An open cable junction box in Hanover. (Baltimore Sun photo by Chiaki Kawajiri / January 6, 2009) |
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The problem A Comcast cable was routed through a Hanover gutter.
The backstory For more than a year, the Comcast cable lines in Nicky Frantz's Hanover neighborhood had been installed in an unexpected way.
Instead of being routed underground between two pedestals that house cables, the wires were strung along the gutters next to the sidewalk, crossing two driveways on the 2600 block of Fairbourne Court. Cables from the pedestals spilled out onto the grass as well.
"I just came home from work one day, and that's how it was," Frantz said.
"It's not a huge defect, but we like to keep our area looking nice," she said. "We figured they've got to come back and fix it eventually, and they never did."
And the promise of inclement winter weather made the problem more worrisome. "You never know - if the snowplow got closer to the curb, we'd have two kids and no cable," she said.
Frantz pointed out the exposed cable to technicians who had come to repair their service over the summer. After contacting Watchdog last month, she also e-mailed we_can_help@cable.comcast.com, an e-mail address listed on Comcast's page on the social networking Web site Twitter.
A Comcast representative responded by Dec. 17, asking for her address, but it still hadn't been fixed when she returned after the holidays. So Watchdog called Comcast, and on Wednesday, Frantz's husband had good news to report: "He called me [and said], 'You'll be happy to know Comcast is here,'" she said.
Their service was out temporarily but was restored by the time she returned home in the evening.
Comcast spokeswoman Aimee Metrick wrote in an e-mail that cables are sometimes installed that way temporarily but are usually replaced with a permanent solution. She apologized for the inconvenience and the delay in responding to Frantz.
Who can fix this Metrick said customers can call 800-COMCAST or 410-427-9600 in the greater Baltimore area to report a problem.
Union Wharf, the segment highlighted last week, is on private property, but the city developed that section of the promenade. As described earlier, transportation officials are working to get the lights lit as well as to identify why they were without power from the outset.
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The backstory For more than a year, the Comcast cable lines in Nicky Frantz's Hanover neighborhood had been installed in an unexpected way.
Instead of being routed underground between two pedestals that house cables, the wires were strung along the gutters next to the sidewalk, crossing two driveways on the 2600 block of Fairbourne Court. Cables from the pedestals spilled out onto the grass as well.
"I just came home from work one day, and that's how it was," Frantz said.
"It's not a huge defect, but we like to keep our area looking nice," she said. "We figured they've got to come back and fix it eventually, and they never did."
And the promise of inclement winter weather made the problem more worrisome. "You never know - if the snowplow got closer to the curb, we'd have two kids and no cable," she said.
Frantz pointed out the exposed cable to technicians who had come to repair their service over the summer. After contacting Watchdog last month, she also e-mailed we_can_help@cable.comcast.com, an e-mail address listed on Comcast's page on the social networking Web site Twitter.
A Comcast representative responded by Dec. 17, asking for her address, but it still hadn't been fixed when she returned after the holidays. So Watchdog called Comcast, and on Wednesday, Frantz's husband had good news to report: "He called me [and said], 'You'll be happy to know Comcast is here,'" she said.
Their service was out temporarily but was restored by the time she returned home in the evening.
Comcast spokeswoman Aimee Metrick wrote in an e-mail that cables are sometimes installed that way temporarily but are usually replaced with a permanent solution. She apologized for the inconvenience and the delay in responding to Frantz.
Who can fix this Metrick said customers can call 800-COMCAST or 410-427-9600 in the greater Baltimore area to report a problem.
Update
After calling attention last week to unlit street lamps along the Harbor Promenade, Watchdog wants to clarify who is responsible for maintenance on the waterfront path popular with joggers and dog walkers. The city takes care of sections of the path that are city-owned, such as in the Inner Harbor. Other segments are easements on private property, and the owners are responsible for maintaining the brickwork and other features.Union Wharf, the segment highlighted last week, is on private property, but the city developed that section of the promenade. As described earlier, transportation officials are working to get the lights lit as well as to identify why they were without power from the outset.
Need help
Is there something in your neighborhood that's not getting fixed? Tell us where the problem is and how long it's been there by e-mailing watchdog@baltsun.com or calling 410-332-6735. Discuss this story and others in our talk forums
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