Well, we’ve got TV back… Here’s a numbered summary:
1). I sent two e-mails to the FCC and finally got a response a week and a half after the first e-mail was sent. I contacted the Attorney General’s office and they sent a complaint form to us (as that’s the only way they’ll look into it…if there’s a complaint filed). According to the FCC Rules and Regulations website, in Title 47, Part 76, Subpart M, the lines are owned by Charter Communications. If I owned the property, I could tell them I’m switching providers and either a). I’d have to pay them per foot of the lines within the building to purchase them, or b). they’d have 7 days to remove the lines themselves. Since I don’t own the building, and apparently Park Forest Apartments has a “deal” with Charter, the lines are the cable company’s and I can’t use them. Shenanigans.
2). To avoid any more hassles by Charter, DISH came out today and ran a new line alongside the apartment complex, requiring them to drill a hole through the siding and putting a new faceplate on the inside of the apartment. The only place it could go? Right next to the sliding glass door, on the opposite wall from where the TV currently resides. While this means that Charter cannot cut the line anymore (’cause that’s hardcore illegal), Brooke and I now have to shift the furniture around in the living room to compensate…not that big a deal, I guess. If the line is cut again, the DISH guy has told us to try and catch the Charter fool before he leaves, take pictures of what was done, then call the cops. Believe you me, I will.
3). After talking with the apartment complex manager and one or two maintenence people, it appears that the Charter people have done this multiple times in the past few years, cutting lines that aren’t supposed to be connected to “their” lines. It sure sounded like, next time they have to renew whatever contract they’ve got together, there’s going to be some re-wording…’cause they weren’t pleased. It didn’t seem like they were unhappy with me or anything…just that they have to allow for a new line to be laid into one of their buildings because they aren’t allowed to use the existing one, causing more hassle for everyone involved.
Regardless, we’ve got television back…and next time any of you visit, you’ll see that our living room has been rearranged to a large degree. Oh well…we’ve lived there a year now…’bout time for something new…