LFUCG has a competitive marketplace for cable television and holds franchise agreements with three companies. The Federal Communications Commission is responsible for enforcing a variety of cable television regulations. The Kentucky Public Service Commission does not locally regulate cable television.
If you are a Lexington resident and HAVE NOT been able to resolve a billing or service complaint by dealing directly with Charter Spectrum (859) 514-1400, Windstream (866) 455-5880, or Metronet (859) 785-1107 you may call LexCall at 311 or (859) 425-2255 or send an email.
Written comments can be sent to:
Telecommunications Officer
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
200 E. Main St.
Lexington, KY 40507
Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number and a description of the complaint and/or comment.
| Service | Company | Expiration | Franchise agreements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable | Spectrum | December 2024 | Franchise agreement | Settlement |
| Windstream | October 2025 | Franchise agreement | |
| MetroNet | December 2027 | Franchise agreement |
Cable Lexington FAQ
Q: What is Lexington’s role in regards to cable TV?
A: The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government administers the franchises for cable television within Fayette County. This includes enforcing all provisions of the cable company's franchise agreement with Lexington, such as:
• Customer service;
• Assisting in the resolution of billing disputes and complaints;
• Company's use of the public right-of-way;
• Provision of the Public, Education and Government access channels.
Charter Spectrum, Windstream Kinetic and Metronet have cable franchises in Fayette County.
Q: Is there cable competition in Lexington?
A: Lexington’s cable franchise agreement is not exclusive. Currently, three companies have cable franchises with Lexington, Charter Spectrum, Windstream Kinetic, and Metronet.
Q: What kind of complaints is Lexington unable to handle?
A: There are a number of complaints that cannot be resolved by Lexington. Those matters include lack of competition and channel lineups. Additionally, Lexington has no legal authority over Charter Spectrum, Windstream Communications or Metronet internet and phone service, but can assist in resolving problems with those services.
Q: Why can’t subscribers pay for the channels they want?
A: This is the type of issue which would need to be addressed by the federal government. Congress has debated this issue for some time and although some bills have been proposed to address this issue, none have become law. Some program providers require contracts of cable providers to carry all of their channels and will not provide them on a per channel basis.
Q: What is the federal and/or state role in regulating cable?
A:The Federal Communications Commission is responsible for enforcing a variety of cable television regulations including: indecency and obscenity, commercial limits for children’s programming; cable home wiring issues; equipment compatibility and signal leakage from cable systems. The Public Service Commission for the Commonwealth of Kentucky does not currently regulate cable service.