Cable TV of East Alabama

[Stephanie H]

I just moved into the area and have never been so frustrated with a cable company. I have been in the military for over 20 years and have decided to settle close to home. Being the only cable company in this area, Cable TV of East Alabama has a true monopoly going on. Among things that I have found: the customer service reps are extremely rude, the prices versus services is outrageous, they are not accredited by the BBB, have had over 20 complaints in the last 3 years, and I can go on and on. I am wondering has anyone else experienced this. I even considered going to satellite which is viable, but here's where that company makes it impossible for me: in order to get local channels you must get a "lifeline" for Cable TV (which usually costs about $10/mo) they charge $25+ for channels 2 thru 11, then to add injury to insult, I live in a new sub division, so I can not get DSL, but Cable TV does not offer just internet with the lifeline, the smallest pack you can have with the internet costs over $50. They don't even offer that many channels for the price. Compared to Columbus and Opelika. WHERE IS THE COMPETITION TO DRIVE DOWN THESE PRICES? I was told, have not verified but will try, that the owner and the owner of one of the companies in Columbus are golfing buddies and he is getting paid to stay out of Phenix City. So what is a person to do? This is unlike anything I have ever seen. I pay over $125 a month for cable and internet and I don't even have any premium channels.

[Uhhuh]

Welcome to Phenix City.

[dell]

greens= check on this

[john]

yes im in the same situation. i pay over 130.00 for cable/ internet without premium channels

[someone who knows]

ok see a long time ago the guy who owns this business put all the fiberoptics and other stuff in himself and then in a contract with the city or something said for so many years that he is the only one allowed in this area... so i have heard

[Stephanie]

someone who knows wrote:

ok see a long time ago the guy who owns this business put all the fiberoptics and other stuff in himself and then in a contract with the city or something said for so many years that he is the only one allowed in this area... so i have heard

I hope his time is about up. This is a Monopoly at its worse.Then to add insult to injury I am charged for a newspaper that I don't want nor have I ever received.

[Siimply Frusturated]

I have lived here all my life. I have said for years they have a monopoly. I have worked in two states in the mid west and have had no trouble getting internet without the cable service. The simply put a filter at the pole. I just asked the lady at East AL Cable yesterday why I couldn't get just internet and she gave me a bs answer like "everything goes through the cable so you have to have it. I explained the filter and she actually said "we used to do that, but we have too many customers and they don't sell the filters anymore." Bull. They railroad us into getting their crappy cable at high prices. And yes they are rude, they don't care. When they first installed at my home, I was working out of town, and instead of connecting the cable where the Tv's were in my home, they moved the tv to the outlet. When I called to complain the lady actually said perhaps I should go to dish. I have explored other avenues, but whatever deal this jackass has with the city, someone needs to do something about it.

[Stephanie]

Siimply Frusturated wrote:

I have lived here all my life. I have said for years they have a monopoly. I have worked in two states in the mid west and have had no trouble getting internet without the cable service. The simply put a filter at the pole. I just asked the lady at East AL Cable yesterday why I couldn't get just internet and she gave me a bs answer like "everything goes through the cable so you have to have it. I explained the filter and she actually said "we used to do that, but we have too many customers and they don't sell the filters anymore." Bull. They railroad us into getting their crappy cable at high prices. And yes they are rude, they don't care. When they first installed at my home, I was working out of town, and instead of connecting the cable where the Tv's were in my home, they moved the tv to the outlet. When I called to complain the lady actually said perhaps I should go to dish. I have explored other avenues, but whatever deal this jackass has with the city, someone needs to do something about it.

I was told that the city council is the one who keeps voting to keep out competition. I am going to call and try to find out if that is true. If it is I want to know why.

[More_ on_ ctvea]

When is the next election of City Council? Has anyone contacted FCC? This so called company has more money than brains and is operating as little dictators against the very people they suck their money from.If this little Napoleon believes he and his Columbus GA golfing buddies are the begin and end all in the cable business then they are in for a rude awakening because they do nothave a lifetime agreement that is unsoluable!
These people are definitely rude and vindictive. The economy has sucked most customers dry and instead of working with their customers they demand payment in full and they do NOT care if you have food or shelter. They aren't the ones that are having to scrape by on anything....YET! but their day is coming. Thank you Stephanie for beginning the exposure process of this tiny tightwad tyrant of ctvea and his family of corruption. We now see it is connected to the City Counsel and snakes out to Columbus GA.
Next we need names of those who not only support this monopoly but those that do not come into this area because those will be the ones recieving payoffs for their support in defrauding the public. Expose and expunge!

[dirtroadrider]

Call Roy M. Grrene he is the owner of EACTV. His phone number is listed in the phone book.

[dirtroadrider]

sorry its Roy M. Greene

[Stephanie H]

I will do that. I have changed to satellite now because it was a bother to deal with this company. Now I just use an antenna for local channels and AT&T for internet plus telephone, all for under $100.00/month. More channels, better reception and excellent customer service.

[Hmmm]

While you have him on the phone, complain that kids are watching the porn on HBO because their filter doesn't even almost block out the picture and thank them for the free pay per view on channel 5 that don't really get scrambled either. That will piss him off good.
Reason why they won't allow you to get internet only is because there downstream (coming to you) is in one of the higher channels (can't remember which one) Most all other companies put this downstream where it can be blocked with a Basic Cable Filter. Pheenux cable does this intentionally to sell you EXPanded Basic Cable in order to get internet.
This could be fixed very easily to allow customers that choice but it would cost them money and save you money.
Not going to happen.
Pheenux cable does not offer a basic cable package, they offer an expanded basic package so that they can milk you dry.
They are fixing to start limiting bandwidth also by the way.

[Nasty company]

I have worked for several cable companies and have never treated a customerin the way this company treats it customers. In June or July they upgraded my cable lines outside. What a laugh! For 17 days I had no internet and a very snowy picture. I called many times and get a different answer each time. No one ever came to service calls and customer service stated once that they are working on the lines and it is just a snowy picture. I don't know how many people are willing to pay for a snowy picture but I can't imagine there are many. So anyway I asked for a credit for the 17 days. The woman on the phone said no problem, I will send it to the manager and we will credit you for 17 days. So, I waited for the credit which never came. Called back and woman said nothing was enter into system about my problem and she will send it to her manager for credit. Now my bill runs 106 dollars a month. Well my credit for 17 days was about 23 dollars. Now I am not great at math but 23 dollars for more than half a month does not seem right. LOL If I had a viable alternative, can not get DSL, I would change in a heart beat. Phenix cable TV of East alabama are stealing for the residents of Phenix City not just the price but the service.