Cable TV and trees

[greensinestro]

As I have stated in other threads, I once worked for Adelphia for about four months. There were several calls I won't forget, but I think this one was the most memorable.

I had an old bag in Boca Raton who called to report a problem with her cable TV. Of course, it was another of those old bags you literally had to pry the information from, such as what the actual problem was, other than "my cable doesn't work". After a few moments of this, she told me, "Your trees need to be cut down because they're hitting my cable." She was reporting her aerial cable had trees growing near it, and was demanding I dispatch a technician to cut the trees! It took five long minutes to explain to her that the cable companies have no responsibility for foliage and vegetation near her utility services, and that she needed to call a tree cutting company if she felt the trees were in the way of her service. Well, of course, I had to dispatch a tech out, because she had a fuzzy picture. It was her TV set, not the cable company, and it turned out she argued up and down with the tech that showed up and how he needed to cut Adelphia's trees. Same conversation ensued, with Adelphia still refusing to cut those trees.

Oh, by the way, the cable she claimed Adelphia's trees were growing into......turned out it was her aerial telephone service, and her cable TV was buried. I guess AT&T had to deal with the same problem.

[bainsidhe]

Just curious, but if said tree fell down during a storm and wiped out cable/phone/whatever lines, who is responsible for restoring service? Is it paid for by the so-called customer, or by the service providers?

Too bad the tech didn't offer to cut the trees. Maybe he could have cleaned the gutters and done a bit of landscaping also.

[Tito]

Wow, this is a first! I've read complaints from people stating trees were interferring with satellite television, but never cable television! Guess you just have to expect the unexpected with some people.

[greensinestro]

Just curious, but if said tree fell down during a storm and wiped out cable/phone/whatever lines, who is responsible for restoring service? Is it paid for by the so-called customer, or by the service providers?

The tech will do the repairs if the cable is knocked down during a storm, or if the trees fall on it. What this lady was bitching about was the trees were growing up near her "cable", which turned out to be her phone service. She figured since the cable ran right above where the trees were, those trees belonged to Adelphia. Next thing you know, Mrs Jorgenson's ficus tree will tear up the cable service.

[Soulstealer]

Just curious, but if said tree fell down during a storm and wiped out cable/phone/whatever lines, who is responsible for restoring service? Is it paid for by the so-called customer, or by the service providers?

I'm not sure how it works in other areas but around here tree trimming is the electric company's problem. I've been wishing for years that they'd bury the damn cables but that's a whole other complaint.

Thanks Ameren UE, you left us without power for a week twice in less than 12 months and convinced me it'd be cheaper in the long haul to hire a hit man on the board of directors than pay the electric bill.

[CKoch]

I'm not sure how it works in other areas but around here tree trimming is the electric company's problem. I've been wishing for years that they'd bury the damn cables but that's a whole other complaint.

Thanks Ameren UE, you left us without power for a week twice in less than 12 months and convinced me it'd be cheaper in the long haul to hire a hit man on the board of directors than pay the electric bill.

I work for the power company, and in our area the power company is responsible for tree trim. As for burying the lines, it is a very very expensive proposition. I seem to remember a study in our area that estimated the interest alone on the bond required to finance burying all lines would cost each customer $100 a month. Forever. Most of our customers are not real interested in paying an extra $100 a month on their light bill.

We've got sucky customers too. My personal favorites are the ones who won't pay their light bill but have huge cars, boats, ATVs, and snowmobiles in their driveways and DSL for their computers.

[PhotoChick]

We've got sucky customers too. My personal favorites are the ones who won't pay their light bill but have huge cars, boats, ATVs, and snowmobiles in their driveways and DSL for their computers.

My favorites: those that don't pay for the "needs" but need the "wants"

[GolfCart34]

I don't know if the tree was near the power lines also, because if they were a simple call to the power company could've solved the problem. I had a tree growing into the power lines at my house when I first bought it. I told the lady at the power company about this when I called up to have my power turned on and she said she'd put a note in and have somebody come and take a look at it. Lo and behold, about two weeks later there was a tree cutting service outside of my house taking the tree down. And the best part is it didn't cost me a dime! They cut the tree down for free because it's cheaper to do that than to have the tree fall in a wind or ice storm and they have to come out and fix it.

From what I understand, if the tree is on your property and it's threatening a line and said tree comes down in a storm then you (meaning person who's property the tree is on) are responsible for the repairs.

[Seshat]

Around here, if the tree is not touching the power line and there's no risk of a tree-trimming person cutting the line and/or electrocuting themselves, it's the job of the property owner.

Typically, that means the local council for street trees, and the resident/landlord for trees in someone's yard.

If there is a risk of someone electrocuting themselves, the power company sends experts out. If you make a habit of waiting for the tree to grow up around the power line because you're too lazy to deal with it yourself, I presume (but don't know) that the power company will eventually start billing you for it.

Myself, I'm going to get the tall trees near my power cables removed, and plant shorter trees/tall shrubs there.

[Soulstealer]

I work for the power company, and in our area the power company is responsible for tree trim. As for burying the lines, it is a very very expensive proposition. I seem to remember a study in our area that estimated the interest alone on the bond required to finance burying all lines would cost each customer $100 a month. Forever. Most of our customers are not real interested in paying an extra $100 a month on their light bill.

I'm not saying that it won't cost money. It's really the board of directors who I want to run through a woodchipper, even without the cable burying they've been making some sucky business choices lately.