Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I promised Alma I would post this last week, but time got away from me. I have contacted both the City of Mesa and Cox about what work will be done and why we must again endure our front yards being ''invaded''. Their reasons are logical, but like Suzanne Weaver has already posted, if not for Cable America, we'd be at the bottom of Cox's ''To Do'' list. I have posted under a seperate message why the cable companies want the front yard and why the City of Mesa is granting them the waivers.
Dan Newham of Cox Communications Community Relations returned my call last week. These are some of the facts for Cox's construction project that came out of that phone conversation.
The total time for the project is expected to be about 6 months with completion expected in ''mid summer''. It will consist of 3 basic phases beginning Jan 8th. (Happy New Year!)
First Phase will take 6-8 weeks depending on weather and construction diffulculties. Cox's sub contractor, Fischell Corp., will be the most visible as they lay new cable in the front utility easement. This is the same 3 1/2' from the rear of your sidewalk easement that Cable America had to work in. Obiviously they cannot lay it on top of the existing cable so it will be constructed closer to your home, but still within the easement. Construction techniques are expected to be similiar to Cable America' and they are required to leave your yard as they found it. If you have doubts about their ability, a current photo or cam-corder shot of your front yard showing working sprinklers, brickwork, pavers, etc. before they start work will help you immensely.
Phase Two will be the ''drop swings'' as Cox's existing customers will have their service that currently enters from the rear easement switched over to the front. Their is no exception to the rule. All Cox customers will have new cable laid from the front pedestals to their house. There will be a lot of activity from Cox prior to Phase 2 starting as their technicians ready the pedestals and ''tune-up'' the connections similiar, I imagine, to what we just saw from Cable America. An estimated time frame for this part of the project is 3 months from the completion of Phase One. Many factors are involved including a new fiber backbone being laid down Guadalupe Ave. So this timeline may slip.
Phase Three ''wreck out'' will be the final stage of the project and will occur only after the neighborhood is switched over, but and I do need clarification on this issue, within the 6 months time frame that their permit is issued in. Cox's sub contractors will need access to EVERY backyard and will remove not only the old boxes but also the coax to your house, even if you are not a current customer but the previous owner was. The same guidelines for them working in your front utility easement and yard apply here. It must be returned to ''normal''. If in doubt, PHOTOGRAPH IT!
These are the three basic phases and estimated timelines for the project. Cox Communications will take longer because Cable America did not have to do Phase Two or Three. There are other issues involving the placement of the pedestals, size, etc., that are addressed in Pt.2 of my message.
I promised Alma I would post this last week, but time got away from me. I have contacted both the City of Mesa and Cox about what work will be done and why we must again endure our front yards being ''invaded''. Their reasons are logical, but like Suzanne Weaver has already posted, if not for Cable America, we'd be at the bottom of Cox's ''To Do'' list. I have posted under a seperate message why the cable companies want the front yard and why the City of Mesa is granting them the waivers.
Dan Newham of Cox Communications Community Relations returned my call last week. These are some of the facts for Cox's construction project that came out of that phone conversation.
The total time for the project is expected to be about 6 months with completion expected in ''mid summer''. It will consist of 3 basic phases beginning Jan 8th. (Happy New Year!)
First Phase will take 6-8 weeks depending on weather and construction diffulculties. Cox's sub contractor, Fischell Corp., will be the most visible as they lay new cable in the front utility easement. This is the same 3 1/2' from the rear of your sidewalk easement that Cable America had to work in. Obiviously they cannot lay it on top of the existing cable so it will be constructed closer to your home, but still within the easement. Construction techniques are expected to be similiar to Cable America' and they are required to leave your yard as they found it. If you have doubts about their ability, a current photo or cam-corder shot of your front yard showing working sprinklers, brickwork, pavers, etc. before they start work will help you immensely.
Phase Two will be the ''drop swings'' as Cox's existing customers will have their service that currently enters from the rear easement switched over to the front. Their is no exception to the rule. All Cox customers will have new cable laid from the front pedestals to their house. There will be a lot of activity from Cox prior to Phase 2 starting as their technicians ready the pedestals and ''tune-up'' the connections similiar, I imagine, to what we just saw from Cable America. An estimated time frame for this part of the project is 3 months from the completion of Phase One. Many factors are involved including a new fiber backbone being laid down Guadalupe Ave. So this timeline may slip.
Phase Three ''wreck out'' will be the final stage of the project and will occur only after the neighborhood is switched over, but and I do need clarification on this issue, within the 6 months time frame that their permit is issued in. Cox's sub contractors will need access to EVERY backyard and will remove not only the old boxes but also the coax to your house, even if you are not a current customer but the previous owner was. The same guidelines for them working in your front utility easement and yard apply here. It must be returned to ''normal''. If in doubt, PHOTOGRAPH IT!
These are the three basic phases and estimated timelines for the project. Cox Communications will take longer because Cable America did not have to do Phase Two or Three. There are other issues involving the placement of the pedestals, size, etc., that are addressed in Pt.2 of my message.
