U.S. Code » Title 47 » Chapter CHAPTER 5— WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER V–A— CABLE COMMUNICATIONS › Part Part I— General Provisions

47 U.S.C. § 522

Definitions

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For purposes of this subchapter—(1) the term “activated channels” means those channels engineered at the headend of a cable system for the provision of services generally available to residential subscribers of the cable system, regardless of whether such services actually are provided, including any channel designated for public, educational, or governmental use;(2) the term “affiliate”, when used in relation to any person, means another person who owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, such person;(3) the term “basic cable service” means any service tier which includes the retransmission of local television broadcast signals;(4) the term “cable channel” or “channel” means a portion of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum which is used in a cable system and which is capable of delivering a television channel (as television channel is defined by the Commission by regulation);(5) the term “cable operator” means any person or group of persons (A) who provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system, or (B) who otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of such a cable system;(6) the term “cable service” means—(A) the one-way transmission to subscribers of (i) video programming, or (ii) other programming service, and(B) subscriber interaction, if any, which is required for the selection or use of such video programming or other programming service;(7) the term “cable system” means a facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service which includes video programming and which is provided to multiple subscribers within a community, but such term does not include (A) a facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of 1 or more television broadcast stations; (B) a facility that serves subscribers without using any public right-of-way; (C) a facility of a common carrier which is subject, in whole or in part, to the provisions of subchapter II of this chapter, except that such facility shall be considered a cable system (other than for purposes of section 541(c) of this title) to the extent such facility is used in the transmission of video programming directly to subscribers, unless the extent of such use is solely to provide interactive on-demand services; (D) an open video system that complies with section 573 of this title; or (E) any facilities of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility system;(8) the term “Federal agency” means any agency of the United States, including the Commission;(9) the term “franchise” means an initial authorization, or renewal thereof (including a renewal of an authorization which has been granted subject to section 546 of this title), issued by a franchising authority, whether such authorization is designated as a franchise, permit, license, resolution, contract, certificate, agreement, or otherwise, which authorizes the construction or operation of a cable system;(10) the term “franchising authority” means any governmental entity empowered by Federal, State, or local law to grant a franchise;(11) the term “grade B contour” means the field strength of a television broadcast station computed in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Commission;(12) the term “interactive on-demand services” means a service providing video programming to subscribers over switched networks on an on-demand, point-to-point basis, but does not include services providing video programming prescheduled by the programming provider;(13) the term “multichannel video programming distributor” means a person such as, but not limited to, a cable operator, a multichannel multipoint distribution service, a direct broadcast satellite service, or a television receive-only satellite program distributor, who makes available for purchase, by subscribers or customers, multiple channels of video programming;(14) the term “other programming service” means information that a cable operator makes available to all subscribers generally;(15) the term “person” means an individual, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, corporation, or governmental entity;(16) the term “public, educational, or governmental access facilities” means—(A) channel capacity designated for public, educational, or governmental use; and(B) facilities and equipment for the use of such channel capacity;(17) the term “service tier” means a category of cable service or other services provided by a cable operator and for which a separate rate is charged by the cable operator;(18) the term “State” means any State, or political subdivision, or agency thereof;(19) the term “usable activated channels” means activated channels of a cable system, except those channels whose use for the distribution of broadcast signals would conflict with technical and safety regulations as determined by the Commission; and(20) the term “video programming” means programming provided by, or generally considered comparable to programming provided by, a television broadcast station.(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 602, as added Pub. L. 98–549, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2780; amended Pub. L. 102–385, § 2(c), Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1463; Pub. L. 104–104, title III, §§ 301(a), 302(b)(2), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 114, 124.)Editorial NotesAmendments

1996—Par. (6)(B). Pub. L. 104–104, § 301(a)(1), inserted “or use” after “the selection”.

Par. (7)(B). Pub. L. 104–104, § 301(a)(2), added subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “a facility that serves only subscribers in 1 or more multiple unit dwellings under common ownership, control, or management, unless such facility or facilities uses any public right-of-way;”.

Par. (7)(C) to (E). Pub. L. 104–104, § 302(b)(2)(A), which directed substitution of “, unless the extent of such use is solely to provide interactive on-demand services; (D) an open video system that complies with section 573 of this title; or (E)” for “, or (D)”, was executed by making the substitution for “; or (D)” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pars. (12) to (20). Pub. L. 104–104, § 302(b)(2)(B), (C), added par. (12) and redesignated former pars. (12) to (19) as (13) to (20), respectively.

1992—Pub. L. 102–385 added pars. (1), (12), and (18) and redesignated former pars. (1) to (10) as (2) to (11), respectively, former pars. (11) to (15) as (13) to (17), respectively, and former par. (16) as (19).

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date of 1992 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 102–385 effective 60 days after Oct. 5, 1992, see section 28 of Pub. L. 102–385, set out as a note under section 325 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after Oct. 30, 1984, except where otherwise expressly provided, see section 9(a) of Pub. L. 98–549, set out as a note under section 521 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1,332 cases (1,128 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: Fed. Commc'ns Comm'n v. Beach Commc'ns, Inc., 508 U.S. 307 (1993).
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Fed. Commc'ns Comm'n v. Beach Commc'ns, Inc., 508 U.S. 307 (1993). · cites it 4× “" § 602(7)(B), 47 U. S. C. § 522 (7)(B) (1988 ed., Supp.”
City of Eugene v. Comcast of Oregon II, Inc., 375 P.3d 446 (Or. 2016). · cites it 10× “See 47 USC § 522 (6) (defining “cable service”).”
Liberty Cable Co., Inc. v. City of New York, 893 F. Supp. 191 (S.D.N.Y. 1995). · cites it 14× “Veerman seek, inter alia, a declaratory judgment that 47 U.S.C. §§ 522 (7) and 541(b) are unconstitutional.”
Manhattan Cmty. Access Corp. v. Halleck, 139 S. Ct. 1921 (2019). “By accepting that agency relationship, MNN stepped into the City's shoes and thus qualifies as a state actor, subject to the First Amendment like any other.”
Rotten Records, Inc. v. Doe, 107 F. Supp. 3d 257 (W.D.N.Y. 2015). · cites it 2× “Absence of Alternative Means and Need for Subpoenaed Information “Absent a Court-ordered subpoena, many of the ISPs,-who qualify as ‘cable operators’ for purposes of 47 U.S.C. § 522 (5), are effectively prohibited by 47 U.”
J&J Sports Prods., Inc. v. Patel, 364 F. Supp. 3d 1368 (S.D. Ga. 2018). · cites it 6× “Finally, the "cable system" protected by § 553"means a facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service," 47 U.S.C. § 522 , and the Georgia statute protects…”
Rotten Records, Inc. v. Doe, 108 F. Supp. 3d 132 (W.D.N.Y. 2015). · cites it 2× “Absence of Alternative Means and Need for Subpoenaed Information “Absent a Court-ordered subpoena, many of the ISPs, who qualify as ‘cable operators’ for purposes of 47 U.S.C. § 522 (5), are effectively prohibited by 47 U.”
Pac. Bell Tel. Co. v. City of Walnut Creek, 428 F. Supp. 2d 1037 (N.D. Cal. 2006). · cites it 5× “]” See 47 U.S.C. § 522 (5). “Cable service” is defined as: (A) the one-way transmission to subscribers of (i) video programming, or (ii) other programming service, and (B) subscriber interaction, if any, which is required for the selection or use of such video programming or…”
Viamedia, Incorporation v. Comcast Corp., 951 F.3d 429 (7th Cir. 2020). “Ca- ble companies then grew and consolidated by sewing 2 For statutory definitions of “multichannel video programming dis- tributor” (MVPD), “cable service,” and “video programming,” see 47 U.S.C. § 522 (13), (6), and (20). 10 No.”
Nat'l Cable & Telecomm. Assn., Inc. v. Gulf Power Co., 534 U.S. 327 (2002). · cites it 2× “" 47 U. S. C. § 522 (7) (1994 ed., Supp. V).”
Denver Area Educ. Telecomm. Consortium, Inc. v. Fed. Commc'ns Comm'n, 518 U.S. 727 (1996). · cites it 2× “47 U. S. C. § 522 (10) (defining franchise authority).”
Time Warner Ent. Co., L.P. v. Fed. Commc'ns Comm'n United States of Am., Nynex Corp., Intervenors, 56 F.3d 151 (D.C. Cir. 1995). · cites it 3× “Had Congress intended to disqualify as overbuilds those systems that faced only a satellite competitor in at least 50% of their franchise area, it could have done so expressly.”
Show all 1,332 citing cases →
— 47 U.S.C. § 522(5) — 1 case
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 67.252.90.119 (W.D.N.Y. 2026).
— 47 U.S.C. § 522(9) — 1 case
Town of Westwood v. Adams-Russell Co., 507 N.E.2d 763 (Mass. App. Ct. 1987).
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