TCA NEWSLETTER
Latest industry news in Texas and around the country.
HOW TO WATCH THE OLYMPICS
CABLE SALUTES CHARLIE HEMBREE
CABLE RISES TO WEATHER CHALLENGES
HOW TO WATCH THE OLYMPICS
The competition of the XXIV Winter Olympics is underway, and watching the action in Beijing, China, from halfway around the world has never been easier. From live coverage to comprehensive audio description to virtual reality viewing, this Games will be the most viewable and accessible Olympics ever.
CABLE SALUTES CHARLIE HEMBREE
Cable veteran logs more than 51 years with the industry
The month of Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to honor and show our appreciation for Charlie Hembree, whose love of and dedication to the cable industry has kept him working in the business for more than a half century. He logged his 51st year of service on Aug 1, 2021. He currently serves as consultant to Vyve Broadband and sits on the Texas Cable Association’s Board of Directors.

Hembree has been a player in how our industry evolved over the past five decades. The TCA board of directors and staff consider it an honor to know Charlie and a privilege to work with him. Though he’s certainly earned the right to retire (again) any time he wants, we sure hope he sticks around.

During his career, Hembree has been honored by the industry with the induction to the Cable TV Pioneers in 1996, the Vanguard Award from NCTA – The Internet & Television, the Johnny Mankin Sr. award from the Texas Cable Association, the Pathfinder Award from the Mid-America Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Millennium Award from the Texas chapter of the Cable Television Administration and Marketing Society (CTAM).

We recently asked Hembree to recount how he got started in what was then a fledgling industry focused on providing traditional cable video service (and broadband didn’t exist), as well as share some memorable moments.
CABLE RISES TO WEATHER CHALLENGE
As the first anniversary of Winter Storm Uri’s “big freeze” approaches, Texans this month once again found themselves preparing for extreme cold, freezing rain, ice and snow across the state from Winter Storm Landon. While this storm was short-lived, cable was ready for what Mother Nature dished out and also helped their customers prepare, too.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAMMING
Cable companies are joining in the commemoration of Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.

Both Charter Spectrum and Comcast have a lineup of special Black History Month on-demand offerings.
HOW THE SEMICONDUCTOR SHORTAGE COULD HARM AMERICA'S UNIVERSAL BROADBAND AMBITIONS
By NCTA – The Internet & Television Association
The cable industry's historic and ongoing role in providing robust and reliable broadband for Americans has never been more apparent than during the COVID pandemic. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides over $42 billion to fund broadband projects, is a testament to the Biden Administration's recognition of the critical role that connectivity plays in everyday life and in helping America stay productive during this global health crisis. The goal of the legislation is to make high-speed internet available to unserved areas across the country.

But the Administration's goal could be undermined by the well-publicized shortage of semiconductor chips – which are critical for high-speed broadband deployment—caused by disruptions to the supply chain.
CABLE CONTINUES TO CONNECT

In cities and towns across Texas, local cable operators and their employees make their communities a better place to live. Cable companies not only make financial and in-kind donations to numerous civic and charitable organizations, but employees volunteer thousands of hours of their time each year. Check out the latest cable industry community initiatives below.
Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognizes Altice USA as a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality’ for the fourth year in a row
For the fourth consecutive year, Altice USA, which provides Suddenlink services in Texas, has received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The Human Rights Campaign is the country’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, and the CEI voluntarily benchmarks and measures company policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Learn more.

Altice USA donates $1 million to thousands of local schools and classrooms to help them stay connected this school year
Altice USA recently announced plans to distribute $1 million in support of students and teachers across its Optimum and Suddenlink footprint through a partnership with education nonprofit DonorsChoose. The effort is aimed at funding classroom projects, organized by public school teachers, that will enable access to tools, technology and experiences that support student success. Employees of the company will aid in allocating the donations to ensure the program resonates with the local communities in which company employees live, work and service. Learn more.

Charter Spectrum launches gigabit broadband, mobile, TV and voice services in rural El Paso County
Spectrum today announced the launch of Spectrum internet, mobile, TV and voice services to more than 1,230 homes and small businesses in rural El Paso County in Texas. Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildout is part of the company’s approximately $5 billion investment in unserved rural communities, which includes $1.2 billion won in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) RDOF auction. The company’s RDOF expansion will provide broadband access to approximately 1 million customer locations as estimated by the FCC across 24 states in the coming years. Learn more.

Charter doubles investment in Spectrum Scholars, will award $400,000 annually to eligible college students
Charter Communications, Inc. has announced it will double its investment in Spectrum Scholars, the company’s college scholarship program for underrepresented students with financial need. Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, Charter will award scholarships to a new class of 20 rising college juniors annually instead of biennially, for a $400,000 total yearly commitment. Charter is currently accepting applications here from eligible students for the next class of Spectrum Scholars. Learn more.
 
Comcast RISE expands program to all women-owned small businesses in Houston
All women-owned businesses within Comcast’s Houston service area now can apply for the Comcast RISE program. This major expansion of Comcast RISE furthers efforts to advance digital equity and helps provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive. Learn more.

Sparklight awards $7,500 grant to Aransas Pass nonprofit, Tri-County Christian Service Center
Sparklight, a member of the Cable One family of brands, recently awarded a $7,500 grant to Tri-County Christian Service Center in Aransas Pass through the company’s Charitable Giving Fund. Through this program, the company awarded more than $100,000 in grants during the winter of 2021 to 32 nonprofit organizations across its 24-state footprint. Learn more.
CABLE IN THE NEWS
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