Published: January 31, 2008 11:06 pm         

Suddenlink ending service to non-profits, is willing to work it out

By Robert Barron

Staff Writer



Suddenlink Communications officials presented their case Tuesday for continuing to operate cable television service in Enid, citing many advantages of their service, including providing free Inter-net to schools and Enid’s public-ac-cess television station.

But some lo-cal nonprofit ag-encies recently received letters saying their free Internet service provided by Sud-denlink is being terminated and it will cost $139 a month to continue.

Suddenlink officials said some groups still may be eligible for a free or reduced-rate Internet service; however, representatives from those groups need to contact Suddenlnk.

The $139 per month charge is for the top package offered by Suddenlink, which includes full basic cable, digital cable, DVR, high-speed Internet and telephone service.

At Denny Price Family YMCA, Ken Rapp, executive director, said he received a letter from Suddenlink. Rapp said he once solicited a donation from Cox Cable service, which operated the cable television franchise in Enid before being bought out by Suddenlink. The Cox manager, Rapp said, told him the company could not provide a financial donation, but he volunteered to provide free cable and Internet service to the Y. That freed up funds to be used in other areas, Rapp said.

The system has worked well, he said, and YMCA officials were grateful for the help.

Rapp said he now is looking around at other Internet providers to compare prices.

“It was a very nice gift, and we appreciated it, and it continued when Suddenlink took over, but we recently received a letter saying it was no longer possible,” Rapp said.

“Nonprofits need every cent they can get,” he added.



Why it all began



Gene Regan, director of corporate communications for Suddenlink, said part of the year-end audit of commercial business accounts found a number of consumers not being billed. Many non-billed commercial accounts included nonprofit organizations, he said, and they received letters.

“By calling Dennis Chambers we can generally find a way to get Internet at no cost. Schools, libraries, etc., can qualify for e-rate, a government program,” Regan said.

Chambers is accounts manager for Suddenlink. He can be reached by e-mail at dennis.chambers@suddenlink.com or by calling the phone number included on the letter nonprofits received.

Regan said it is important to call Chambers and not another Suddenlink office because organizations need to be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

“We had some profitable accounts not being billed and some nonprofit accounts were also billed,” he said.



Working it out



Wendy Quarles, executive director of PEGASYS, Enid’s public-access television station, told board members at the monthly meeting Suddenlink had terminated free Internet service and would charge $139 a month. Quarles said she is looking for providers that charge less.

Chambers said several nonprofits were set up with free service under the franchise agreement but are not associated with the city and did not follow specified procedure. Everyone billed received a letter with contact information so Chambers can work with them. Suddenlink utilizes an e-rate system, which is a subsidized program that still will send free e-mail to eligible nonprofits.

“Unless they contact me there is no way to work with them,” he said. “E-rate applies to schools and governments, and there are programs existing we can work with if they contact us.”

Some letters also were discovered to have been sent in error, and Chambers said he believed PEGASYS was one to receive a letter when it shouldn’t have. He said PEGASYS may not be charged for Internet service because it is associated with the city of Enid.

“If they will contact us, we will work with them to send them in the right direction. We need people to work with us,” Chambers said.

He said he was disappointed he did not receive a better response from those affected. Some response was received from those who were contacted in error, he said.

“If they received a letter, we will work with them. Some people feel they shouldn’t be charged and will be, but we have worked out with 90 percent of those who contacted us,” he said.



Schooled in thought



Enid Public Schools does not use Suddenlink but has in the past, said Amber Graham Fitzgerald, Enid’s school and community relations director. One modem is used in a school building to back up the computer system. School finance director Karl White recently received a letter from Suddenlink informing him of the termination of free service, and the school will no longer use Suddenlink, Fitzgerald said.

“The school won’t have any increase because we won’t use them,” Fitzgerald said. “We have one modem on our site that is being used for backup and rather than paying the expense for something that isn’t necessary we made other backup plans.”

Suddenlink does provide free television cable for schools, and there is no indication that will change, she said.