rec9140
Provoice just DO it
join:2003-07-29
Mulberry, FL
| Re: [TWC] [TWC] wants wants to charge me $25,000 for RR If your interested in persuading BIG CONGLOMERATE CABLECO to see the errors of their ways to get high speed internet then you and your neighbors need to band together.
First, put the tar, feathers, rope, and torches down.  As much as I agree with the concept, that just makes them ignore you even more.
Second, you and your neighbors need to form your own little group. The Swartekill Road Cable Action Board or something else similar. With a BIG OFFICIAL OVERBEAR TITLE to go with it. Form it as some non profit or something. Registering with your local state and local business licensing groups would help, but not really needed.
Now that you have your own little PAC group. Its time to make a decision. WHO do you REALLY WANT to deal with.
MEGOPOLY Borg Raper - TimeWarner
Or
MiniMegopoly Raper - CableVision.
Stricly speaking as a high speed internet user, I think I would deal with CableVision as they offer the better broadband product, speed wise. Others will point out they have issues with their NNTP, POP3, and SMTP servers. This could be an issue for many. I use my own outside servers for all of these as I don't want to be tied to any particular ISP.
As far as TV service is concerned I won't address that, as I consider cable TV video services lacking in quality, offerings, price, and prefer DBS. I would imagine that most of the homes in this stretch have one or the other DBS provider since you say no cable for 30 years. So the main goal here is to get HSI.
Your group then needs to go to one of the various cable plant builders, take a look at »www.business.com/directory/telec···_design/
Or if one your members works/is an engineer they may know of a local firm that does this sort of work.
Have them come out and do a STUDY to expand BOTH companies lines. This will cost you some $$$ unless one your members can arrange it themselves. Try to arrange the study so that both cableco's see the company out there doing the study. Get neighbors on both sides to call in service calls so they have to come out and check things. Vans with big logos like "BIG GUY CABLE CONTRACTOR" will get noticed. Have them set up some orange cones, "Work Area Ahead," "Survey Crew" signs. Make a big show of it. You could do this yourselves with out really doing a study, run to your nearest Taylor Rental or other construction rental place and rent the signs and cones for a few days.
You could skip the study, and begin to lobby your local cable board, mayor, city council, board of elders, what ever applies. If you have to take it to the state utility board/PUC or what ever NY calls it.
Having the study is a MAJOR plus as the cableco will know your serious about this when you form a group to take action as a WHOLE v. upset and irate single NON CUSTOMERS. The study helps to show what it really costs and YOU KNOW what it costs v. being some uninformed consumer.
How long a stretch is this? 1M 1/2M, 1/4M more? less? How many homes? What type of demographics? All single family homes or mutliple dwelling units as well? The more $$$$$ you can make the cableco see the more likely they are to consider it.
Break it down for them. Look up their present packages and costs. Put it on paper when you lobby your politicos that:
Give them some demographics on median age, median income, etc.. Compare your stretch to the same stretch on either side of you, especially if your area has better demographics.
x homes WOULD subscribe to basic
x homes WOULD subscribe to Premium
x homes would subscribe to HBO
x homes would .... to HSI
x homes .... to multiple movie packages
x homes .... average y/PPV/month
x homes ... have multiple outlets
Put some numers to these and multiply out the numbers so the see the $$$$. SHOW THEM THE MONEY! DON'T INFLATE THESE be realistic with them. You don't have to put addresses to them, just a x homes. Whether thats what happens in the end or not doesn't matter. Use your DBS bills to compare it out.
If your really lucky you could get them both to cover the stretch and have competition for your business. Keep your little group together and make them report to you. Maybe even make your area its OWN FRANCHISE and COLLECT FRANCHISE FEES!   That may be the route to go now that I think of it. Put out and RFQ enter negotiation with both for a franchise to cover your area. I am sure that would definately spill some ones milk real quick. Especially if you have no local cable board. |
