RCN gets bad reception from throng at Princeton Borough hearing

A long list of complaints on cost, slow computer hookups and customer service.

By: Jeff Milgram
   A standing-room-only crowd jammed the council chamber at Princeton Borough Hall on Thursday night to tell two members of the state Board of Public Utilities that RCN cable company is too expensive, offers slow computer hookups and has a history of poor customer service.
   About 70 public officials and residents jammed the courtroom. About 40 signed up to speak publicly while another 15 used a computer hookup to complain about specific cable TV problems.
   Connie O. Hughes, BPU’s acting president, explained that the state agency can only handle complaints about customer service and the cost of basic cable TV service. The BPU can, however, sanction RCN by reaching a consent agreement with the firm, BPU Director Celeste Fasone said.
   Several communities are in the process of considering renewing RCN’s franchise. The franchise expires next year in Montgomery Township and in 2003 in Princeton Borough and Princeton Township.
   Representatives of Montgomery and the Princetons spoke out against RCN.
   Montgomery Township Mayor Sondra Moylan said the lack of competition has given RCN little incentive to improve its service. She termed the system in Montgomery "antiquated" and said RCN has failed to live up to its promise, made two years ago, to upgrade its computer hookup system.
   She said she is afraid RCN will continue to give Montgomery its present level of service if the franchise is renewed. But if the franchise is not renewed, she said, Montgomery residents could be without cable service.
   "We’re in an awkward position," said Mayor Moylan.
   She suggested that the 31 communities that make up a recently formed coalition aimed at addressing RCN concerns wire their own communities for cable. She said she is studying the issue and does not know how much it would cost.
   Lee Eric Newton of Princeton Township, who identified himself as a former RCN employee, said the company responds to customer complaints only if the customer threatens to sue the company or file a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission or other official body.
   Mr. Newton, who said he was "separated" from the company after working 19 months on RCN’s executive resolution team, also said the company has hired outside firms to handle most of its customer complaints and these firms do not have computer programs that enable them to resolve many of the complaints.
   He also said the company will often negotiate free service for complaining customers who demand it.
   RCN spokeswoman Nancy Bavec refused to comment on Mr. Newton’s assertions or on the reasons for his departure from the firm.
   A review by the Joint Princeton Cable TV Committee found that, "while RCN had fulfilled many of the requirements of the franchise, its performance had been deficient in the areas of customer service, responsiveness to Princeton community programming desires, local origination programming, technical training, the loan of video tapes to the Princeton community public access channel and in the maintenance of the two-way capabilities of the system," Bernard Miller, the chairman of the joint cable TV committee, told the BPU.
   "The review also noted that RCN had refused to extend service to new residential developments in Princeton Township, doing so only after repeated requests, and was not responsive to repeated requests to improve local news coverage," Mr. Miller said.
   "We, in Princeton, pay considerably more for the lowest tier, the basic service, than other communities," Mr. Miller said.
   He said the basic service in Princeton costs $29.95 per month, while basic service in Hillsborough costs $15.10 and only $13.69 for Comcast service in West Windsor.
   "Moreover, while the Comcast literature refers to the availability of a 10-percent discount to eligible senior and disabled subscribers, the RCN rate information does not mention the availability of this discount," Mr. Miller said.
   Complaints from residents at the meeting were often stinging.
   "I’m actually an RCN ex-customer after one month," said Joshua Hart of Princeton Borough.
   He cited the lack of two-way high-speed Internet connections and the fact that he had to make six calls to RCN to get his service started as the reasons for his displeasure.
   John Pitts, the vice president of RCN, answered the complaints.
   "I understand the dissatisfaction expressed here tonight. Let me clearly state that we have been and remain dedicated to our customers," he said.
   Mr. Pitts said the nation’s economic downturn has forced the company to reassess its system upgrade. But, he said, the upgrade is continuing.
   He said the company has spent $25 million to upgrade its central New Jersey system and expects to spend another $50 million to complete the project.
   He said RCN will be contacting each of the 31 municipalities it services within 60 days with a schedule for the proposed system upgrades.