Quincy trying to reach cable representatives

QUINCY — Quincy’s city attorney reported he couldn’t contact the city’s cable provider after almost a month of trying.

Almega cable, a Texas-based company, took over cable service in the city in October from the now defunct Ready Cable. At the time, Almega didn’t approach the council to get an agreement to provide service to the city.

Since Almega started providing service, several residents complained about stations being unavailable or fuzzy. Customers who tried to reach the company said the problems haven’t been fixed.

In response, city council directed City Attorney Allan Galbraith to reach Almega cable and investigate other potential services, including Grant County PUD’s fiber program.

“In one of the previous meetings, the question was raised, ‘Well gee if you terminate (the agreement) what does that offer all of us?’” Galbraith said. “I think (it’s) a really good question.”

One of Galbraith’s colleagues contacted Russ Brethower, the PUD’s fiber project specialist, to find out about how much fiber optic cable is available in Quincy. Television providers, such as iFiber, use fiber to provide service to Moses Lake and Ephrata. The only television provider using the PUD’s fiber is iFiber.

Brethower stated fiber is available to about 600 homes and businesses in the city. The majority of these are south of state Route 28 and west of state Route 281. He predicts the entire city will be finished by the middle of this year.

Galbraith said there isn’t any penalty to the city if Almega performs poorly. So there isn’t any benefit in terminating their old agreement with Ready Cable.

Councilmember Scott Lybbert said having the fiber would at least give residents another choice for how they get television.

Even if the city doesn’t cancel their old agreement with Ready Cable, the councilmembers said they did want representatives from Almega cable to come to the council.