Report on Cable Television-Related Needs and Interests Ascertainment for Frederick County, Maryland
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EXHIBITS REPORT ON CABLE TELEVISION-RELATED NEEDS AND INTERESTS ASCERTAINMENT FOR FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND CBG Communications, Inc. Thomas G. Robinson, President Dick Nielsen, Senior Engineer and Constance Ledoux Book, Ph. D. Telecommunications Research Corporation and Carson Hamlin Media Integration Specialist Prepared: March 13, 2017 Title CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report Table of Contents EXHIBITS: Exhibit A.1 – Frederick County Cable Television Residential Subscriber/Non-Subscriber Written Survey Markup Exhibit A.2 – Frederick County Cable Television Residential Subscriber/Non-Subscriber Online Survey Markup Exhibit B.1 – Frederick County Government Access Needs Exhibit B.2 – Frederick County K-12 Educational Access Needs Exhibit B.3 – Frederick Community College Higher Educational Access Needs Exhibit D.1 - Comcast Physical Plant Random Sample Audit Findings Spreadsheets Table of Contents i CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report EXHIBIT A.1 FREDERICK COUNTY CABLE TELEVISION RESIDENTIAL SUBSCRIBER/NON-SUBSCRIBER WRITTEN SURVEY MARKUP Exhibit A.1 CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report EXHIBIT A.1 FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND CABLE TELEVISION RESIDENTIAL WRITTEN SURVEY (N=700) Dear Frederick County Resident: Frederick County Government wants your input about Comcast cable television service -- whether or not you are a current subscriber. Comcast Cable has applied for renewal of its franchise. Understanding your needs and interests, as they relate to cable television services, is important to the County so that we can make the best decision for our citizens in this matter. Please have the person in the household who makes, or equally shares in, the decision to subscribe or not to subscribe to cable television, take a few minutes to let us know how members of your household feel about these issues. Your specific responses will remain anonymous. Please return the survey by October 22, 2016 in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. 1. What sentence best describes television services in your home?1 65% I subscribe to Comcast cable television (GO TO Question 3) (N=452) 23% I subscribe to satellite television (DirecTV or Dish Network) (Continue) (N=163) 12% I do not subscribe to any of the services above (Continue) (N=83) 2. For what reasons are you not currently subscribing to Comcast cable television service? (Mark all that apply) (N=35%/246) 37% Cost 16% Don't want cable TV 4% Don't watch TV 22% Had, but disconnected 5% Object to programming 13% Service issues 19% Never subscribed 28% Not available (please indicate your Street, Road or Neighborhood) N=68 • (Xfinity) Dayoville Rd • McKinstay Mill Rd, NCY Windsa • Dublin Rd • Renner Rd, Woodsboro 21798 • Green Valley Rd, Union Bridge, MD 21791 • Auburn Rd, Thurmont, MD 21788 • Houck Road • Woodsboro Pike • Bunker Hill Rd Union Bridges • Mechanicstown Rd, 21727 • Old Frederick Rd, Emmitsburg, MD 21727 • Eylers Valley Rd, Emmitsburg MD 21727 • Lander Rd, Jefferson, MD • West Wind Drive Mt., Airy MD 21771 • J Wigville Rd, Thurmont MD • Old Bohn Road, Mount Airy, MD 21771 • Talbot Run Rd, 1 Two respondents chose to only provide comments on their returned survey. Exhibit A.1 A.1-1 CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report • New Cut Road, Rocky, Ridge, MD 21778 • Bessie Clemson Rd • Bridgeport Rd • Comcast Is Not A Customer Friendly Company • Comus Road, Dickerson Rd, By Base Of Sugarloaf Mountain • Coppermine Rd, Woodsboro • Debold Rd, Sabillasville, Md 21780 • Dillard Road, Dickenson • Dixon Road • Dollyhyde Rd • Eyler Valley Rd • Fingerboard Road, Monrovia • Glade Road, Walkersville, Md • Good Intent Rd • Graceham Rd • Handboard Rd • Harley Rd • Harney Road • Haughs Church Rd, Keymor • Howard Stup Road • Kelbash Road • Keysville Rd • Lander Rd • Lander Road, Jefferson, Md • Layman Road Thurmont • Lime Plant Road, New Market • Longs Mill Rd, Rocky Ridge • Maple Ct, 21771 • Michale Road, Myersville • Motters Station Rd • Oak Hill Rd. Woodsboro • Orndoff Road • Parsonage Lane • Prices Distillery Road • Ijamsville • Quinn Rd • Rabbit Run Terrace • Rocky Ridge Md, 21778 • Slate Quarry Road, 9300 Blk • Stevens Road • Sumantown Rd • Tabler Rd, Ijamsville • They Will Not Run Cable Down The Drive Way • Thurston Road, Frederick, Md 21704 • Toll Road, New Windsor • Wigville • Woodsboro Pike, Ladiesburg • Spring Ridge Exhibit A.1 A.1-2 CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report • Yellow Springs Rd 25% Other: (describe): (N=62) • After Comcast bought Adelphia and raised prices, I try to stay away from Comcast. I would change internet from Comcast to another provider if available • Bad customer service • Cable TV goes out much more often and longer than DirecTV • Comcast is a rip off company– I will never them any more money as long as I live • Comcast is one of the worst companies in US • Comcast is the only high speed internet option and they are very expensive • Comcast sucks • Cost and labor to lay cable is pricey • DirecTV • Dish company employee, discounted price • Do not have channels we watch • Docs not offer sports packages like DirecTV • Doesn't have NFL Sunday Ticket • Find the biased positions and propaganda and pharmacy advertisements untenable • Football and baseball package • Get employee discount at DirecTV • Had trouble with reception and overall cost. Dish is a better deal for us. Internet is the problem • Heard they had really bad customer service • House in mountains on rock • I don't believe Comcast satellite/cable is comparable to DirecTV • I get over the air (antenna) reception • I have nothing here, I wish there was something to get internet service • I have only Comcast internet • I subscribe to internet and stream Netflix and Hulu • I truly dislike Comcast • I would like to have cable TV but it cost too much • Lack of coverage, Ravens games blacked out • Less options than satellite for same cost • Long time use of sat TV • May not successfully post telephone number • Need DirecTV for NFL Sunday Ticket • Never able to fix cable; crap service • No cable lines installed on my property • No NFL Sunday Ticket • Not enough decent programs on TV to want to pay for service • Not enough programs I watch to justify cost; their deceptive pricing • Not sure we get service where we live • Not thrilled with customer service • Poor customer service • Poor customer service • Poor quality, crappy service • Poor service and high cost • Prefer selection on DirecTV Exhibit A.1 A.1-3 CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report • Prefer streaming options (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) • Service wasn't easily available at time of request in late 1980s • Terrible service, bad customer service, outages, waiting days for a tech • They do not have the channels we want (like BYU) • They do not offer NFL Sunday Ticket, Only DirecTV has it • They don't come to our house - neighbors have it, we don't. They said they wouldn't service us. • They're 23 homes on Renner without service, all of which would like it–our road has 3 zip codes and ours is in the middle with service on both ends with both other zip codes –––VERY FRUSTRATING!!! • Too expensive, keep on changing (increasing) price • Too many channels on cable that I don't want • Verizon FiOS • Very long time ago had and quit, changed to DirecTV, Comcast has new ownership but happy with DirecTV • Waiting for installation • Want to choose programming, not get bundles of junk • Was not satisfied in past • Wasn't an option when I got TV components in early 2000s home theatre • Way too expensive • We are stuck with a package and get 99% of stations we don't want • We used to have Comcast. They were a terrible company to deal with. Never answered their phone. Rude. Kepy raising the prices. Incorrect changes. • When we moved in 2003, the options with satellite were better QUESTIONS FOR COMCAST CABLE TELEVISION SUBSCRIBERS; NON-SUBSCRIBERS GO TO QUESTION 25 3. How long have you subscribed to Comcast cable service in Frederick County? (Years) Range: 0 - 48 years; Average: 13 years Mode: 10 and 20 years (N=50 each) 4. What services do you currently receive from Comcast? (Mark all that apply) N=452 13% Comcast Limited Basic TV Service (10 Channels + local programming only) 13% Xfinity Digital Economy TV Service (45+) 17% Xfinity Digital Starter TV Service (140+) 37% Xfinity Digital Preferred TV Service (220+) 18% Xfinity Digital Premier TV (260+) or higher tier of service 28% Premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.) 9% Other: (Describe) (N=58) Top 4 Responses 1. Xfinity Bundle - TV, Phone, Internet (N=24) 2. Xfinity TV and Internet (N=19) 3. Standard Cable TV including Expanded Basic Services (N=4) 4. Xfinity Bundle , including Security (N=3) Exhibit A.1 A.1-4 CBG Communications, Inc. Frederick County Prepared: March 13, 2017 Needs Assessment Report 5. Are there any cable programs or types of programs that are not available on the system that you would like the cable operator to add? 24% Yes 76% No (GO TO Question 6) 5a. If "Yes, "please indicate: (N=102) Top 6 Responses 1. NFL Sports Channel (N=23) 2. DIY Network (N=10) 3. CMT Channel (N=7) 4. More Local programming (N=4) 5. RFD TV (N=4) 6. Cooking Channel (N=3) 6. Overall, how would you describe your level of satisfaction with your current Comcast cable service(s)? (Circle Number) N=438 Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied 14% 58% 21% 7% 7. If you indicated anything less than Very Satisfied, is there anything Comcast could do to improve your level of satisfaction with its cable services? (N=344) Top 5 Answers 1. Lower Cost (N=140) 2. Resolve Service Issues (N=43) 3.