It costs too much. There aren't enough channels. Picture reception is too fuzzy. It isn't available in the neighborhood.
Residents will have the opportunity to get these and other concerns about cable television service off their chests Tuesday, March 13, at the City Council meeting, during a public hearing being held in conjunction with contract renegotiation with TCI Cablevision of Utah Inc. The 10-year-old, non-exclusive contract held by TCI expires in December.The city is sponsoring two public hearings to air views on service provided by TCI. A second hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20.
"This is an opportunity for people who have concerns to come forth and state them on the record," said Raylene Ireland, administrative assistant to Mayor Joe Jenkins.
City officials and representatives of TCI will attend the hearing, Ireland said.
The city cannot control the price of the service or its content but it may be able to address such issues as coverage and maintenance of the system in a new contract. Ireland receives one or two calls a month from residents who want cable service.
Arthur Biggs, who lives at Edgewood Condominiums, has been hoping to get cable service ever since he moved to Provo in 1987.
"I want cable," Biggs said. "That is the first call I made when I got here."
Biggs said he was told in 1988 that cable would be extended to his area but "nothing materialized."
Vickie Hansen, general manager for TCI, said 90 percent of Provo receives cable service; the last major expansion of the system was in 1988. The company has not wanted to make additional capital expenditures because its contract was coming up for renewal, Hansen said.
Some residents who have cable service are upset that despite price increases, the system has not been upgraded. TCI, with 23 channels, is at maximum capacity; to add a new channel, a current channel must be dropped. Hansen said that TCI's pricing structure is based on daily, operating and other expenses. Basic service costs $17.95 per month.
"Subscriber surveys show that a majority feel it is a good entertainment value for the money," Hansen said. "We feel pretty comfortable with our price."
Some residents who have called Ireland have complained about the quality of TCI's broadcast. They say reception is poor, with "fuzzy," "jiggly" and lined pictures. However, problems with reception are often an individual occurrence, Hansen said, sometimes caused by someone tapping into a paying subscriber's line. Every complaint about service is investigated, she added.
Ireland said the city also receives complaints from residents who say TCI's service personnel are inaccessible and rude. Hansen said the company is implementing extensive customer-service training for existing and newly hired staff.
The company does have fans - like Gaylen Smith. Smith manages Centennial Apartments, and cable service is provided to all 250 units.
"The service has been good, it is good for our apartments and we haven't had any problems," Smith said. "Anything (I use) that doesn't have any problems, I like."