MUSKEGON COUNTY, Michigan — A Muskegon woman has been trying to get cable at her home specifically so she can watch football. She says she spoke with multiple cable providers, but it quickly turned into a complicated ordeal. She said one provider quoted her $3,000.
“My retirement’s enough to keep me okay, and I can pay for cable, but it's not enough to be ripped off,” Mary Ames said. “That's why I contacted you guys.”
When she first reached out to the 13 HELP Team, she only had one request.
“All I want is cable,” Ames said.
She lives in the center of Muskegon in an area where everyone, including her neighbors, has cable. The issue, she said, is the unique location of her home, which sits on a property just off the main road, nestled beneath many large trees.
“I've asked DISH out here, Frontier out here, Verizon, Comcast, and they all said I had to chop my paradise down to get cable TV,” Ames said.
The cable providers have told her she has a couple of options. One option involves tree removal so a satellite can get a good signal. The other option involves extending the cable line that’s in from of her neighbor’s home for a fee of $3,000, she said. Hoping to find a more affordable option that doesn’t involve tree removal, Ames said she reached out to city workers for help.
“All I do is get a runaround every time I try to call them,” she said. “And yes, I do watch TV, and you said ‘when you're tired of the runaround, call.’ So I called you.”
Ames is a lifelong fan of the Detroit Lions, and thanks to her kids, she will soon see her team in action.
“My oldest son, God love him, has sprung to take his mother and two of my grandsons to a football game that I've never been able to see,” she said.
Ames and her family are traveling to Detroit for the game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 19. For all the other games of the season, though, she's hoping to watch the action from the comfort of her own home.
The 13 HELP Team reached out to Xfinity who told us “the address is not serviceable because of product availability.” We are still exploring options to make sure Ames can see those Lions games.
Jay may be the face of the HELP Team, but there are more members behind the scenes working to get the job done. HELP Team stories can be seen on weekdays at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and at www.13HelpTeam.com. People are encouraged to contact the HELP TEAM by calling 616-559-1313 and leaving a message or emailing help@13onyourside.com.
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