BY GREGORY A. HALL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PINER -- In three months, residents in southern Kenton County will assume the area lead in the "Who has the most cable channels?" derby.
The region is the first in Northern Kentucky where InterMedia will activate its upgraded digital network that will offer 200 channels.
The rest of Northern Kentucky will receive the improvements by the end of 1999, putting a merciful end to the A-B switch that is the curse of couch potatoes.
The oldest parts of Kenton and Boone counties are last in line -- but not, cable officials say, because of wealthier suburban customers. The multitude of apartments in the older areas make the upgrade more difficult.
"There's more customers in Covington than any other area in the system," InterMedia Regional Director Mike Withiam said.
Single-family homes in those areas could see the expanded service sooner.
"It's a bit of a moving target there," Mr. Withiam said.
Franchise agreements with local governments also influenced the decision on where to start, the company said.
The upgrade, costing more than $24 million, will put an end to the dual cable A-B switch and allow InterMedia to offer 200 digital channels and Internet access through a service that will be called InterMediaHome.
The lineup of new channels is still being determined, but it could include expanded movie channels, more sports networks and religious and educational channels. InterMedia also will offer a 40-channel music service.
The Internet service will be available as early next year as possible, Mr. Withiam said.
InterMedia has about 71,000 customers in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties. About 64,000 of them who have dual-cable service will see channel capacity increase from 69 to 80 by the end of August.
The most consistent complaint the cable company receives, Mr. Withiam said, is the dual-cable network's A-B switch. Viewers with the standard equipment must go to the TV and flip a switch to access half of the channels.
"Dual cable has been a double-edged sword," Mr. Withiam said.
The advantage of the dual cable was Northern Kentucky had more channels -- the possibility of 80 -- than other markets when the system came in around 1980.
Some of the new work already has begun. The first customers in southern Kenton County will be able to subscribe to as many as 200 channels in October.
InterMedia officials say they're confident the new digital network won't be the dual cable A-B switch of the 21st century, although the thought has crossed their minds.
"Believe me, we've had that conversation ourselves," Mr. Withiam said.
The new network, unlike the existing one, is easily upgradeable, he said.
InterMedia officials said notices will be put in newspapers, on cable, in the mail and on doors to let customers know what to expect as changes are made.
When the system converts from two cables to one, service interruptions could last a day, Mr. Withiam said. Other interruptions because of the upgrade will be momentary.
Regardless, Mr. Withiam said InterMedia construction people will try to schedule the interruptions to avoid major events.
"They have been told that (University of Kentucky) games are off-limits," Mr. Withiam said.
