[417] in Resnet-Forum
Cable TV - Summary or survey results
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joe Palmieri)
Fri Nov 25 09:44:10 1994
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 1994 09:30:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: Joe Palmieri <FPALMIERI@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU>
To: resnet-forum@MIT.EDU
X-Vms-To: IN%"resnet-forum@mit.edu"
CABLE TV IN RESIDENCE HALLS
In October we distributed a survey to this listserv
concerning the installation of cable TV in
residence hall rooms (not just lounges). If an
institution had cable TV installed (or was about
to do so), then we asked the following three
questions:
1. How much of the cost of installing conduit and
wiring for TV did the cable TV company pay for?
2. Do students pay standard TV subscription rates,
or did your college/university make special
arrangements for rates? Please explain.
3. Did the Cable TV company contribute to the cost
of data networking in any way? Please explain.
RESPONSES
We received responses from 20 colleges and 5
universities.
Universities:
All five universities had installed cable TV to
their residence hall rooms. In ALL cases, the
university paid for the installation of TV cable to
the rooms, and also received no assistance from a
cable TV company in data network installation (item
3 above).
Two universities purchase cable TV signals in bulk
from a local provider and then distribute them to
the rooms.
Two universities purchase satellite feeds and
distribute them to the rooms.
One university lets the students purchase service
from a local TV company and then gets a commission
from that company (presumably because the
university owns the internal cable plant as well as
access to its campus).
Colleges:
Of the 20 colleges only 8 provide cable TV to their
residence hall rooms. For 6 of these 8 colleges,
the cable TV company paid for the installation of
the internal TV wiring in the residence halls, and
in some of these cases the colleges gain ownership
either immediately or within a period of up to 7
years. For 3 of the 8, the cable company pulled
data cable free at the same times as they installed
the internal TV cable, and in one other case, the
TV company actually paid for almost all of the cost
of data network installation.
Four of the 8 colleges have purchased TV service
from the local TV company for all of their student
rooms and include the cost in room rent. Three of
the four have negotiated very large discounts for
this volume purchase - well over 50% compared to
standard rates.
For 2 of the 8 colleges, service is provided
directly to students by the local TV company, with
small discounts. The last 2 of the 8 colleges have
satellite/antennae systems to bring in their owns
signals, which they then distribute.
Joseph N. Palmieri
Director of Computing
Oberlin College
11-22-94
