is there any way to make a cable co. install service to your home? I live in a rural area that is bordered by 2 different co's. Theres service within 1-3 miles in all directions but they wont bring it up over the mountain. theres approx 50-70 homes in this area without service. They tell me "everyone has satellite dishes", so they won't do it, and of course I say thats because we don't have cable, and what about internet? What ticks me off the most is Suscom, just spent millions upgrading all the cable to fiber optic (just over a mile away) but they won't give us folks at the top of the hill any service. any ideas? BTW I live in south central PA just below Harrisburg.
Forcing a cable co. to install
- Thread starter Raptor
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i doubt you would be able to force them. if you could get a petition for about 50 percent of your area, they might consider it.
Raptor, these issues are all negotiated in the local cable franchise agreement. You will need to contact your local government (town, township, city or county) and talk to the Cable/Telecom Commission, etc.
petition does work or at least gets there attention. I have had some petitons in the past and have build out to them. If someone ask for service that is out of the area I usally advise them to get up a petition and turn it in. sometimes they will get one up and sometimes they don't.
also note sometimes there are reasons they may not come out to you. poles, right of way issues, etc.
also note sometimes there are reasons they may not come out to you. poles, right of way issues, etc.
riffjim4069 said:
Note: local government can't really force service "to all areas" if it is not feasible regardless of franchise agreements. Public Service Commission also does not regulate cable at all.
Its cost to drop and string versus how much money they can make off the potential customers in your area there. Over the years Ive talked with various customers Ive set up for dish out in the country but who were close to the city, time and again theyve told me that the cable co would tell them on the phone they could get it, a tech would come out and say no because the poles across the road but say 300ft out. An engineer comes out and says that all that needs to be done is to drop another pole close to the road and run a line underneath the road to the house ( note this is a summary of what Ive been told ). A few days later the corporate office calls and tells them no because it would cost $3,000 up to $10,000 per pole though Im sure that the higher is exagerated.
if they was going to set a pole then why run it under the road?
now if there is pole to be replaced and the cable company puts in a request, usually they have to pay for it depending on what all is framed up on that pole it could get costly. I had someone call in a few years back and wanted cable service. two problems, 1 crossing was low, 2 span was long. We told the customer if they could set a pole right here by the road and raise it we would do it. I didn't think she would do it but the following week she called back and said I am ready for my install. we went out there and got it up and running, been happy ever since.
length of drop does have a lot to do with any install. most companies try to keep a drop within 300 ft, sometimes they will end up using rg11 up to 400 ft. every company is different though.
now if there is pole to be replaced and the cable company puts in a request, usually they have to pay for it depending on what all is framed up on that pole it could get costly. I had someone call in a few years back and wanted cable service. two problems, 1 crossing was low, 2 span was long. We told the customer if they could set a pole right here by the road and raise it we would do it. I didn't think she would do it but the following week she called back and said I am ready for my install. we went out there and got it up and running, been happy ever since.
length of drop does have a lot to do with any install. most companies try to keep a drop within 300 ft, sometimes they will end up using rg11 up to 400 ft. every company is different though.
your guess is as good as mine as to why comcast would have told the latest customer that it would go from a pole to an under the road run.
Where I work it is at the very least $6 per foot to run cable to a new area. That in mind it can cost 10 of thousands (if not more) to run cable to a remote location. Most cable providers will consider this if they can return their investment with in one year. One thing to keep in mind on this. 50 homes may seem like a lot in an area. However, how many will actually switch over? Of those that do, you can never satisfy everyone, so some with probably switch back to dish or opt for an antenna. But I do agree, petitions may work. But you have to turn them in the your local franchise. Don't call the cable company and ask them to take your petition. You will just get the front line folks, who have no control or say over where service is provided.
Not all areas, but in my area once a location reaches a certain population density (i.e. cable can pass X number of homes per mile), then the LFA has some power to persuade the Cable Co to prioritize installation based on a number of factors to include demand, easements, cost, etc. Of course, a major driving factor is usually the number of complaints received by the local cable commission, but unless the area reaches a certain population density the LFA is powerless.cablewithaview said:
