For around eight months patients at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) have been without television because of an ongoing signal dispute between CableVision and the Hardell Cable TV Ltd.

The service has been delayed because CableVision said that it cannot sell to a reseller. However, this came after Hardell Cable Ltd., had received a letter of intent from the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) and also after investing more than $300,000 installing state-of-the-art cable equipment.

BHB administrative and risk manager Aldwin Savoury said: “We can't give a date when this will be sorted, but we are very anxious to see the electronic service back on at the hospital as in addition to the entertainment system we are also implementing educational programmes for our staff.”

General manager of Hardell Cable Ltd., Corey Butterfield said: “We approached CableVision in October 2001 to request the use of their signal.

“CableVision sent us a quote for the service and then asked which channels we wanted, but in December CableVision changed their minds and said ‘we cannot sell to resellers'.

CableVision then said that they wanted to provide the service direct to the hospital.”

Mr. Butterfield said that essentially would then make the hospital a reseller.

“CableVision also provided this service to Kenny DeFontes for many years, this is discrimination,” he said.

“The Attorney General is currently giving us the legalities of the situation. We have received a second opinion from another lawyer saying that CableVision is in breach of the Act.”

In a statement from CableVision yesterday, the company said: “We made a proposal last October to the contracting party where we could sell our services directly to the hospital. We proposed this solution because we are not permitted to sell our services to resellers, but we did not want the hospital to be without service. We understand that the details have not been worked out for this arrangement to be implemented, however we are ready to provide the service to the hospital as soon as we get the green light to go forward.”

But Mrs. Stephanie Reid, chief executive officer of BHB said: “We are not aware of any offer made directly to us by CableVision. We were under the impression that CableVision and Hardell were negotiating the signal.”

“We are concerned with the delay and the executive committee of the board will meet to discuss the matter thoroughly to find the earliest possible solution.

“For years the hospital had a television service - the vision is to have a very modern and informative service at the hospital.”

Mr. Butterfield said: “We have invested $300,000 in the new system with another $150,000 to complete the project. We have installed the headend equipment necessary to broadcast the CableVision service to every room within minutes of CableVision giving us the service.

“The new system - called headend equipment - shoots a signal to all television sets and back to the headend. It is a dual pathway that allows patients to purchase pay-per-view. We currently have 75 percent of the required television sets.

“Hardell asked CableVision to continue for a short-term solution, but they haven't heard anything and we are waiting.”

Mr. Butterfield said: “We don't want Bermudians to suffer, we are looking for ways that we can put some service at the hospital.

“We have kept the hospital informed with all correspondence and we are committing ourselves to providing a service at the latest by mid-August.”

Under the Telecommunications Act 1986, CableVision must provide a signal to every Government building but Mr. Butterfield said: “CableVision is flouting the Act to the detriment of patients and Hardell - they are holding us at ransom.

The board will meet later today to discuss the matter as we want to see the new service up and running.