What is wrong with Skycable?

What the heck is wrong with Skycable, or Pacific CATV, as it is listed in the phonebooks? Is it being consumed by the disease that often afflicts monopolies? Is this the reason why it is being so cavalier in treating complaints from subscribers, because they have nowhere else to go?

I have a relatively new tv set, not yet a year old. It used to work perfectly (meaning it was crystal clear and sounded superb) when I checked it out at the store and when I brought it home and installed the cable lines.

For years I have been a Skycable subscriber and have diligently kept all my payment receipts. In fairness to Skycable, I have had relatively few complaints. Everything seemed to work out fine for me and the cable company.

But sometime last month, the reception suddenly turned bad. The picture turned snowy, and the sound developed a nasty grating quality to it. I called Skycable and was told this was done to shut out illegal tappers. Legitimate subscribers will be provided a cable box or something.

True enough, two technicians came to the house and installed the device. They explained that only those with the box can receive signals. The days of illegal tappers are over, they said.

Fine. I have no problem with that. In fact I am glad the cable company is going after these people because I find it unfair that they get to enjoy the same cable tv pleasure as I do without enduring the same burden I suffer by going out each month to pay my cable bills.

Now back to that box. When the two technicians installed it, the picture remained snowy, although not to the same extent as when the box had not been installed. I was told the picture will improve and go back to normal once the signal is refreshed or something.

So okay. I gladly accepted the box and waited. After all it was free. But the picture did not improve after a week. So I called Skycable again and this time I was told that maybe there was something wrong with the box and that someone will be sent over to replace it.

And so they did. But the picture improved only slightly with the new box. It was still a bit snowy. I no longer had the same reception I had before the box came into my life. But I am a patient and cooperative man. If this was what I had to endure for a noble purpose, then so be it.

Inside, however, I felt cheated. Going after illegal tappers was Skycable’s problem, not mine. Why should I suffer if the company fails to safeguard its product? I have been paying my bills regularly. I deserve to be appreciated, not abused. Still I held my peace.

Then last week, things turned from bad to worse. The picture on my tv turned even more snowy. Worse, the grating sound came back with a vengeance. It was now virtually impossible to understand anything.

Naturally I called to complain and was promised that technicians will come over. I even joked good-naturedly with the person I was talking to when he said the technician who would come over is someone called Pacifico. You mean like the name of the company, I said. We laughed.

A day passed but nobody came. Then another. Still no knock on the door. On the third day I called to complain yet again but was told to pull out the cables from the box, let the box rest for 30 minutes, then put the cables back on and call the company back for feedback.

I did exactly what I was told. Nothing changed. Still snowing in summer, with the sound of lightning in the background. I called again. This time nobody answered. I called repeatedly but only a machine would come on the line. Is this the way Skycable treats its subscribers?