THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 30, 1995 TAG: 9507290095
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Only four people showed up, but they went away with prizes including a 25-inch color television and free cable service.
On Thursday, Falcon Cable Media at 216 Moore Ave. hosted the first of what it plans to make regular open houses for the public and media. The public, including Falcon's 7,500 subscribers, was invited to call in, and their concerns were aired during tapings. It was also an attempt to sell subscriptions.
``You didn't know I was such a salesman, did you?'' Falcon regional manager Jack Edwards asked Warren Austin and his wife, not then subscribers. Before leaving, the couple signed on to basic service at $21.89 a month.
Narissa Wilson, who won a TV, already has cable. She just wanted to see the control room. Basic cable is ``high,'' she said, ``but if you want it, you have to pay for it.''
Last winter, the company came under fire for exorbitant cable rates and poor customer service. When Edwards became regional manager last January, he promised to improve customer relations.
By fall, he hopes to organize a cable committee consisting of cable executives and community members. He said former Suffolk Mayor Andrew B. Damiani is pursuing the possibility of a community forum show and hopes to be instrumental with the committee.
Falcon is installing 35 miles of fiber optic cable, costing $350,000, to improve picture quality. Edwards said the company plans to add four new channels - ESPN2, Channel 43 and eventually the history and home shopping network channels by fall.
On Thursday, Falcon fielded 11 calls from the public. Here is a sampling of some concerns, along with responses from Falcon:
Unsatisfied with prices. We should not be higher than Norfolk. Service is also unsatisfactory because it takes too long to get cable fixed. Billing is also unsatisfactory because . . . one notice is not enough.''
Debra Austin
Falcon: Norfolk cable passes a lot more homes per mile than we do. We're on telephone poles. We do pay rent for poles. Their revenue is much greater than ours because there are more houses.
Why have we made it so easy to access a program like Spice? (adult entertainment) Children can easily get this number and dial without parental consent. Can Falcon set up some type of pin number per each customer that would prevent anyone from ordering other than the customer?''
Dennis Godwin
Falcon: To put a lock on Spice or other adult entertainment, customers should call Falcon to add a trap to their converter box. This keeps kids from turning to the channel. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Falcon Cable technician Randi Loop, left, leads a tour through a
control room at Falcon while employee Tracy Tillery checks her
computer screen.
Warren Austin, left, talks with Falcon regional manager Jack
Edwards.
by CNB