Regulations That Raise Cable Costs

Re: Response to the Dec. 15 letter to the editor, “Streets Chopped but Not Cable Rates.”

Regarding the comment that GTE offers 28 channels on its basic service for $10.95, while TCI offers 21 channels on its basic service for $10.51, please be advised that among GTE’s 28 channels are 25 channels which are either “federally mandated must-carry” or local franchise required. This means that GTE has been forced to carry channels such as UPN/Paramount--KCOP (13), Independent--KWHY (22), etc. without regard to the preferences of their viewers and despite a very low subscriber demand. TCI is also subject to federally mandated must-carry and to franchise requirements. It is this sort of regulation which adds to the cost of cable service without providing corresponding value.

TCI is constantly working to select channel offerings which are of significant value to its 93,000 subscriber base while at the same time, seeking to charge cable rates which are both value driven and competitive.

Concerning reduction in cable rates, as cable providers such as TCI strive to upgrade their systems, spending millions of dollars in that process, cable rates will need to be sufficient to recover those costs within an appropriate time frame in order to continue to provide excellent support and state of the art systems to their customers.

PAUL BASKIN, Manager, marketing and customer service, TCI of Ventura County, Newbury Park