YOUR COMMENTS

It's Dec. 5th and the internet is still on... Use it and it don't pay for it. We're basically owed it for the horrible service Pine Tree has delivered over the years. It was a poorly run company that was always on the path to failure. I'm glad they went bankrupt, it's deserved.
- Stein, Rindge

I blame town officials for knowing this was coming and never being proactive. I was promised internet access in 2007 by Rindge town officials when deciding to move to the area- that never happened. My huband had to persue start up companies and we finally paid close to 500 bucks in startup fees and paid a tree climber to get internet. At the town meeting Wednesday night in Rindge, we were pretty much told to look forward not back, but the taxpayers are owed money for franchise fees and promises to upgrade our lines - that never occured. Something is off here. Verizon pulled out of Northern New England, then Fairpoint shows up and now they are bankrupt, Pine Tree goes under. What is going on? Something smells funny to me.
- Anna, Rindge

It's hard times for most. That said, I haven't paid my bill in about three months. If they are unreachable via phone do I have to pay my bill? I never payed via check and I'm not about to start now. Unless they hound me, they aren't getting their money. A little payback for the horrible service they provided. $80 plus for 13 channels and 250kb/s internet download speed of which I only got about 85 kb/s on a good day. Are they going to want their circa 1972 modem back or should I throw it in the dumpster where it belonged in the first place? They wouldn't let me use my own cable modem. I know Comcast allows you to use your own modem. Simply give them the "Mac" address on the modem, they turn it on. Done. Pine Tree = greedy. They needed that 3 dollars a month rental fee.

I received a mailer from Fairpoint. I live on Payson Hill Rd. It's close to the "central office" or "hub". That's where the service would be coming from. I'm 0.6 miles from the hub which is right by the police station. Anyone close to the hub should call Fairponit, I'll be doing that ASAP.

Finally I'd like to say I am so happy Pine Tree is going out of business. I am sorry people are getting screwed by PT. In the long run I think we'll be better off, because if you didn't know it, PT was screwing you long before this going out of business farce. Pricey service that was copiously sub par. Inept service technicians. Last but not least unprofessional. Ever see their "service truck"? It says "Pine Tree" with the same block lettering you'd buy at Walmart for your mailbox. Looks a little "white trashy" to me.

Goodbye Pine Tree. We wont miss you. I promise.
- Kevin, Rindge

YES!! The ice storm without a doubt crippled the New England Pine Tree Cable Region...I work for another Southern NH Cable provider and even with the money the company has...the ice storm destroyed the New England States coverage area..The money that HAD to be spent to rebuild most areas from the ground up was staggering..So the idea that the ice storm was no reason to close camp over at Pine Tree is less than insightfull, when your money is gone and no help in sight..What are you left with..It is terrible that this happened..The towns "if" they knew should have been reaching out to other "viable" providers..or look into wireless providers..WIMAX.something...But this loss of service needs to be fixed, not play the blame game..Call dish, direct tv...they provide tv and internet services..shop around and in the process things will be corrected "if" your town officials get their act together and look for solutions..goodluck
- Peter, Northwood

You folks reported it wrong. There are 11 NH towns affected by the Pine Tree closure. Customers have never been advised of the closing, rather heard it on the news.

This is Dec 1 and we still have cable. DirecTV has a tent out side Mr Mikes service station signing up new customers deserted by Pine Tree. We got our December 'prepay' bill on Saturday,knowing they're going to shut down.

Their mail box is full so customers can't phone to tell them to get their wires off our house. Will we have to pay the December bill? Our new Internet and TV service will be installed tomorrow and ther'e nobody at Pine Tree to take our call.

This is ridiculous. The sudden shut-down affects our ability to shop for new services and affects my husbands job.
- Janet, Fitzwilliam

My family and I just payed Pine Tree over 100.00 for new service and installation on or about November 19th. We were scheduled for install on Nov. 24. The service was a no call/ no show. (I began calling and emailing the company immediately. I was unablee to get thru.)

I got the news of the shut-down on November 25th. Pine tree knowingly took my deposit for installation and service, then announced their decision to discontinue service. Talk about the Grinch who stole Christmas!

Isn't this a case of fraud?
- Joseph Fortier, Rindge

I have been frantically calling all local companies. Fair Point still will not say when they might come to our area. Comcast won't either. I called Time Warner and they said that if our towns call, they will consider coming to our towns. They have high speed internet, cable tv, and phone and offer good bundling packages. CALL THEM....PLEASE!!!! :)
- Stephanie, Fitzwilliam, NH

we are in full gear to provide all affected residents TV service via directv. give us a call.
- cold river communications, walpole nh

im out in chesterfield and it looks like ill be out of internet and tv on Monday too.
- parker, chesterfield

Tom from Rindge, you are the smartest one of us all. I have been saying for years that we need to stop blaming corporate america and the politicians. We are the ones that built the corporations with the dollars we spend on their products and we are the ones tha tvote the politicians into office. Only we can make the change we need.
- Steve MIcke, Freedom

Folks, How was Gov. Lynch supposed to know that Pine Tree would fail?

As far as Fairpoint goes, First of all Fairpoint was its own worse enemy. They are trying their best to take care of the customers that Verizon was going to leave in a lirch if Fairpoint hadn't stepped in. I don't use Fairpoint up here but I had verizon down in RI and let me tell you You are all betteroff without those blood suckers. I know someone who worked for verizons corporate office in NY and they were going to be doing to the people in NH exactly what Pine tree has done eventually because they had no interest in upgrading the equipment and lines in the state to meet the demands of new technology. Now would the Gov. be blamed for that too.

And as far as the Dems hating small business, Do some research, 65% of the businesses that failed in the 8 years of little bushes debacle wre small businesses. Yet the big corporations were reaping millions of taxpayer dollars to pay their executive salaries.

I agree that for the mmost part the PUC here and in any state (try living in RI. The PUC there doesn't wait for the utility companies to request ate hiles they offer it to them.) are the enemy of the common man but like unions without them we'd tke ten steps backward in less than 5 years.
- Steve Micke, Freedom

Pine Tree was no bargin and now they have thier finger in our eyes...like we needed to wait for them to screw up?!!!

With change comes opportunity!

Here's a suggestion: Since our taxes have skyrocketed and we have received nothing for the 40% increase...how about the towns start working for their citizens and get some real services...hey I could use a septic pump out!

ps. For those still blaming Bush and now Obama...Give it up - it's our own daily decisions that have killed our economy...spend wisely!!!
- Tom, Rindge

Those who paid Pine Tree using credit cards may be able to have the charges dropped due to non-performance of the service. Call your credit card folks to discuss the process with them.
- Bill Jack, Jaffrey, NH

Sorry about the internet though...
- LD, Manchester

Good, less people being brainwashed by the the junk cable provides.
- LD, Manchester

Actually Pine Tree is in Nelson and Harrisville too.
- Shane, Harrisville

I haven't been receiving 7 channels for the past week so it doesn't surprise me to lose the whole nine yards!
- Steve, Rindge

They just sold me new service on the 16th of November and charged me $156.00 installation and equipment...now it will be off two weeks later -- that's fraud in my book.
- Underdog, Rindge

Nice. These crooks just charged me $150 two weeks ago for a modem, a month in advance service and an installation fee. No warning at all that I'd be buying a modem and paying for 2 weeks of service. I'll be complaining to the AG and my bank -- but what ethics.
- Dave, Rindge, NH

Jerry,

GM, Chrysler and AIG all first received bailouts from the treasury (Executive branch) under Bush.
- Jon, Hooksett

The PUC does not regulate cable or internet services. Blame someone else, Jerry.
- Mike, Concord, NH

Something fishy here. With that kind of profit margin, how does a cable company fold- even with the ice storm!

Good luck with Fair Point...
- sally, candia, nh

"they can go to the town's Facebook page for updates and suggestions on coping with the situation"

Where was the PUC when all this was unfolding? Is this what we've come to - Facebook updates for utility failures?

This appears to be nothing more than another Governor Lynch crony backroom deal. Sit on your hands while small enterprises fail, then watch your PUC protected chapter 11 Fairpoint baby step in and rape the tax payers.

Democrats hate small business and will preside over the destruction of this aspect of America, all the while bailing out GM, Chrysler, AIG and Fairpoint.
- Jerry LaCorte, Derry

Sullivan, NH is another town that will be affected by Pine Tree's closing.
- Denise, Glsum