Residents welcome illegal delivery of tv stations

Residents of several communities in Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine say they are enjoying the services of cheap cable operators who provide them with the service for fees as low as $100 per week.

Checks by THE STAR with people from communities across the Corporate Area and Portmore, St Catherine, found that there is an increased interest in illegal alternative cable measures as opposed to subscribing to listed and legal cable providers.

Despite several failed attempts to speak with one of these illegal cable providers, persons whom have the service say they have very few problems and will continue to work with these cable providers especially in the current economic condition where every dollar counts.

Persons also expressed uncertainty as to how they are able to be provided with cable services but say they really do not care.

"In a dem yah hard time yah mi haffi try save everything me can save ... So if me get a deal where mi can pay five hundred dollar a month fi cable mi a go tek dah deal deh," Mr Centsa resident of an east Kingston community said. "Mi not even know how dem get it fi tell di truth eno but it look like a some satellite dish ting cause more time yu can see when dem a search fi di station dem."

THE STAR learnt that getting the cheap service requires a simple phone call and a $1,000 installation fee which does not have to be paid at once.

arrangements

Once the service is installed you just 'give dem a ting' every week or every other week depending on the arrangements reached.

"Dem not even a go pressure yu ... more time yu can jus' gi dem a ting either every week or every two week depending pon how you and dem plan di ting," Muchoa resident of west Kingston explained.

One does not receive as much channels as a legal cable operator would provide and reception is at times very poor, however, persons told THE STAR that they understand that the service is cheap and as such can understand and cope with any difficulties.

"Wi naw go get thousand channel but wi get enough plus a good channel to ... movie, sports and everything ... We get bout 70 odd channel ... Sometimes it show grainy grainy to but a jus' from time to time dat ... When it happen wi jus affi wait until it clear up," one Portmore resident said.

Meanwhile, police have heard of the situation and added that investigations into its happening were already in progress.

An inspector from the Kingston East Police Division even told THE STAR that he has heard of at least two altercations which were sparked by people and their involvements in the illegal activity.

"Illegal activities like these always tend to incur violent acts ... On two fairly recent occasions I have seen reports of persons being attacked after they were said to have failed to pay up for the services they were receiving," the inspector revealed.

Names changed on request.