Lewisburg postpones decision on Suddenlink renewal

Jul. 28—LEWISBURG — Upon the advice of City Manager Misty Hill, City Council agreed at its July meeting to table an ordinance granting Suddenlink Communications permission to operate within the city limits for another five years.

Now postponed until Sept. 21, a public hearing and second reading of the ordinance was on the agenda for the July 20 Lewisburg City Council meeting. But Hill reported at that meeting that city officials had been contacted by residents voicing additional complaints about the firm's service after reading media reports about similar complaints that were aired at Council's June meeting. Those complaints — ranging from poor television reception to randomly rising bills — were heard prior to the first reading of the ordinance on June 15.

Company spokesperson Erin Jones, who attended the June meeting to rebut customer complaints and tout the firm's investment in West Virginia infrastructure, is expected to be on hand at the Sept. 21 meeting to answer the new complaints and to speak about the West Virginia Public Service Commission's investigation into Suddenlink, Hill advised Council.

Although the PSC's formal investigation began after the Lewisburg ordinance's first reading, the regulatory agency was already putting pressure on Suddenlink in response to nearly 1,900 complaints the PSC had received from the company's customers in the past two years.

Suddenlink is the name under which Altice S.A., a company based in France, provides telephone, internet and cable television service to approximately 350,000 West Virginia customers.

— Email: talvey@register-herald.com