
about
internet
essentials,
a
precursor
to
that
was
what
we
deemed
the
xfinity
boston
internet
adoption
pilot
program.
We
worked
with
the
city
of
boston
that
received
an
ntia
grant
and
put
forth
a
product
offering
for
low-income
folks
in
the
city
at
10.95
to
connect
them
to
the
internet,
both
the
city
and
comcast
recognized
back
in
2010,
the
importance
of
digital
equity
and
bridging
the
digital
divide,
and
we
worked
directly
with
mr
lynch
on
that
particular
program.
C
Wildly
successful
and,
like
I
said
a
precursor
to
our
internet
essentials
program,
which
was
launched
nationally
in
2011.
and
just
today.
I
think
I
can
do
it
because
it
was
embargoed.
We
had
our
10-year
anniversary,
where
we've
announced
another
commitment
of
a
billion
dollars
over
the
next
10
years
to
bridge
the
digital
divide.
C
In
2012,
we
met
with
again
mr
lynch
in
the
city
administration,
former
mayor,
thomas
menino,
to
have
a
conversation
about
bringing
our
network
to
the
seaport.
Folks
know
that
seaport
at
one
point
in
time
with
the
mud
locks
a
couple
restaurants,
not
much
was
there
federal
courthouse
might
have
been
there,
but
it
was
mayor
menino
that
asked
us
to
come
down
and
to
expand
our
network.
C
You
know
a
model
for
us,
isn't
build
it
and
they
will
come.
This
was
something
that
we,
you
know,
took
very
seriously
and
put
some
risk
capital
into
play,
and
I
think
people
know
that
which
was
once
steamed
the
innovation
district
is
very
successful
and
we're
happy
to
be
down
to
seaport-
and
I
know
a
lot
of
other
providers
have
followed
down
there
and
there
is
very
robust,
fiber
and
connectivity
down
there.
C
2013
we
launched
the
x1
platform.
It's
integrated
platform,
it
is
been
deemed
the
aggregator
of
aggregators.
So
no,
not
only
does
this
platform
provide
a
linear,
cable
channels.
It
also
provides
video
on
demand,
in
fact,
layers
in
subscription
video
on
demand
from
other
ott
providers
2014
and
by
the
way,
these
lot.
These
all
all
these
launches
happened
here
in
the
city
of
boston
2014.
C
We
launched
the
x1
cloud
dvr,
which
was
taking
the
hardware
out
of
the
box
and
putting
in
the
cloud
so
that
we
could
further
expand
people's
capacity
to
record
the
things
that
they
enjoyed
most
and
play
them
later.
In
2015,
we
launched
the
beta
for
our
stream
application,
which,
as
a
cable
subscriber
you
can
get
on
your
smart
television.
I
actually
continue
to
use
it
now.
C
C
We
came
into
an
agreement
with
the
roxbury
innovation
center
to
provide
not
only
a
robust
broadband
connection,
but
also
support
programs
and
activities
that
happened
at
the
ric
and
became
a
major
sponsor
for
ric,
and
we
launched
xfinity
mobile,
which
is
important
because,
if
you're
a
broadband
customer
of
comcast,
we
have
an
mvno
agreement
with
a
carrier
whereby
you
can
get
our
xfinity
mobile
service
2018.
We
also
had
a
comcast
cares
day
in
chinatown.
I
actually
brought
my
children
down
there.
C
C
I
went
over
to
the
ric
for
a
salon
lunch
with
community
partners
headed
over
to
villa
victoria,
to
provide
some
free,
laptop
giveaways
and
free
internet
essential
service,
and,
as
angela
alluded
to
earlier,
we
went
to
st
mary's
to
end
up
wind
up
the
day,
2020
a
couple
of
things
here
and
I'm
gonna
kind
of
dive
dive
into
the
details.
A
little
I'd
say
a
little
more
broadly.
So
we
we
launched
our
internet
essentials
60
days
free.
C
So
when
the
pandemic
hit
in
march,
we
had
to
do
something
quickly.
So
we
said:
we've
launched
the
60
days,
free
for
any
internet
essentials
eligible
person.
We
waived
back
due
back
to
debt,
so
in
2020,
if
you
had
either
debt
that
was
a
year
old
or
debt
that
was
over
a
year
old.
We
waived
that,
so
you
could
get
into
our
program.
We
opened
1.5
million
wi-fi
hotspots
nationwide
for
public
use
in
march
as
well
2020.
C
We
increased
our
speeds
by
doubling
them
to
25
by
3.
this
march
march,
9th
we
again
doubled
them
to
50
by
five.
In
august
we
launched
our
internet
essentials
partnership
program,
I'm
happy
to
say
that
we
have
community
partners
here
in
the
city,
tgh
bps,
timothy
smith
networks
and
others
that
have
also
participated
in
iep
in
the
state
of
massachusetts.
We
have
48
partners
in
total,
with
19
000
opportunities
for
folks
to
connect
to
the
internet
at
no
cost
to
them
a
sponsor
will
pay.
For
that
september,
we
launched
our
lip
zones.
C
We
made
an
announcement
that
we'd
be
launching
a
thousand
lift
zones
nationwide.
The
city
of
boston
raised
their
hand
and
said
we
want
lift
zones
as
well
as
to
date.
We
have
18
lift
zones
activated
all
in
the
bcyf
centers
and
lift
zones
for
folks.
That
don't
know
are
a
safe
place,
cobit
compliant
where
children
and
families
can
go
to
get
connected
to
the
internet
at
no
cost
to
them.
It's
a
three-year
commitment
in
part
of
the
announcement
we
made
today
with
the
one
billion
dollar
ten
year.
C
C
Comcast
is
supporting
the
business
community
using
resources
from
comcast
business.
An
effective
effective
is
our
advertising
arm
and
it's
called
rise
representation,
investment,
strength,
empowerment
and
program,
and
we're
happy
to
note
that
spark
fm
from
hyde
park
is
a
recipient
of
rise.
I
know
I
said
a
lot
regarding
what
we've
done
in
the
community.
C
B
Thank
you
tim.
So
just
a
look
at
this
final
slide.
You
know,
as
I
mentioned,
giving
back
to
the
communities
we
serve
as
a
part
of
our
dna,
so
this
is
the
the
most
I
could
do
and
in
a
one
slide
shot
to
show
you
how
committed
we
are
to
the
community
that
we
serve
and
how
important
boston
is
to
us
in
closing
we're
honored
to
be
a
provider
of
choice
in
the
city
of
boston.
B
B
I
think
we've
demonstrated
that
this
last
year
with
the
pandemic,
and
we
take
our
charge
seriously,
to
make
sure
that
all
of
the
city's
residents
in
every
single
neighborhood
have
access
to
our
robust
network
and
remain
connected
to
the
world.
We
are
proud
that
we
connect
people
to
the
moments
that
matter
most
in
their
lives.
So
thank
you
for
your
time.
A
D
A
Lastly,
the
city
recognizes
and
has
conveyed
to
comcast
the
community
demands
for
high
definition
capacity
for
the
community
peg
channels,
which
has
been
met
by
other
cable
providers
in
boston.
At
this
time,
I'd
like
to
introduce
and
welcome
the
team
joining
us
today,
from
b
n
media
boston's
community
access
center
general
manager,
glenn
williams
and
board
president
justin,
petty
glenn.
E
I
am,
I
am
today
testifying
on
behalf
of
b
m
b
n
for
this
important
community
meeting
on
community
cable
and
technology
needs
of
the
city.
First,
I'd
like
to
thank
the
city
of
boston
and
mike
lynch
of
the
department
of
innovation
and
technology
for
this
opportunity
to
share
some
of
the
things
bnn
has
been
doing
during
these
challenging
times.
E
E
Bnn
wishes
to
emphasize
the
great
benefit
to
the
general
public
and
to
the
city
of
boston,
from
continuing
strong
licensing,
support
for
peg
access
and
bnn
in
boston.
We
are
fortunate
to
have
boston
neighborhood
network,
which
has
provided
community
access
to
the
cable
channels
for
thousands
of
bostonians
for
nearly
40
years.
E
We
dedicated
9
a.m
to
noon
and
2
p.m.
To
4
5
days
a
week
for
this
necessity
from
7
30
p.m,
to
8
00
p.m.
Five
days
a
week
we
recruited
various
high
profile,
individuals
to
read
bedtime
stories
called
goodnight
scholars
to
our
younger
viewers.
Mayor
marty,
walsh
and
patriots
julian
engelmann
come
to
mind
as
favorites.
E
E
One
of
our
proudest
programming
accomplishments
is
the
extension
of
our
local
origination
weekly
program
extra
help.
A
homework
help
hotline
call-in
program
for
boston,
public
school
students.
This
past
year
we
helped
students
live
on
tv,
prepare
for
entrance
level
exams
in
math
and
english
language
learners
accomplishing
their
goals.
E
E
Our
local
origination
programming
continues
to
be
recognized
as
the
industry
benchmark
with
around
town
receiving
multiple
awards
regionally
and
nationally.
These
programs
have
become
the
standard
for
other
peg
access
stations,
presentations
featuring
their
communities
and
the
people
in
them,
though,
our
studios
have
been
closed.
We
continue
to
provide
our
members
with
zoom
classes
to
continue
providing
their
vital
link
to
their
communities.
We
also
carry
many
of
our
nonprofits
webinars
and
programming
being
in
collaborates
with
the
city
of
boston,
to
produce
vital
programming
for
the
city
as
well
as
other
community
events
and
political
forums.
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
A
Thank
you,
glenn
williams.
At
this
time,
I'd
like
to
introduce
justin,
petty
justin
petty,
is
the
chair
of
the
board
at
boston,
neighborhood
network
he's
also
chair
of
the
broadcast
journalism
department
at
roxbury
community
college
justin.
I
know
you
had
a
chance
to
speak
with
your
fellow
board
members
last
night
as
well
as
some
producers
being
in.
I
thought
you'd
like
a
couple
of
minutes
to
introduce
yourself
and
items
discussed.
F
The
board
is
eager
and
willing
and
happy
to
work
with
the
city
of
boston
and
comcast
in
providing
these
services
to
our
constituents
in
the
city
of
boston.
I
think
our
general
manager,
glenn
williams,
is
doing
a
wonderful
job.
He
said
said
a
lot
in
his
in
his
statement.
So
there's
no
need
for
me
to
say
any
more.
F
However,
it's
very
important
that
we
press
for
those
hd
channels
and
and
the
user
interface
the
tv
guide
interface,
so
that
our
community
members
can
know
what
we
are
doing.
What
programming
is
out
there
out
there
and
they
can
tune
in
at
an
appropriate
time.
It's
right
now,
they're,
just
seeing
local
original
nation
programming,
and
that's
that's.
I
don't
think
that's
good
enough,
but
if
we
are
producing
content
in
hd,
I
think
we
should
be
distributing
the
continent
into
the
community
as
well.
A
G
G
So
I
would
think
it's
very
difficult
for
other
people.
So
it's
a
wonderful
service
that
you
have,
but
if
the
service
isn't
taken
advantage
of
it
is,
it
is
not
certainly
the
kind
of
service
I
think
either
the
comcast
or
the
city
would
like
to
have
so.
First
I'd
like
to
support
ben
williams's
comments.
G
But
I
will
be
glad
to
provide
this
map
to
you,
which
basically
shows
that
certain
parts
of
the
city,
namely
parts
of
the
city
that
are
populated
with
high
proportions
of
people
of
color
or
black
and
brown
people,
have
lower
quality
than
no
quality,
no
access,
lower
quality,
meaning
lower
speeds
or
poor
quality
access
to
the
internet.
To
broadband.
G
And
it's
an
interesting
map
in
that
you
can
see
that
fiber
optics
go
to
the
to
the
line
in
matapan
and
then
go
around
the
line
in
matapan
when
it
was
first
laid
down
and,
as
I
said,
we're
more
than
happy
to
show
you
the
data,
how
we
created
the
map,
the
tool.
We
created
the
map
with
exactly
how
it
was
done.
G
G
But
our
consumer
seems
to
be
the
same
as
yours.
We
may
have
a
different
way
of
getting
there,
but
we
think
that
high
quality
internet
is
not
only
essential.
It's
in
its
basic
right
today
of
life
not
only
for
for
students
but
for
adult
learning,
for
telemedicine
for
people
in
recovery,
but
people
trying
to
find
a
job
for
people
who
have
a
job
and
it
affects
every
part
of
life
10
years
ago.
That
was
not
the
case
today.
It
is
like
a
basic
need.
It
is
not.
G
It
is
not
something,
that's
special,
something
that
everyone
needs
to
have
affects
their
lives
daily,
and
we
with
you
need
to
find
a
way
to
make
sure
that
high
quality
internet
is
available
and
affordable
for
everyone
which
in
some
cases,
means
free.
So
I
appreciate
mike
this
opportunity
to
be
present
today
and
I
look
forward
to
continuing
the
conversation.
A
Thank
you,
chairwoman,
mckenna.
I
know
I've
had
a
couple
of
opportunities
to
speak
to
the
boston
human
rights
commission
over
the
last
year
during
the
pandemic,
as
things
have
quickly
evolved
and
items
of
interest
for
digital
equity
and
digital
inclusion
have
been
of
great
interest
to
your
commission.
I
know
the
boston
housing
authority
has
also
discussed
it
with
you,
as
well
as
the
boston
public
schools
and
the
aid
strong
commission.
We
look
forward
to
continuing
that
discussion
at
your
next
meeting.
Thank
you.
A
If
you
do
please,
let
me
know,
having
said
that,
at
this
point,
I
would
like
to
thank
all
of
the
participants,
attendees
and
presenters
at
today's
hearing.
I
would
like
to
know
that
public
comment
period
for
this
hearing
process
is
open
until
the
close
of
business
on
friday
march
26th.
The
link
is
on
your
screen.
Now
it
is
also
on
the
city
of
boston's
webpage
boston.gov.