Sec.  76.953   Limitation on filing a complaint.

   (a) Complaint regarding a rate change. A complaint alleging an unreasonable
   rate for cable programming service or associated equipment may be filed
   against a cable operator only in the event of a rate change, including an
   increase or decrease in rates, or a change in rates that results from a
   change in a system's service tiers. A rate change may involve an implicit
   rate increase (such as deleting channels from a tier without a corresponding
   lowering of the rate for that tier). A complaint regarding a rate change for
   cable programming service or associated equipment may be filed against a
   cable operator only in the event of a rate change.

   (b) Late-filed complaints will be dismissed with prejudice.

   [ 58 FR 29753 , May 21, 1993, as amended at  58 FR 46736 , Sept. 2, 1993;  59 FR 17960 , 17974, Apr. 15, 1994;  60 FR 35868 , July 12, 1995;  61 FR 18979 , Apr.
   30, 1996]