UCI Housing Network and Cable TV Issues

I haven't updated anything here in a while, so I figured I should put some news up.
As I had mentioned here, there is a group of students that discusses Cable TV issues with the housing administration. This group has met once so far.
Unfortunately, there were only representatives from Palo Verde and Verano Place in the meeting. To the undergrads in the other on-campus communities: if you want your interests represented, you not only have to say that you are interested, you actually have to show up at these meetings!
Anyway, a direct result of the meeting is that the housing administration is preparing a survey, to gauge the student interest in additional cable channels. Since nothing is for free, additional channels would also not come for free. The survey will therefore also try to gauge how much are students willing to pay for additional channels. Some channels are going to be more expensive than others, depending on the amount of money the network charges the satellite provider (ESPN is pretty much the most expensive one, since they are the sports marketleader and can demand a lot of money...)
In any case, expect the survey in the next couple of weeks, and please participate.

After receiving the email about the price for an HBO subscription (see here), I sent an email to Kevin Ansel, the housing director responsible for the cable TV, asking for clarification on the statement "This averages out to $13 per month for the HBO services, which is comparable to local cable company services", which clearly is not true.
Here is the email thread:

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AGS (the Associated Graduate Students of UCI), has initiated a "Cable TV Channel Line Up group" to discuss several cable TV issues with the housing administration. Every housing complex has representatives in this group.
Since I have been pretty vocal about this whole switch to UCI-provided cable TV, AGS asked me to be one of the representatives from Palo Verde.
Unfortunately, the group hasn't met yet. Kevin Ansel from the housing administration promised to email some information, but that hasn't happened yet.

It seems a lot of people complained about the high price of the HBO subscription. So they now have extended it for another month. I still think the price is too high, though.
Here is the email from Palo Verde Housing:

Dear Residents,

After much negotiation between Campustelevision and the UCI tech office, Campustelevideo has made an adjustment.

You can now subscribe to HBO service for $52. This gives you access between March 1, 2005 and June 30, 2005. (The deal was extended for one additional month).

If you are interested in subscribing but haven't done so, please visit the website for more information
http://www.campustelevideo.com/Programming/IrvineHBOspring2005.htm

If you have already subscribed to it, your service will automatically be extended to June 30, 2005.

This averages out to $13 per month for the HBO services, which is comparable to local cable company services, without having to pay for regular cable services!

Please direct all your questions to ResNet at (949) 824-6375.

Shelly Wang

Since Cox charges $9.25 (over the standard price) for 7 HBO channels, the offer from CampusTelevideo is still way overpriced.

Palo Verde residents got this email today:

Palo Verde Residents!

HBO is now available for residents to subscribe.

More Information can be found on the main Housing web page at www.housing.uci.edu

You will then be directed to a separate web page to sign up.

The window to subscribe for next quarter is short. You must sign up on line no later then Feb. 15th!

The link on the housing website points to Campus Televideo, and their site states that the price is $52 for the period from March 1 through May 31, 2005.
This seems excessive to me.