TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bright House To Take Over Live Oak Service

ADVERTISEMENT

LAURA KINSLER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 3, 2008

LIVE OAK PRESERVE - Embattled cable company Century Communications is selling its contracts for two New Tampa communities to Bright House Networks.

Two weeks after he denied negotiating with Bright House, Century General Manager Bill McKissock confirmed that the cable giant would be the new service provider for Live Oak Preserve and its neighboring town house community, The Hammocks.

In his May 23 letter to customers, McKissock wrote that he expected the deal to close "on or about May 31st." But Bright House spokesman Joe Durkin said Monday that the two sides are working out the final details.

In Live Oak, homeowners pay about $85 a month in association dues for Century's basic cable TV, Internet and home security monitoring services.

Under the new plan, rates would stay the same and would include basic cable, Road Runner Internet service and home security monitoring. But customers will have access to more high-definition channels, as well as on-demand and DVR service that wasn't available from Century. They also have the option of buying a bundled package that includes digital phone service.

Some residents who were Century's harshest critics opposed the contract.

"We don't want it," said Zuriel Cabrera, who launched a Web site opposed to bulk billing. He said homeowners want to choose their own service providers.

"There was a total breakdown in communications between Engle and the residents," Cabrera said.

McKissock announced the deal a few days after Engle's parent company, TOUSA, fired Tampa division President Joe Hennessey. The firing came the same day TOUSA named its bankruptcy reorganization officer as chief executive.

Hennessey served on the master homeowners association board for both Live Oak and The Hammocks. Live Oak resident Betsy Hubbard said she was upset that the board chose a service provider without consulting the homeowners.

Hubbard is one of hundreds who already subscribe to Verizon's FiOS service. If the contract had to be sold, she would have preferred Verizon. "It's too bad we weren't even given a choice," she said. "There was nothing any of the residents could do to stop it."

John Carter said he's looking forward to the improved service and reliability from Bright House. He often complained that Century's signal went out during thunderstorms and the company incorrectly blacked out too many Tampa Bay Rays games.

"I'm sure the service and their programming will be a lot better," Carter said. "I don't anticipate a lot of problems with the weather."

Carter fears Bright House will implement a "take or pay" policy, which charges the master homeowners association for each house, regardless of whether it's occupied.

"If the [association] has to pay for empty houses, my fees will go up," he said.

While Bright House offers about 10 Spanish-language channels, including CNN en Espanol and Telemundo, it doesn't offer programming in languages other than English and Spanish.

"We have a lot of people in the neighborhood who are from India and Pakistan," Carter said. "They're still going to have to pay for satellite service to get programming in their language. It's not fair to them."

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT