Chairman George Archible called its service record in the past year despicable.
George D. ArchibleBELCHERTOWN – There is no love lost between the Belchertown selectmen chairman and the town’s cable provider, Charter Communications.
George D. “Archie” Archible blasted the company at this week’s selectmen's meeting, labeling its service record in the past year despicable. Another board member labeled the company’s refusal to connect all residents that want it abhorrent.
A company representative said the board chairman is upset because of a service problem that was not properly addressed the first time workers encountered it and that the company complies with its contractual obligations.
With the five-year cable provider contract with Charter and the town expiring this month, the board got an update on Tuesday from the Belchertown Technology Advisory Committee.
Selectmen said Charter Communications has been lackadaisical about customer problems.
It is not the first time town officials have aired complaints about the company. Nor is Belchertown unique in its unhappiness.
In December, Ludlow selectmen told company officials the firm was incommunicado with town officials for days following the October snowstorm when power was knocked out and the Charter phone lines were dead. The Ludlow board criticized Charter for requiring customers to apply for a payment credit – instead of automatically providing it.
A Springfield law firm, Connor Morneau & Olin, LLP, filed a class-action lawsuit against Charter and Comcast in November, alleging they engaged in price “gouging” by refusing to automatically provide refunds following the October blizzard.
After the suit was filed, Comcast and Charter said it is OK for customers to request a refund and that their policies comply with the law. Connor Morneau & Olin said any of the 1.2 million customers who lost services are eligible to join the class-action suit.
Auburn selectmen listened to 40 residents complain about Charter’s service and prices during an April meeting attended by company officials to discuss a 10-year contract renewal.
“I am not a fan of Charter,” said at Monday’s meeting.
“Charter failed the town of Belchertown miserably in October, after the storm,” he said. “Charter wants a 10-year contract; I would not give them 10 minutes. Their service is despicable. If Mr. Cohan were here, I would tell that to his face.”
Contacted on Tuesday, Thomas P. Cohan, Charter’s director of government relations, said, “It is unfortunate (Archible had) a bad experience; he had some service problems that were taken care of, but not the first time; our goal is to take care of things the first time.”
Cohan said: “70 percent (in the town) have Charter TV service and are happy with it.” He said 93 percent of those who subscribe also “take our high-speed Internet.” According to Cohan, “42 percent of town residents use the phone service.”
Although he said there are currently 4,300 television subscribers, Cohan did not provide the numbers for 2009 through 2011.
“On July 17 Charter launched 35 new high definition channels; we now have more than 100 HD channels in all of our systems nationwide. This was done without a rate increase,” he said.
“If someone’s service is out for more than 24 hours, all they have to do is call and tell us when they were out and they get a credit,” Cohan said. “We gave credit on all three services, not just cable TV. Our services depend on electricity and the power was out.”
At the meeting, Archible also said, “We have residents that want Charter and can’t get it.”
“That is abhorrent,” Selectwoman Brenda Q. Aldrich said.
Asked how many Belchertown residents want Charter but cannot obtain a free hookup, Cohan said, “I don’t have a number,” adding: “Belchertown is one of the largest community’s in Massachusetts in square miles. There are parts of the town that are rural. It is much more expensive to build in those areas.”
He said the company meets its contractual obligations and is not required to provide a free hook-up in areas below a certain population density.
“We give any resident the opportunity to share in the construction costs” in the rural areas, Cohan said. “I don’t get many complaints from Belchertown.”