Cable Deal to Boost Channels, Service

After years of delay, a 10-year franchise agreement between the city and Century Communications finally has been signed.

The pact promises subscribers of the cable company better reception, more channels and 24-hour customer service, city officials said.

“This is a good franchise agreement . . . the best that we can obtain,” City Manager Jerry L. Bankston said.

Hundreds of residents have complained of poor cable reception for decades.

They also have complained of too few channels and slow responses from Century when they call about problems, city and Century officials concede.

The current cable system was installed in 1969 and provides 45 channels, about a dozen fewer than the number provided to residents in nearby cities served by Century, Bankston said.

Under the new franchise agreement reached Thursday, Century is required to rebuild the system using fiber optics and offer 78 channels within two years.

The company must also provide customer service representatives to answer customer calls 24 hours a day. It will be fined $100 to $200 a day for every day it fails to provide the services outlined in the agreement.

In addition, the city will receive 5% of the company’s annual gross income. City officials also will conduct audits to check if customers are satisfied.

“Hopefully, [Century] will do a much better job than they have been doing,” Councilman John C. Holmberg said.