Frequently asked questions

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Q: Who is the South Washington County Telecommunications Commission (SWCTC)?

A. SWCTC is not a cable company.  SWCTC is the cable television franchise authority for the Minnesota cities of Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury and Grey Cloud Island Township.  See About SWCTC.

Q. Who are the cable companies in South Washington County?

A. Presently, Comcast is the only wired cable company serving south Washington County.  Wireless video providers in the area include DirectTV and Dish Network.

Q. Why does the SWCTC allow Comcast to have a monopoly?

A. The Franchise is non-exclusive and the Commission has the authority to enter into additional franchises with competitors to Comcast. There are no requests pending before the SWCTC.

Q. Why doesn't the Commission make Comcast lower its rates?

A. The SWCTC can not control cable rates. Its only regulatory authority lies in auditing the rate for the lowest tier of basic cable service and equipment to determine if the Company falls within the Federal Communications Commission guidelines.

Q. I would like Comcast to offer different channels, can you help me?

A. The SWCTC can not dictate and has no control over programming and which channels are added or deleted from your service. It can only recommend to the Company based on feedback from subscribers.

Q. How do I contact Comcast?

A. The customer service number for Comcast is 651-222-3333

Q: What if I have a complaint?

A: The SWCTC is an advocate for cable subscribers. Commission staff will file a formal complaint on your behalf for a problem you have been unable to resolve after reasonable attempts with Comcast.

Q. Where can I see my city meetings?

A. City Council and Commission meetings can be seen live/replayed on Government Access Channel 16 and online at http://swctc.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

Q. Can I advertise on your Channels?

A. Yes.  We will put Bulletin Board messages on the air for non-profit groups and community messages.

Q. Can I use the SWCTC studio and on-location equipment to create my own TV show?

A. No. Only SWCTC staff is allowed to use Commission equipment.

Q. Do you offer any television production classes?

A. No. SWCTC does not operate a public access studio or accept programming from the public.