Bill To Renew Comcast Franchise In Philadelphia Introduced To City Council
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After months of negotiations, a bill to renew Comcast cable's franchise in Philadelphia was introduced into City Council on Thursday.
The bill giving the cable giant another 15-year franchise calls for remedial steps, including "liquidated damages," in the event of customer service failures and requires that Comcast report statistics on customer complaint calls.
The bill's sponsor, Bobby Henon, says it's just a starting point. "This is far from over," Henon said. "We are still assessing the needs of the citizens of Philadelphia."
Henon says he expects public hearings on the bill to help forge a final version. Comcast spokesman Jeff Alexander says the company looks forward to it. "To working with the administration and city council to finalize an agreement that is satisfactory to the city, to Comcast and to our customers," Alexander expressed.
The city will continue to receive the federally-allowed maximum 5 percent franchise fee. Last year, that was about $17 million.