Howell Council To Ask BPU For Optimum Service Fee Reduction

HOWELL, NJ - The Howell Township Council is slated to request that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) order a reduction in service charges for residents who pay for Optimum/Altice services.

Mayor Theresa Berger, Deputy Mayor Evelyn O’Donnell and Councilman John Bonevich approved a motion to pass a resolution during a Oct. 20 Howell Township Council meeting. The resolution will see the council request for a 50 percent reduction in related costs and fees for residents, according to meeting documents.

Howell Township Manager Brian Geoghegan noted that Howell officials met with representatives from Altice in the past week, who were reportedly "trying to pass the blame to a lot of the residents."

Related: Twp Council Slams Internet Provider In Howell: 'It Is Horrible'

"Understandably, with everyone being at home, (Altice’s) network is being overloaded, however, that is no excuse and residents are still paying for the service,” he said.

Representatives from Verizon were also met with to discuss expanding the service provider's coverage within the township, according to Geoghegan.

“We are moving forward, we definitely have to work on the service. I am lucky I am on Verizon or I would cut out right now,” Bonevich said.

“If we tell [Altice] we don’t want to pay the fee they are charging, maybe they will understand how disappointed our community is,” O’Donnell added.

Councilwoman Pamela Richmond was absent from the meeting, while Councilman Thomas Russo abstained from voting in the motion as his wife is employed by the Altice-operated News 12.

According to the resolution, Howell officials “have been inundated with complaints from residents regarding inadequate service provided by its cable provider, Optimum/Altice, USA.”

“These complaints existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and have only been exacerbated as a result of the failure of this cable provider to provide adequate and proper service to this community,” the resolution reads. “The township has gone so far as to establish on its website a direct link to Altice so residents can voice their comments, complaints and concerns directly to the cable provider.”

Geoghegan said Altice is currently looking into "pockets" in Howell of increased complaints. According to the resolution, only Verizon and Altice/Cablevision have franchises in Howell, which are approved by the BPU. Verizon’s service is not available comprehensively throughout Howell, thus Altice faces virtually no competition for its services. Since the township created a form to log service issues last month, over 600 complaints have been documented. Read more: Howell Twp Offers Optimum 'Complaint Survey' Ahead Of Renewal

“The inadequate service provided by Altice has interrupted the education of our youth and the ability of our residents to earn a living," the resolution continues. "The Township of Howell believes it is absolutely inappropriate for this cable provider to receive the full amount of the fees for its services, since those fees and costs were based upon an assumption that the cable provider would provide adequate and proper service to our residents."

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