HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-01-17 Cable TV Advisory Committee MinutesC
Minutes of the Meeting; of the Reading Cable Television Advisory Committee (CAC) R r\
January 17, 2002 S S.
The meeting was opened by Doug Cowell at 7:45 PM G2 MAR _ I A ' 2q
CAC members present were: Doug Cowell (Chair), Cheri Hart, Joe Santangelo, Douglas Cowell
Visitors present: Rob Travers (AT&T Broadband, Manager of Government Affairs), Amy Brough (RCTV), Richard
Cohen (RCTV Board of Directors)
A. Old Business:
1. Minutes of the November 29, 2001 meeting were approved unanimously as written.
2. Complaint letters were noted by Committee and filed.
3. Rob Travers (AT&T Broadband) spoke on the following:
a. Subscriber information requested by CAC
7,900 houses passed
7,400 subscribers (customers for any service) (about 94% penetration)
Digital service -28%
Internet service -36%
Phone service -18%
b. Timetable for installing the stereo transmission equipment for RCTV
Rob Travers is asking his engineering group to work up what equipment is needed and getting
dollar estimates necessary to make this possible. Looks like we will need 6 stereo modulators to
cover Reading's needs. Questions regarding licensing agreement were tabled until next meeting
c. Troubleshooting and fixing the I-loop
AT&T engineer, Skip, told Rob there wasn't an issue; Amy indicated it is an intermittent problem
and any recent fires haven't been tested in the Auditorium. Still no residential drop in the
Auditorium at RMHS. Rob will be in touch with Skip and report back to RCTV and CAC.
d. Third access channel for RCTV
Rob received request letter from Peter Hechenbleikner and Channel 10 is available for RCTV.
Peter is sending the program logs to Rob. Still a question of who pays for the modulators.
B. New Business
1. Using RMLD fiber to reduce downtime and maintenance costs
Richard Cohen suggested the possibility of AT&T providing an equipment grant for A/D (analogidigital)
modems to work with RMLD's fiber and thereby reduce amount of future maintenance AT&T has to do on
the I-loop. This would not require a license revision. CAC agreed that AT&T could look into this idea and
bring it up for discussion at a later date.
Next meeting: The next meeting of the Reading CATV Advisory Committee will be held on Thursday, February
28, 2002 in the Berger Room at Reading, Town Hall.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:41 PM,