Service Electric
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
| Products | Cable television, Internet Service Provider, VoIP |
| Website | http://www.sectv.com/ |
Service Electric Cable TV, Inc. (SECTV) is a cable television company serving eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. Through three affiliates, the company operates systems in the Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre (Service Electric Cable TV & Communications), Kutztown, Hazleton, Sunbury, Mahanoy City and Bloomsburg (Service Electric Cablevision), and Sparta, New Jersey (Service Electric Cable Company). Service Electric also offers broadband Internet and telephone services through two partner companies, PenTeleData and Ironton Telephone.[1]
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[edit] History
The company was started in 1948 in Mahanoy City by John Walson, who owned a General Electric appliance store. At the time, the surrounding mountains in Schuylkill County made over-the-air reception from Philadelphia television stations difficult. Walson, who was interested in selling television sets through his store, solved the problem by building an antenna on top of the mountain overlooking the town. He initially ran a cable to his warehouse and then to his appliance store, using boosters to enhance the signal. Along the way, he hooked up neighbors to the antenna system.[2] Although there are others who have laid claim to the honor, Walson is often recognized for having built the first cable TV system in the United States.[3] Until Walson's death, the company was known as Service Electric Cable TV, Inc., which was based in Bethlehem.
In early 2011 Service Electric commenced offloading cable systems from its Service Electric Cable Company affiliate. The cable system in Wilkes-Barre and vicinity moved operations to Service Electric Cable TV & Communications, which is currently based in Bethlehem. The cable system in Mahanoy City moved operations to Service Electric Cablevision, which is currently based in Sunbury. As of mid 2011 The Sparta Township, NJ system currently is the only remains of the Service Electric Cable Company affiliate.
On February 18, 2011 the Service Electric Cablevision affiliate acquired CATV Service Inc. based in Danville, Pennsylvania. CATV Service continues to operate as a separate entity while Service Electric Cablevision consolidates internal operations in Danville.
[edit] TV2
The company's Lehigh Valley system operates TV2, a local origination cable television station. TV2 carries local news and sports, including coverage of Lehigh Valley Conference high school football, boys and girls basketball and wrestling, as well as several Lehigh University football games. In 2008, TV2 Sports began carrying home games of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA-level Minor League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.[4] The games are televised from Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.[5] The station has also added coverage of the Reading Phillies, the Philadelphia Phillies' AA-level minor league affiliate.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ "Our Partners". Service Electric official website. http://www.sectv.com/LV/partners.html. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
- ^ "Our Founder". Service Electric official website. http://www.sectv.com/LV/our_founder.html. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
- ^ Moss, Linda. "In the Keystone State, Service Electric Thrives". Multichannel News, August 1, 2005. http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA631093.html. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ^ "2 Sports website". http://www.tv2sports.com/. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ^ "Lehigh Valley IronPigs official website". http://www.ironpigsbaseball.com/. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ^ Fybush, Scott. NERW Special: Baseball on the Radio. NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved 2011-04-04.
[edit] External links
- Service Electric Cable Company
- Service Electric Cable TV & Communications
- Service Electric Cablevision
- CATV Service Inc.
- TV2 Sports
- PenTeleData
- Ironton Telephone
- Article on Service Electric traffic cameras.
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