BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio – MCTV internet customers in Belmont County experienced an internet outage Monday and Tuesday that knocked out service to residential and business customers, including the Ohio Midland News Group and River Network.
The Ohio Midland News Group, which relies on internet access for its Facebook live streams and other online operations, faced major hurdles during the outage. For two days, the lack of connectivity created headaches for staff members, preventing them from broadcasting and handling other essential tasks.
The outage caused listeners to miss some of their favorite shows including Dimitri! Live & Dangerously Local!™️ and the Steve Novotney show.
Efforts to contact MCTV, the local cable service provider, initially proved frustrating. Staff members reported that calls to MCTV were met with hang-ups and unhelpful responses.
After multiple attempts, host Dimitri Vassilaros reached an MCTV representative who explained the outage was caused by an unexpected traffic accident. The representative explained that a truck struck a utility pole, leading to damage that impacted internet service across Belmont County.
Despite the initial lack of communication, the representative assured that repairs were underway and that service would be restored by Tuesday afternoon, which it was.
Reflecting on the situation, Dimitri emphasized that much of the frustration could have been avoided if MCTV had been more transparent from the start. Timely communication about the outage and repair timeline would have alleviated confusion and prevented the negative backlash.
“Accidents happen. It’s understandable,” said Dimitri. “But better customer service from the beginning would have made a big difference.”
You can listen to Dimitri’s account here.
The Ohio Midland News Group and River Network and now back online and ready to provide the Ohio Valley with the best in talk, music and news. We thank our listeners for their patience and loyalty.
