Amber Alerts and EBS Tests

[samgoober]

This is ridiculous. Take over the television programming to issue an Amber alert for a guy in Tennessee who is heading to Alabama, and you take over the television programming in central Missouri to broadcast it. Come on Mediacom. This is as bad as when you take over the television programming with your monthly tests. Why don't you do those at 3:00 am? Is the test not valid if it doesn't anger the people trying to watch the TV shows they're paying you to offer?

Upgrade your technology and offer the option of opting out of Amber alerts. Every other cable company I've dealt with as well as Apple and Google make this available. And move your annoying "EBS tests" to 3:00 am.

Does anyone know if there's another cable TV service in the Jefferson City MO area? I've recently moved here, fell for Mediacom's "best in class" service lie, and am beyond fed up with these interruptions.

[MediacomTom_]

Thanks for reaching out, samgoober. We do allow the EAS, Weather, Amber and other alerts to travel through our system as required by the FCC, however, we do not initiate or control those messages. The alerts override our signal, which is why you see an interruption when that happens and the cable signal should resume shortly after the test or alert is completed. Unfortunately this is by design and required by law, so opting out would not be possible.

[samgoober]

Mediacom is legally obligated to perform EAS tests that can interrupt TV service temporarily. However, the frequency and degree of disruption is likely not entirely out of Mediacom's control. Other providers handle the mandatory tests in a less disruptive manner for customers compared to Mediacom's approach. 

Why won't Mediacom make an effort to route these tests to times that would be disruptive to a smaller number of customers - as I suggested, at 3:00 am. The test result would still be valid. And you would have happier customers.

[MediacomTom_]

Unfortunately we would not be able to prevent them as we are not the origin of those alerts and are legally required to allow them on our system. For more info on who sends out the alerts please go to: http://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/e... or http://www.fcc.gov/emergency-alert-system for more details.