Adelphia Cable project stalled on the road to Spafford

Cable project stalls on the long road to Spafford
300+ homes and businesses play the waiting game.

To the residents of Spafford:

The Spafford Cable Project resembles an old car. It sputters and stalls, then starts again. Seems now there's another rock in the road. Or maybe we're mired in a fiberoptic swamp.

As the town's lone liason with Adelphia, Ken Lieberman started the project to bring cable and high speed internet services to Spafford in the spring of 2001. (click on map on right to enlarge view)

Over the past 3 years, Ken has volunteered hundreds of hours to expand services to Spafford.
Why? Because they're needed, and someone had to do it.

Now he must have nightmares of being tangled in strands of fiberoptic cable. And the wait
continues.

In 2001, NYSEG planted 75 utility poles and the project was nearing the point of hooking up
new subscribers. In June 2002, Adelphia declared bankruptcy which brought the project to a
screeching halt.

But this spring, Adelphia re-organized, and re-evaluated the Spafford cable project.
Adelphia agreed to a "slimmed-down version" - a 12-mile stretch to include approximately 302
homes and businesses.

Strand was strung this summer, but now the expansion project has stalled, again just weeks shy
of customer hook-up. Several reels of the wrong cable had to be sent back and re-ordered, causing another 2-week delay. Auburn city's franchise agreement with Adelphia expires this October, and a technical audit is underway.

We hear that the new ETA is the end of this year, but some residents wonder if the project is
simply stalled, or running on empty.

ADELPHIA'S BILL KEISER AND MIKE WEBSTER AT JUNE TOWN BOARD MEETING

Adelphia managers have been unendingly helpful throughout this long project. Both Bill Keiser,
the General Manager, and Mike Webster, the Construction Coordinator, have made trips to
Spafford town board meetings to give updates and answer questions. We appreciate their
efforts.

KEN LIEBERMAN AT JUNE TOWN BOARD MEETING

Spafford residents also want to thank to Ken Lieberman. Where would we be without his
tenacity and professionalism? An army of one, now he needs our help to fight the good fight.

What can we do to help Ken Lieberman bring cable to Spafford?
Make some noise, politely of course. To show our support and solidarity, I'd like to ask
Spafford area residents to just take a moment, and drop the new General Manager, Linda Henry, a quick e-mail (linda.henry@adelphia.com) to make yourself heard.

NOTE ADDED 12/17/04: Bill Keiser is no longer Adelphia's General Manager. Linda Henry is the new General Manager.

Tell him you appreciate all Adelphia has done, and we still want cable and high speed internet access in Spafford. You can use the box below to send a message to Adelphia.

Dear Linda Henry:

Please complete the Spafford cable expansion project.

Thank you from all of us in Spafford.

You can add your own text in the box above if you like.

Adelphia
32 Owasco St.
Auburn, NY 13021
fax 315-252-9514
e-mail linda.henry@adelphia.com

By Joyce Green
BORODINOBULLETT.COM