(a) “Cable television operator” means the person or entity providing cable television services through the cable television system.
(b) “Video provider” means any person, company, or service which provides one or more channels of video programming to a residence, including a home, condominium, apartment, or mobilehome, where some fee is paid, whether directly or as included in dues or rental charges, for that service, whether or not public rights-of-way are utilized in the delivery of the video programming. A “video provider” shall include, but not be limited to, providers of cable television, master antenna television, satellite master antenna television, direct broadcast satellite, multipoint distribution service, and other providers of video programming, whatever their technology.
(c) No cable television operator or video provider shall charge for a service, for which a separate and distinct charge was made, that is provided to a consumer on an individual basis at no charge unless the customer affirmatively and specifically elects to continue that service for the applicable charge. This election may be made by the consumer at any time prior to the imposition of the applicable charge, including at any time prior to first receiving the service for no charge. This section shall not apply to the addition of any service to a package, tier or service offering or any restructuring or retiering of any package, tier or service offering, provided the consumer is receiving the package, tier or servicing offering at the time of the addition, restructuring or retiering.
(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 361, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.)