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Switch from Insight to Comcast expected to be 'seamless'
By Mary Ann Ford
mford@pantagraph.com
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NORMAL -- The switch from cable television provider Insight Communications Midwest to Comcast is expected to be seamless and happen on Jan. 1.

“I believe in the short term it will be seamless,” said Normal City Manager Mark Peterson. “I suspect there will be some changes eventually.”

The City Council approved the franchise agreement transfer Monday.

“There’s little or nothing we as a council can do to rearrange any structure they have,” said Councilwoman Sonja Reece.

But she encouraged town officials to pursue the same dialogue with Comcast that they currently have with Insight.

“Insight has been cooperative,” she said.

The City Council packet included a 2006 Massachusetts newspaper article about a $1 million fine lodged against Comcast because of “persistent complaints” about its Massachusetts service. The company also agreed to change its advertising after the two-year investigation “spurred by hundreds of complaints Comcast customers filed” with the Massachusetts attorney general’s consumer hot line.

Several letters revealing customer complaints from other areas throughout the country also were in the packet. Complaints ranged from lack of prompt installation service to having to rent cable boxes to problems with the Internet service.

Reece noted Comcast is the largest cable provider.

“If we looked at other companies of this size, we’d find complaints, too,” she said.

Peterson agreed, saying the number of complaints against Comcast that the town staff found during an Internet search “isn’t extraordinary.”

In comparison, Peterson said, there have been very few complaints with current provider Insight Communications.

Councilman Jeff Fritzen wondered if cable packages or service levels would change.

“One thing that will fire people up is if the packages are different or they move from one thing to another,” he said.

Comcast has yet to announce any potential changes.

Councilwoman Cheryl Gaines suggested if there are adverse changes, the community should let Comcast know just as they let Insight know when it discussed changing its lineup and eliminating the Weather Channel from some basic packages.

Insight Communication Midwest is a wholly owned subsidiary of Insight Midwest L.P. Comcast and Insight Communication Company L.P. each own 50 percent of Insight Midwest.

Recently, the companies agreed that Comcast would take over systems that serve the Twin Cities and other customers in Illinois and Indiana. Insight Midwest will take over customers in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.

Federal law requires that transfer to be approved by the council.

Normal handles the franchise agreement for all of the Twin Cities, so Bloomington City Council action is not necessary.

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Reader comments on this story - 3 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

WYZZ wrote on Jul 19, 2007 6:01 AM:

" Did local Comcast customers outside of B-N get Fox 43 back in their local channel lineup? "

gnjaxon wrote on Jul 17, 2007 2:32 PM:

" Frankly y'all would be better off hoping verizon can get FiOS installed the area. "

Competition? wrote on Jul 17, 2007 12:40 PM:

" As a former BN resident living in Chicago, I have found that Comcast is a difficult company to deal with. Their broadband internet is fast, but not reliable. Also, their internet and TV packages are not priced competitvely with their competitors. In several areas of Chicago and burbs, Comcast has been forced to compete with providers such as Wide Open West and RCN. Wide Open West is a JD Power award winner. Let's hope this kind of competition can reach other parts of the state. "
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