time warner

The collapse of a proposed merger of Time Warner Cable and Comcast will have little impact on the city's efforts to negotiate new cable franchise agreements with cable providers, said City Manager Jason Molino.

The proposed merger spurred the city this summer to revive efforts to update a long-expired franchise agreement with Time Warner and form a cable advisory board to help with the process. 

In July, Molino told council members, "Time Warner is noncompliant with some franchise benefits. We haven't had negotiations since 1993. There are a number of improvements that need to be made."

This morning, Molino said the city is still negotiating with Time Warner, not with Comcast, so the fact that Comcast won't be taking over local service has no bearing on those negotiations, Molino said.

"It (the collapse of the deal) doesn't affect those negotiations and it doesn't affect the residents," Molino said.

At the same time, the city has been negotiating a franchise agreement with a new player in town, Empire Access.

Empire has already started delivery of a 100-megabit broadband service to local residents and businesses, but so far can't offer its TV package due to the lack of a franchise agreement with the city.

Asked how those negotiations were going, Molino simply replied, "We're in ongoing negotiations."

Asked now negotiations are going with Time Warner, Molino said, "We've been in negotiations the past few months. We are still trying to resolve some issues."

The old franchise agreement with Time Warner generates about $200,000 a year in revenue for the city.

Franchise agreements are non-exclusive, but are required for cable providers to deliver services to local residents.

"With both providers we're looking to capture the best franchise agreement that will provide the best service to the city and most success for residents," Molino said.

Around approximately 7am today, Time Warner cable and internet services have been disrupted, affecting customers east of the Route 33/Route 5 intersection. As of 8:00am, Time Warner is unable to specify the cause.

UPDATE (10:28am): According to an on-site technician, there's a short circuit somewhere in the grid, but has not been located yet. Technicians are currently trying to isolate the location of the short.

UPDATE: (11:09am): Cable and internet service has been restored.

I imagine most of you remember Time Warner trying to introduce metered bandwidth and usage caps to our cable bills several months ago. Like I predicted, they're at it again.

TWC has updated their Subscriber Agreement to lay down the foundation for their future billing practices. You can find these additions in the teeny tiny print on your next bill, or probably the latest bill you've paid. The additions are as follows.

I imagine most of you remember Time Warner trying to introduce metered bandwidth and usage caps to our cable bills several months ago. Like I predicted, they're at it again.

TWC has updated their Subscriber Agreement to lay down the foundation for their future billing practices. You can find these additions in the teeny tiny print on your next bill, or probably the latest bill you've paid. The additions are as follows.

6. Special Provisions Regarding HSD Service

(ii) I agree that TWC or ISP may change the Maximum Throughput Rate of any tier by amending the price list or Terms of Use. My continued use of the HSD Service following such a change will constitute my acceptance of any new Maximum Throughput Rate. If the level or tier of HSD Service to which I subscribe has a specified limit on the amount of bytes that I can use in a given billing cycle, I also agree that TWC may use technical means, including but not limited to suspending or reducing the speed of my HSD Service, to ensure compliance with these limits, and that TWC or ISP may move me to a higher tier of HSD Service (which may result in higher monthly charges) or impose other charges and fees if my use exceeds these limits.

(iii) I agree that TWC may use Network Management Tools as it determines appropriate and/or that it may use technical means, including but not limited to suspending or reducing the Throughput Rate of my HSD Service, to ensure compliance with its Terms of Use and to ensure that its service operates efficiently. I further agree that TWC and ISP have the right to monitor my bandwidth usage patterns to facilitate the provision of the HSD Service and to ensure my compliance with the Terms of Use and to efficiently manage their networks and their provision of services. TWC or ISP may take such steps as each may determine appropriate in the event my usage of the HSD Service does not comply with the Terms of Use.  I acknowledge that HSD Service does not include other services managed by TWC and delivered over TWC’s shared infrastructure, including Video Service and Digital Phone Service.

 

Fortunately, it's legally and technically impossible for Time Warner to implement their metered bandwidth anytime soon. However, expect metered bandwidth in about a year from now.

OA: http://stopthecap.com/2009/05/28/theyre-back-time-warner-cable-adds-cap-n-tier-language-to-subscriber-agreements/

Five months is a long, long time to be off-line.  The computer crashed just before Christmas.  Not a good time, financially, to buy a new one.  It isn't that the old one totally died, but it showed signs of dying a slow and painful death.  So, it was unplugged and sent to the inner sanctum of the storage room.

I cancelled the internet (and phone - decided to only use the cell) and went into withdrawal.  It was more difficult than I imagined.  Since I had worked for a dot com for many years and made my living on the internet, it seemed unnatural not to be connected to those in cyberspace.

This is a small living space.  An area dedicated to office space took up valuable real estate when not used daily.  So, furniture was moved around.  A small table and two chairs replaced the desk.  Now it became a place to have morning coffee while watching life unfold outside the window and a comfortable place to play cards in the evening.

I replaced the big round dining room table and chairs for a smaller set, and replaced my living room set for a love seat and a rocker - lounge chair (which I hate).  The traffic flow improved, but I missed being on-line.

Finally, in April I called Time Warner and requested that the phone and internet be reinstalled.  They came yesterday.   I dusted off the old computer just to see how bad it really was.  It's semi retirement didn't resolve the old problems, but it did allow me email access and the ability to get to this site.  I'm back online, but not fully functional.  hmmmmm, I wonder if that is a metaphore for my personal life?

What have I done to keep busy for five months?  I spent a lot of time in the kitchen.  There are loads of new recipes to share with the readers and I'll begin posting them soon.  One, in particular, is perfect for those of us who are cooking for one or two.  It isn't just one recipe but a series of recipes when cooking a half pork loin.  The first is straight forward and extremely simple.

Roasted Pork Loin

Pre-heat oven to 350.

1 pork loin

Montreal steak seasoning.

Place the pork loin, fat side up, in a roasting pan.  Rub the loin with the steak seasoning.

Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the loin.

Place pan in oven - do not cover.  Calculate cooking time for 15 minutes per pound or until the meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees.  Remove pan from oven and let meat stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.

The key is not to add anything to the meat....no liquid...no additional veggies...nothing.  Just let the oven do the work.  The roast is tender, flavorful, and offers a myriad of opportunities for other meals.

Last night we had the pork roast with roasted red potatoes; broccoli slaw; applesauce; and steamed carrots. 

I sliced half the loin into chops and will use them for dinner later in the week.  I froze the other half to be used later in the month.

Can't be easier.