Spectrum answers questions on when services will be restored

Spokesperson says 90% of 2 million customers in Florida are back online

CENTRAL FLORIDA – Agnes Churchill, 86, came back to her Altamonte Springs home Tuesday for the first time since evacuating from Hurricane Irma to find her Spectrum services are still out.

Churchill relies on those services for her Lifeline medical alert system.

"Your Lifeline is disconnected," the white box's recording said.

"That's bad," Churchill said. "If I don't have it and I am alone, I could fall and nobody would know."

Her son-in-law, staying with her until her Lifeline device is back online, called Spectrum several times Tuesday morning, but only got an automated message.

"Just recorders," Churchill said. "I know how many people are asking for help so I don't expect to be first, but I would like something."

She's one of thousands of Spectrum customers still offline. But Spectrum spokesperson Joseph Durkin, who drove from Tampa to Orlando to answer News 6's questions on Tuesday, said restoration is coming.

"Ninety percent of our customers are up and running and you know that number is dropping every day as we speak," he said.

As for the other 10 percent?

"Hang in there it's coming, we are going to get up reconnected," Durkin said.

Durkin said the delay in services is because Spectrum is dependent on the power companies.

"When commercial power went out it affected everybody so our customers were impacted because Spectrum, we rely on commercial power to deliver our products and services," Durkin said.

He also explained why some people might have power and may have had it for days and are not connected to cable and internet.

"Our network doesn't follow the grid of the electric company, so you may have electrical power back in your home but someone further down the line in our network or our hub or our system that feeds your area," he added.

But for many like Churchill, it's not just about not having services, it's about not having answers or even a person on the phone to talk to.

"That could be a little frustrating," Durkin said. "Customers calling have been overwhelming, we are doing the best that we can to get the message out and get everyone restored; this goes back to what I was saying, a little bit of patience because it's coming."

As for Churchill's situation specfically, Durkin says the company will look into it.

"Well when we are done here we will get her information and get her a priority to get her connected," Durkin said.

Within just a few hours of our interview, Churchill's Spectrum services were back online, and her Lifeline device is now connected.

"Isn't that wonderful," Churchill said with a smile on her face. "That's so wonderful. You got results for sure and I appreciate it."

Click here to see what representatives from local cable and internet providers said when News 6 asked about crediting customers for the lapse in services.


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