what regulatory agency covers cable tv?

[MikePA]

Level of service. Bad quality channels.. some channels frequently out or displaying an error message like a bar across the screen saying low/poor signal.. or a satalite message.. or a 'signal lost message ) Our local provider has changed the channel line up about 3 times in the last month... Thier tele number is either always busy, never answered, or answered by the 'answering service'. The 'contact us' email address on thier website crashes out with a page not found when you try to submit it... I.e. there is no real way of communicating with them except via mailing in your check and a complaint letter... ( none of that is an exageration.. unfortunately.. )

Soundguy

Here in PA, local municipalities (townships) have the contract with the cable company. I'd start with them, "I have a complaint about my cable service. Who can I talk to?" and see what they say.

Having said that, if FL is like PA, the big cable companies are buying up 'mom and pop' cable companies left and right. I happen to live in an area served by a regional cable company that provides good service (TV and Internet), but we're surrounded by Comcast. But even there, competition is on the horizon with Verizon running fiber to the home which means incredible speeds, much higher than cable and DSL. Verizon also wants to offer TV service but they do not want to have to deal with hundreds of local municipalities (the way the cable companies had to at the beginning) because it wouldn't be financially viable. They're trying to get legislation passed to remove this barrier. I hope they get it so there's competition to Comcast.

As others have mentioned, Dish or DirecTV are also alternatives. I had DirecTV. Worked fine.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm deffinately considering some kind of satalite/direct/dish system.

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

We just experienced an up and down on ownership. 12 ys ago.. cable in the rural area where i lived was a mom-n pop place... later it was bought out by a big company.. now.. just a year ago.. a new startup mom-n-pop place bought out a small section of the county back from the big company.. service went down hill with that buyout.. ( had been looking good with the big co.. cable modems and dsl type service were getting ready to be introduced in our area... now we are stuck back in the technological 'boonies' with this mom n pop system... )

Soundguy

Here in PA, local municipalities (townships) have the contract with the cable company. I'd start with them, "I have a complaint about my cable service. Who can I talk to?" and see what they say.

Having said that, if FL is like PA, the big cable companies are buying up 'mom and pop' cable companies left and right. I happen to live in an area served by a regional cable company that provides good service (TV and Internet), but we're surrounded by Comcast. But even there, competition is on the horizon with Verizon running fiber to the home which means incredible speeds, much higher than cable and DSL. Verizon also wants to offer TV service but they do not want to have to deal with hundreds of local municipalities (the way the cable companies had to at the beginning) because it wouldn't be financially viable. They're trying to get legislation passed to remove this barrier. I hope they get it so there's competition to Comcast.

As others have mentioned, Dish or DirecTV are also alternatives. I had DirecTV. Worked fine.

 

[MossRoad]

Level of service. Bad quality channels.. some channels frequently out or displaying an error message like a bar across the screen saying low/poor signal.. or a satalite message.. or a 'signal lost message ) Our local provider has changed the channel line up about 3 times in the last month... Thier tele number is either always busy, never answered, or answered by the 'answering service'. The 'contact us' email address on thier website crashes out with a page not found when you try to submit it... I.e. there is no real way of communicating with them except via mailing in your check and a complaint letter... ( none of that is an exageration.. unfortunately.. )

Soundguy

Here is a little
cable Haiku that I wrote
just for you Soundguy



Cable quality?
Something that does not exist.
Should have bought a dish.


Hope that brightens your day.

We have had DirecTV for 9 years. We love it. We do lose the signal about 3-4 times a year during heavy rain, but only for about 5 minutes maximum.

 

[slowrev]

You know, if everyone in the US would get together and cancel their cable service for one month we could bring the cable companies back in line. I'd do it, but I'm not sure I can get by without the History Channel, Myth Busters and Dirty Jobs.

I get them all on DirectTV

 

[Bird]

I had DirecTV down in the country and now in town have Dish Network. I wouldn't say there's much, if any, difference in the service. Down in the country, I had a separate antenna for the local stations, where it's all one now with Dish. My only complaint so far with Dish is that when the converter box died, they sent me a new one under warranty, but charged $14.95 shipping and handling. Then the instructions sent with the new box did not work. In fact, it took the young lady on the phone a long time to figure out how to make it work by doing things not even mentioned in the instructions that came with the box.

 

[Soundguy]

Hey now.. that's darn right cute.

Soundguy

Here is a little
cable Haiku that I wrote
just for you Soundguy



Cable quality?
Something that does not exist.
Should have bought a dish.


Hope that brightens your day.

We have had DirecTV for 9 years. We love it. We do lose the signal about 3-4 times a year during heavy rain, but only for about 5 minutes maximum.

 

[California]

what regulatory agency covers cable tv?

Didn't I see you comment a while back that less government interference was preferable to you? Which is it?

 

[Soundguy]

There must be some minimal layer of government oversite.. otherwise there will be chaos.. I don't mind simple regulation .. just got to find a happy medium somewhere.

Also.. there is a big difference in federal gov.. and state/local. I'm a big fan of a smaller federal gov... etc.

Soundguy

 

[gemini5362]

Soundguy I agree with the posts about sattelite. I have dish network and have had it for several years. I am very happy with my service. Like another post said If it rains very hard you can lose signal but it has to be a very hard downpour and usually you only lose it for a few minutes. If you do get sattelite get a reciever with a DVR I love mine so much it annoys the heck out of me when I go out of town to a motel and I cannot hit the back button to see a scene i missed or pause to go to get something to drink.