WRATH OF KONGG ON PINKY,OTC,NAS,DOGJONES,HANGSENG

[EquityTrader]

When this news hits the wires when WNRC officially puts it out...BAZINGA TIME!

News on WNRC - ELKO — Satview Broadband Ltd., a Nevada-based company, bought Baja Broadband to provide the Elko, Carlin and Battle Mountain areas with cable television programming services.

http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/board.aspx?board_id=4629

The switch happened on Jan. 1.

“We operate in Jackpot and Wells. We do all the small towns and it just fit right in,” said Tariq Ahmad, owner of Satview.

The switch hasn’t been without complications, however. Confusion erupted this week when bills received in the mail showed customers owing more than they should.

Due to different billing cycles between Baja and Satview, Ahmad said some bills are showing past due balances.

Customer Jeff Rose of Elko said his bill from Satview states he owes $109.53 on a bill that is usually only around $44 every month.

“I had no idea Baja was selling out,” Rose said. “This is out of the blue. Come on, Baja, they owe us to at least let us know.”

He said he received a letter in the mail announcing the change and a bill showing additional money due.

Ahmad said he is assuring customers their bills are not going up, but because of the crossover in payment cycles, bills are showing past due amounts and some additional charges. The bills are sent out based on an automated system, which they are working to update.

He said they are working to reconcile the issue as quickly as possible.

Customers who have already paid their January bill and pay extra will be credited on their next billing cycle.

Ahmad said if a bill shows a change in the cost of service, customers should send in a past Baja bill so their system can be adjusted accordingly and customers stay within their same plans and monthly payment amounts.

“The issue is there are a couple of things we are trying to straighten out,” Ahmad said. “They (bills) aren’t going up. With the cable system I’ve run, I haven’t raised the rate in five years. I am absolutely assuring they (bills) are not going up.”

Ahmad said for a customer like Rose, whose bill shows an opening balance for services that are higher than his typical monthly bill, the amount shown is what was previously due to Baja. Ahmad said if that month’s bill was already paid it is not a concern to them.

“A lot of the payments get crossed in the mail for two separate companies, so until we get it reconciled we don’t know what it (the payment) is,” Ahmad said.

For Rose, the confusion is enough to make him want to look to other television providers.

“I just signed a new agreement with Baja last month and they didn’t even mention they were selling out,” Rose said.

Ahmad said the company plans no changes in service provided to the approximately 4,000 customers in the area, however, he said they are going to look at the channel line up to see if costs can be reduced.

He said cable bills are directly proportional to the channels provided. To try and reduce costs, Ahmad said they will conduct a survey to find out what channels customers watch and don’t watch.

The biggest project Satview is immediately undertaking is high-speed Internet, which is expected to be available in the next 60 days.

Ahmad said they will begin with the downtown Elko area and slowly expand from there.

He said they have yet to work out numbers on cost, however, he believes the Internet service will be competitive.

One goal of Satview is to increase the customer base. Ahmad said five years ago there used to be 6,000 cable customers in the area, a number Satview is striving to have once again.

“We want to stay in Nevada and it’s easier for customers because they can always call us,” Ahmad said. “We want customers for a long time. It’s a family deal.”

According to a representative from the City of Elko, Satview is in the process of getting the proper permits and licensing in order.

Ahmad said the office location is staying the same at 1250 Lamoille Highway, Suite 1150.

Customer service representatives, for billing and service calls, are available from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Reno location, which can be reached at 775-333-6626.

http://elkodaily.com/news/local/article_8b86ad5e-2972-11e0-92bf-001cc4c002e0.html