Cable Television Complaints: Information for Consumers
Under a law passed by the General Assembly, Attorney General Roy Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division has been charged with handling certain kinds of consumer complaints against cable television companies. Local governments will continue to handle some cable complaints. Before filing a cable complaint with us, please review the two sections below:
1. CONTACT YOUR CABLE COMPANY FIRST.
Before filing a complaint, please contact your cable company
or video provider first and give it the opportunity to resolve your problem. Often, the company can resolve your
complaint quickly and efficiently and it may not be necessary to file a complaint.
2. FIND OUT WHERE TO FILE YOUR COMPLAINT--WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE
If you first contacted your cable company and it did not resolve your problem, you may file a complaint with your local government or with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, depending on the type of franchise your company has. Our office handles complaints only against companies with a State-issued franchise. If your company has a State-issued franchise, you should file your complaint with us. If your company has a local franchise, you should file your complaint with local your government - usually your town/city or county.
To determine what type of franchise your cable company has, ask the company or review your cable bill. If your cable company has a State-issued franchise, your bill should say that complaints should be filed with the Attorney General’s office. If your bill does not contain this sentence, your company likely has a local franchise and you should contact your city or county manager’s office. If you have asked your cable company and reviewed your cable bill and still cannot find out whether your company has a local or State-issued franchise, contact either your local government or us and we will help you determine where your complaint should be filed.