Local Cable, Internet & Utility Services (Huntsville, Carolina: homes, utilities, exemption)

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I am in the city of Madison but on the Limestone County side

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

OK. Now please explain why is that a problem?

Because you're dealing with Limestone County, not Madison County. Smaller courthouse beauracracy = bigger control freaks. I will say...it's VERY unusual not to get a receipt when paying cash. I would ask to see their supervisor, or the elected official who's in charge, and ask them nicely for a receipt. Be nice...but keep asking.

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

How do you smile a lot over the phone?

Smile as you talk...you'd be surprised how much it comes through in your voice.

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Say ya'll a lot?

Only if you're from the coastal South...otherwise, you'll sound fake!

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Because you're dealing with Limestone County, not Madison County. Smaller courthouse beauracracy = bigger control freaks. I will say...it's VERY unusual not to get a receipt when paying cash. I would ask to see their supervisor, or the elected official who's in charge, and ask them nicely for a receipt. Be nice...but keep asking.

Thanks Southlander. Yes it's only when dealing with the local bureaucrats do I feel like I am in a small town. *sigh*

The cash thing was with the State Trooper office when exchanging out-of-state drivers license.

Smile as you talk...you'd be surprised how much it comes through in your voice.

I am SMILING as I type. Can you feel the love?

Only if you're from the coastal South...otherwise, you'll sound fake!

Well shocks, I'd recon I ain't no suthener just one of 'em wannabees. I'd tell ya wat... ya'll take care now, ALL of ya'll (that's plural of ya'll) .... ya'll hear?

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I am SMILING as I type. Can you feel the love?

Sure can!

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Well shocks, I'd recon I ain't no southerner just one of 'em wannabees. I'd tell ya wat... ya'll take care now, ALL of ya'll.... ya'll hear?

Now you're pushin' it!

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Bamachic80

I hope your packing up of where you live now, moving to the house, and unpacking is a smoother process than ours. I'm still unpacking and trying to get situated. Feel free to vent anytime, I'm sure it's something we've went through already

OK I am all moved in today Or should I say all my boxes are moved in waiting for us to open them.

Also just had the cable & internet hookup (we use VOIP phone). Called the local cable sales rep that I used last time, he did the 'transfer' & gave me the current promotional rate + 15% discount . He also noted previous billing errors and concluded that I overpaid about $150 and will credit it toward my account So the 'lesson learned' here is to deal with your sales rep. He can do more than some poor slob that answers phone.

So listen to Southlander's advice, it is 'mo better' with a smile.

ps- If anyone deals with the cable company that starts with K, and want to deal with my sales rep, DM me for his #. I am certainly more than happy to let this guy earn more commissions.

[caution]

Just to report:

Madison County:

-Power, water, garbage all done in 15 minutes with a visit to the office. No lines.
I don't know why they need a $300 deposit, but they give interest so no worries.

-Cable guy showed up on time, had to run wire from across the street, box the outside and finish the drops. He was nice, worked quickly, and everything worked. (The mediacom self-install babies you and makes you auth the modem with a phone call. I thought that was kinda silly.) I'm out in the dang boonies and have a clear cable connection and zippy internet, so game on.

- Insurance swap, one phone call to state farm.

- Buy a house, three weeks including VA and additional mods to the house

- Switching the cars and DL, that's the last bear in the box. We'll see. DMV types normally hate me becuase I'm terminally happy. We'll see how it goes.

All in all, the is the best "I'm new here" place I've been to (and I've lived in about a dozen places, none of them in AL).

Now if I can just figure out the driving rules, we're set.

Thanks

[amsa526]

1. Why did they ask for a $300 deposit!??
Isn't that extremely high? I've moved around here in CA and they never asked for any deposit.

2. On switching cars ... do I have to do them right away? My one car won't be up until July.

3. On the DL with DMV, do I have to surrender my old CA DL for a new Alabama DL? In Florida, you have to surrender your older CA DL.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by amsa526

1. Why did they ask for a $300 deposit!??
Isn't that extremely high? I've moved around here in CA and they never asked for any deposit.

I have water with the city of Madison. They did not ask for a deposit. They did asked for a $135 check though but did not say whether I'll get that money back (so I'd assume not).

What annoyed me was that they asked for "proof" that I live in that house (rental or purchase agreement). I mean, WTH???? I am already annoyed that I had to take time off work to come to your office to hand you a check. Couldn't you take credit card over the phone? Now you want to see 'proof'???? Are there so many cases of good samaritans here that people go to the water department and put OTHERS H2O bill under their names????

That's another thing, people here don't ask you straight forward questions. Another example, we were at hhgregg buying appliances. When writing up order, the sales guy asked to see my driver's license. That's it, my nerve got wired up again, so I said WTH do you need to see my driver's license for? He say oh, I just want to get your home address off it.... Why can't they just come out and ask 'what address do you want this to deliver it to?'

At work one day, I had trouble to log into a secured account so I called the IT help desk. I said "it's having trouble taking my password", so the IT "security" guy asked me "what is your password?"

Why is this so hard?

2. On switching cars ... do I have to do them right away? My one car won't be up until July.

Technically you're suppose to do it in 30 days.

But there are lots of out-of-state license plates driving around

3. On the DL with DMV, do I have to surrender my old CA DL for a new Alabama DL? In Florida, you have to surrender your older CA DL.

Yeah, you'll need to surrender your CA DL. Remember to bring CASH ($28) as they don't take your personal check, credit card, but only the cold hard cash. They don't give you a receipt neither.

That's another thing, the DMV (actually state trooper's office) website say that, in order to get your DL in Alabama, you have to be a U.S. citizen. So I brought along my U.S. passport. The lady flipped through my passport and ask if I am a U.S. citizen? Hello???? You can't read, Ms. State-Trooper??? What does the cover of this passport say? Can you say U-n-i-t-e-d S-t-a-t-e-s.... yes and you realize that includes Alabama ???? Did you need to pass a reading proficiency exam when you first join the state trooper?

I was so tempted to ask her how can an illegal get a DL here but I'd figure not to tempt fate.

[caution]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I have water with the city of Madison. They did not ask for a deposit. They did asked for a $135 check though but did not say whether I'll get that money back (so I'd assume not).

What annoyed me was that they asked for "proof" that I live in that house (rental or purchase agreement). I mean, WTH???? I am already annoyed that I had to take time off work to come to your office to hand you a check. Couldn't you take credit card over the phone? Now you want to see 'proof'???? Are there so many cases of good samaritans here that people go to the water department and put OTHERS H2O bill under their names????

That's another thing, people here don't ask you straight forward questions. Another example, we were at hhgregg buying appliances. When writing up order, the sales guy asked to see my driver's license. That's it, my nerve got wired up again, so I said WTH do you need to see my driver's license for? He say oh, I just want to get your home address off it.... Why can't they just come out and ask 'what address do you want this to deliver it to?'

At work one day, I had trouble to log into a secured account so I called the IT help desk. I said "it's having trouble taking my password", so the IT "security" guy asked me "what is your password?"

Why is this so hard?




Technically you're suppose to do it in 30 days.

But there are lots of out-of-state license plates driving around



Yeah, you'll need to surrender your CA DL. Remember to bring CASH ($28) as they don't take your personal check, credit card, but only the cold hard cash. They don't give you a receipt neither.

That's another thing, the DMV (actually state trooper's office) website say that, in order to get your DL in Alabama, you have to be a U.S. citizen. So I brought along my U.S. passport. The lady flipped through my passport and ask if I am a U.S. citizen? Hello???? You can't read, Ms. State-Trooper??? What does the cover of this passport say? Can you say U-n-i-t-e-d S-t-a-t-e-s.... yes and you realize that includes Alabama ???? Did you need to pass a reading proficiency exam when you first join the state trooper?

I was so tempted to ask her how can an illegal get a DL here but I'd figure not to tempt fate.

US Citizen to drive? That can't be correct. You need to prove your identity with documents that are not easily faked under the new DHS policies (the 9-11 terrorists had valid (but fake) VA ID issued by the state.)

My wife isn't a citizen and I just assume that she'll need her INS ID and country-of-origin passport.

I can't imagine a state requiring citizenship to drive.

[amsa526]

I am now 'moved-in' Madison.
For some odd reason - my electricity/garbage/sewer is with Huntsville Util. They also do water but only for Huntsville residents.
For water - I went to the Madison Water company. This was quite confusing as I had selected the 'water' checkbox in my app to Huntsville Utility. Lo and behold --- I got a call that my water will be shut off as I have no account yet ... with Madison Water. Otherwise - the staff were very nice people! I had to pay extra ($235) as the property had 2 water meters.
Knology took a long time to visit me ... I missed the first appointment ... took them 2 weeks to get the second appointment... but otherwise, everything went smoothly. Paying $75++ for all three (phone/internet+ cable).

Nice tidbit ---- my wife and I have 4 boys ... one time she was alone with the kids trying to load up the groceries in the cart while holding a crying baby... in WalMart ... people actually came over to help her out! They (customers) even volunteered to help her load the stuff in the van. She was shocked ... and was speechless ...
In California - she would have gotten some very ugly stares for having 4 kids.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by amsa526

I am now 'moved-in' Madison.
.

Welcome to Madison !