Year in Review: County Completes FCC “Orphan County” Removal Application

2018 was the year Stephens and surrounding counties petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to allow satellite TV customers to access Atlanta TV stations.

Stephens, Franklin, Hart and Elbert counties have long been considered “orphan counties” because residents with satellite dishes were forced to have Greenville, SC TV stations.

This year, all four counties submitted their applications to the FCC to change that.

Over the summer, the County contacted the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission to help complete their application.

Meantime, both Hart and Franklin Counties received approval from the FCC to move their satellite customers to metro Atlanta TV stations.

But in October both Greenville and Asheville, NC TV stations received an extension to file an appeal.

Franklin County manager Beth Thomas spearheaded the FCC application process, helping all five counties with their appeals.

Thomas told WNEG she was disappointed in the extension, noting it could delay the switchover for months.

“The fact that the firm is allowed to group us together both Franklin and Hart County, is unfair to both counties. This prevents Hart County to see on which basis the appeal will be filed. While it’s a small portion of time it is extended, in essence the satellite companies will cease any progress they’ve made on switching us over.”

By the end of October, Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said the County was close to uploading their application.

“I just finished reading the rough draft of the cover letter, which is lengthy,” Ayers said Tuesday. “I finished a comprehensive review for the GMRC and I have forwarded it to the Board for their review. I’ve written back to the GMRC that it read beautifully, but he does have some questions that I am answering for him.”

By early December, the County’s application had been completed and uploaded to the FCC.

Ayers pointed out that the process to actually get satellite TV providers to move their orphan county customers back under the state in which they live, could still take a while and involves numerous steps.

She said she expects the Carolina stations to file an appeal once a ruling is made on both Stephens and Elbert counties petitions.