Laserfiche WebLink
CBG Communications, Inc. <br /> <br /> 1 <br /> <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />CBG Communications, Inc. (“CBG”), conducted a system technical review, consulting, <br />and engineering services project evaluating Comcast’s residential network, the <br />Institutional Network (“I-Net”) and Public, Educational, and Governmental (“PEG”) <br />Access signal origination, transport and signal distribution over the cable system and <br />dedicated transmission links serving Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Little <br />Canada, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, Roseville, Saint Anthony and <br />Shoreview, MN (“Member Cities”) comprising the North Suburban Communications <br />Commission’s (“NSCC”) service area. CBG’s findings and recommendations are fully <br />described in our Final Report, “Evaluation of Comcast’s Subscriber System, Evaluation <br />of the Existing Institutional Network, Evaluation of PEG Access Signal Transport and <br />Distribution” (“Technical Report”), dated July, 2013. <br /> <br />CBG also assisted the NSCC with its preparation of the Staff Report and Request for <br />Renewal Proposal (“RFRP”). In addition to components that CBG was not specifically <br />involved with, these documents included technical elements and functionality <br />specifications required to meet the needs enabled by the subscriber network, the I-Net <br />and PEG Access origination and transport network. <br />This Report was prepared by CBG at the request of the NSCC. In preparing this <br />Report, CBG has reviewed the technical aspects of the formal Cable Television <br />Franchise Renewal Proposal (“Renewal Proposal”) of Comcast of Minnesota <br />(“Comcast”) in response to the NSCC’s RFRP dated July 29, 2013 . Our focus was on <br />Comcast’s responses to the RFRP related to system functionality and capacity as it <br />pertains to Cable TV services (including the subscriber network, I-Net and PEG Access <br />transport), system maintenance and overall system performance and the potential need <br />for system upgrades over the course of a 10 year franchise agreement. <br />Our findings from our review and analysis of Comcast’s Renewal Proposal are <br />described in detail in the main body of this Report. Overall, CBG finds: <br /> Comcast’s Renewal Proposal does not comply with a number of the system <br />technical, PEG Access transport and I-Net provisions of the model franchise. In <br />many cases, Comcast does not specifically respond to requirements of the RFRP <br />in its Proposal. Because the requirements of the RFRP were not addressed, no <br />conclusion can be made regarding the adequacy of Comcast’s proposal in these <br />areas. Comcast did not respond to many of the recommendations made in <br />CBG’s Technical Report, and therefore did not sufficiently respond to the needs