DATE: Tuesday, August 19, 1997              TAG: 9708190238

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   66 lines

FALCON CABLE TO BE UNDER SCRUTINY AT SUFFOLK TALKS

City officials will meet early next month with Falcon Cable and a private consulting firm to determine whether the cable provider has made changes recommended by the consultants.

Earlier this summer, City Manager Myles E. Standish said he would recommend that Falcon Cable's franchise agreement be revoked if the company didn't comply with steps to alleviate complaints compiled by Rice, Williams Associates, the firm hired by the city to document problems with the cable company.

Falcon has had the Suffolk franchise since 1984.

In a memorandum dated July 14, 1997, and sent to Standish, the consulting firm indicated that it had evaluated Falcon's technical system and customer relations and found some problems.

They included the lack of frequent testing for Falcon's equipment and the removal of an emergency alert system, a move that was later corrected.

The consultant also reported that there are still problems with customer service and satisfaction.

``While Falcon takes pride in 81.5 percent of respondents reporting a courtesy of repair personnel that was average or above average,'' wrote Don Williams, a partner with the consultants, ``RWA believes Falcon should focus its attention on the substantial number of subscribers who did not report satisfaction at even an average level with repair personnel.''

Tom Osterndorf, regional manager for Falcon, said his company is working hard to rectify problems. He said it has beefed up its customer services staff and is working to make long-term improvements to its technical system.

``Our goals and the city's goals are the same: We both want quality cable service for citizens,'' Osterndorf said.

Suffolk has about 7,000 subscribers. A basic package costs $24.83 for 35 channels, he said. Cox Communications' standard service, which offers 67 channels, costs $27 per month.

Over the years, Falcon subscribers have complained about frequent outages, poor picture quality and poor customer relations. Angry parents protested two years ago when Spice, the sexually explicit adult channel, was accidentally piped into homes of residents who hadn't requested it. Residents said their children were at home when the programming was telecast. A few months later, a storm knocked out service, which wasn't restored to many customers for several days.

The pattern led to the city's threat to revoke the franchise.

Consultant Williams said that under state and federal rules the city has to allow Falcon time to correct problems. In the process, he said, the city is also creating a case should it opt for revocation.

``You have to build up a record and give the cable provider an opportunity to correct the problem,'' Williams said.

City officials said they would still revoke the franchise agreement with Falcon if it fails to address its problems.

``By no means are we softening our stance,'' said Cynthia D. Rohlf, assistant to the city manager. ``There are certain things we must meet before we revoke a franchise.''

Pulling a franchise can be difficult, and there is no guarantee that the city will be able to provide cable to its citizens should Falcon be forced out, Williams said.

Although the Telecommunications Act of 1996 opened the door for competition among cable and other communication industries, Williams said competitors have been scarce.

Cox Communications, which operates the cable franchises in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake, is not ready to buy Falcon's system or put in an application to replace the company - despite rumors in Suffolk.

``I haven't heard any validation of that,'' said Irvine B. Hill, vice president of public affairs and community programming for Cox Communications.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu