GILROY
– Gilroy’s cable television provider is making progress on its
promise to bring digital services to all areas of the city, but
county red tape is keeping some residents unhappy still.
GILROY – Gilroy’s cable television provider is making progress on its promise to bring digital services to all areas of the city, but county red tape is keeping some residents unhappy still.
Charter regional Vice President Ed Merrill says his company was all set to install cable lines at the Village Green retirement homes on Santa Teresa Boulevard weeks ago. But before crews could bore into the street, the work was stopped.
Charter was digging into county property and did not have the appropriate permit. The delay is one more obstacle the cable company will have to overcome to square away its relationship with the community. Charter had missed a deadline to upgrade Gilroy cable equipment by more than nine months.
“I’m tired of it,” said Lenore Schneider, a Village Green resident who has been expecting a cable hookup for more than two months. “They always say it’s somebody else’s fault.”
Schneider moved into Village Green’s Town Square apartments in July and was told by Charter her cable would be ready in a week.
“Here it is almost October, and I still have to go the pub to watch a football game,” Schneider said.
Schneider, 64, is an avid Giants, 49ers and Raiders fan. She said September is her favorite time of year because baseball playoffs are held as football season begins.
“This is a great time of year for sports, and I can’t see any of it,” Schneider said. “I’ve called and I’ve e-mailed and I get no response from them. I went down to their office and there’s always an excuse for some delay.”
After learning about Schneider’s predicament from a Dispatch reporter, Merrill looked into the matter. He said he was going to rush payment on the county permit and all 72 units at Town Square would be hooked up for digital cable and high-speed Internet services by next week.
Bellagio Villas apartment complex on Monte Bello Drive was another victim of Charter delays, but that is changing.
Crews are digging trenches for upgraded cable lines at the apartment complex. The trenching should be completed and ready for Charter’s new lines by next week.
Previously, only some apartments in the complex could receive the digital services and movie packages Charter provides.
Bellagio Manager Catherine Jones, whose complex has tight restrictions on allowing satellite dishes, said she does not recall anyone leaving the complex because of the lack of cable services. However, Jones said tenants have had their share of frustrations.
Jones figures it will be easier to bring people in now since many renters want the option of high-speed Internet for purposes of work and school.
“In this day and age it will be a factor,” Jones said.
