Kenosha extends moratorium to keep AT&T out

[Cheesehead Dave]

http://www.kenoshanews.com/article_comments/view_comments.php?articleNum=2256453

The Kenosha City Council extended a ban on certain utility structures Monday while debating the placement of these units by AT&T for cable service.

A moratorium on above-ground utility structures in the public right of way has been extended until March 1. The moratorium, which was set to expire Dec. 31, started in August 2006 and had already been extended once.

[picopir8]

I can understand not entering into contracts with AT&T or forcing them to adhere to certain regulations, but wow this is essentially a local government stifling the free market and protecting a TWC monopoly.  Probably not big enough news though to get people to vote these guys out of office though.

[gparris]

Like I always write, TWC is the ONLY way to get payTV services in Kenosha County - the AT&T U-Verse cable lines stop right at Hwy KR....literally!

FIOS is never coming and Directv is offering only THREE, not four or five HD locals (vs. Illiinois's five HD locals on D*), while Dishnetwork offers none.

Even if you CAN get OTA for your HD locals here, the HR21's are being delivered lately that do not allow for OTA to receive and record on the DVRs.
Where ARE the HR20's anymore, Directv?

So HDTV is at its very worst in Kenosha right now with this mess.:bang:
So maybe Comcast should ask to take us over since there are so darn many Illinois residents building here, anyway.

[jkane]

I don't see that!  It sounds like they don't want over the ground cables.  Is that such a bad thing?  TWC must comply with it.  I know I had to have my cable moved underground when I upgraded my electric becuase rules had changed.  TWC ran an underground cable, but never hooked it up.  That was like 4-5 years ago, and I am still using the line strung between the poles!

I can see where what the cable looks like can be an issue.

[gparris]

jkane:
You live in a really nice area of Oz, I grew up around there and I know that the attitude is a bit different around where you live.

Therefore, you may not be aware of the "Kenosha mindset", since I have lived here for many years and it just seems a bit different about things.

I don't believe that it has anything to do with cabling or overhead wires because we have them everywhere already except in the newer subdivisions.
After seeing a few U-Verse boxes already, I believe that there are other things can be/could be going on unknown to us in the area, IMO.

Earlier this year a neighbour of mine begged AT&T to put a trial box at the end of their yard off a main road & utility pole, just to show TWC that they could care less!
The result was no reply, nothing happened (that I was told about) and no deal.
It was an ideal location, they have a HDTV set (70+" size to show any flaws in transmission, if it exists) and so on...go figure...must be something not understood by us little people, huh?

As for U-Verse, I get requests about it in the area, as it is on some locals minds with new HDTVs.
U-Verse cannot be a bad service to get, after all:
-More and more areas of the country are getting U-Verse (See engadgethd).
-Over 40 HD channels with locals (and counting), U-Verse just added more this month very recently, including Channels 18 & 24 for HD.
-Good pricing and many packages to choose from, including bundling, just like the cablecos do.
-DVRs included in many packages, not extra fees.
The only thing that stops some from getting that can, is the one HD channel at a time delivery, but that will change in 6 months:
So why the wait for the many potential subscribers that don't record (or record much at all)? Why can't they get a chance at U-Verse, here?

[AndrewP]

Even if you CAN get OTA for your HD locals here, the HR21's are being delivered lately that do not allow for OTA to receive and record on the DVRs.
Where ARE the HR20's anymore, Directv?

When I switched to D* two weeks ago I insisted that they will install HR20, because I can get Chicago OTA, the guy brought HR21. I called D*, and after some talking they offered me $200 discount for HR20 I buy myself in Best Buy or Circuit City. So next day I drove 40 miles to McHenry (IL) Circuit City and got HR20.
So I am set for now. Also D* will release external OTA tuner for HR21 soon.

[gparris]

Thanks, I will pass it on about the add on box.

Gee, when your component rack is already crowded with HT equipment:

Directv makes it "easy" with one more piece of equipment because it doesn't (want to)offer HR20's
...sounds like a "plan", D*!:rolleyes:

Why doesn't Directv offer more HR20's, its not like their D11 satellite is already up and running, delivering all the (balance of ) the HD or Digital locals, is it (yet)?

Great you could find a HR20, though and D* worked with you...good service, overall.

[Kenoman]

So maybe Comcast should ask to take us over since there are so darn many Illinois residents building here, anyway.

You may be right. As all of us here in Kenosha know, currently we get all of the Chcago stations as well as Milwaukee. But as you notice, no Chicago stations are up on the HD channels.
The writing is on the wall. Down the line we will no longer get Chicago TV stations because the grandfather clause will expire.
I'm sure the Bear and Cub fans are real happy about that.

[Cheesehead Dave]

You may be right. As all of us here in Kenosha know, currently we get all of the Chcago stations as well as Milwaukee. But as you notice, no Chicago stations are up on the HD channels.
The writing is on the wall. Down the line we will no longer get Chicago TV stations because the grandfather clause will expire.
I'm sure the Bear and Cub fans are real happy about that.

This is one case where I've got to give TWC some credit...

TWC Kenosha used to carry FSN Chicago. Just before the baseball season started a couple years ago, it was announced that the C**s and Sox would be moving to Comcast SportsNet. TWC managed to negotiate carriage within a week and replaced FSN with CSN so all the local FIBs could still watch their games.

I think if TWC Kenosha ever dropped the Chicago stations, there'd be far more of a backlash than any lack of HD channel additions could ever cause.

[gparris]

Those Fracking Illinois Buyers (FIB)s will really get wild once the analogue channels are gone, no disagreement there.:rof:
Either that, Kenosha County should be considered as part of the Chicagoland DMA and be done with it.
Afterall, we are part of their larger Metro Stat Area (there is a specific term), anyway, right?

But as for U-Verse, I think once the local governments here grant the authority for it to happen, the 2 HD channels per premise among other upgrades will be happening already with service. Whether or not the Chicago stations will get any placement has already been decided with digitial delivery: No way.