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Questioning Digital Television Mandate
A barber shop exchange yesterday focused on the mandate to have digital TV by February 19, 2009. This has been mandated by the FCC. Interestingly, my adjoining chair companion recently attended a Holiday City South meeting to what he thought was going to be a factual presentation on anticipated costs, presumable cost for new sets, as well as operating Internet costs. The Comcast representative evaded any specifics, referring him to another department. Why would Comcast send a representative to address such a group, knowing their primary interest was the collective costs of having to adhere to the new digital system … even more so if a given residence has two or three operative TVs?
With the high percentage of retired seniors in this area, TV, for many, is their only form of information/ entertainment. I am overwhelmed with mailings, suggesting the economy of having one provider for phone/cable/ Internet. I currently have Verizon for phone service, but Comcast for cable and Internet. On at least one occasion I have called Verizon to ascertain when [its] fiber optic service [is] likely to be available for my area? At present, you need a roof-mounted satellite to get the threeway, and presumably the best possible rate. In lieu of getting any answer as to the availability of fiber optic, they also do not respond to a cost for the conversion from satellite (although that installation is allegedly gratis) to fiber optic when available.
Since this is an FCC sponsored (imposed) regulation, why are they powerless to insist that current providers of cable service (and they all want to push their three-way packages) provide this salient information? This evasive scenario has all the earmarks of a potential rip off. With so many in this area living on fixed incomes, we have every right to expect more to minimize or prepare for the impact.
Thirteen months isn't that far away. Bill Waddington, Bayville
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