Cable Internet Installation

Bad advice, I believe. The "action" was the physical act of connecting one or more TV's to the jacks. That shows intent to defraud, IMHO. While a person may not be obligated to fix or report the cable company's mistakes, that's not the same as being able to take advantage of those mistakes.

Given the widening speed gap between DSL and cable, is it still fair to call DSL "high speed"?

How did the coax get connected to the TV? Magic?

Someone in the residence had to do something. Even if it wasn't the resident in control of the property, that person had to have (or is expected to have) knowledge that cable TV was connected to the TV, and that it wasn't being paid for. So even if it was connected by magic, that it was allowed to remain connected was an affirmative act, and that act can be defined as theft of cable service.

Then why does this person think they're not supposed to be getting the service. (Which, by the way, is another indication that they know they're not paying for a service that they're taking - stealing.)

But when it comes down to it, if they disconnect the coax from the TV set before the installer arrives, and if they're willing to start paying for their cable TV service, the cable company is likely going to smile, say thank you, and forget all about any previous theft (which they can remain in the dark about, and will have no compelling reason to investigate.)

If they're not willing to start paying for it, and they expect to re-connect the coax, and once again start stealing the service as soon as the installer is out the door, then eventually they'll either lose the service, and/or find themselves in big legal trouble, perhaps paying a big fine. (And probably lose the cable Internet service, and be put on the list of people to whom service will never be offered without the payment of a huge deposit.)

By taking the service without paying for it, they *are* stealing. That the cable probably shouldn't have been live in the first place does not mitigate their active theft of the service any more than a burgler can escape prosecution by noting that the victim had left their door unlocked.

The service isn't stolen if the cable company screwed up & didn't disconnect the legitimate service by the previous owner. As it is mostly "buyer beware", then the cable co need to do their job correctly as the new residents didn't do anything to "steal" service.

The other point is whether the "home" is a condo or apt where basic cable is provided "free" with the rent/maintenance fee.

Sure it is - if you hook up to it without subscribing it's stolen.

Now that's another matter.

I had to do some work over a dial up connection the other day. DSL is definitely high speed.

Estimated time for this download is 1 day, 20 hours, .....

:)

Makes it faster to drive someone and copy files to a USB drive.

I'd love to see you in court trying to argue that. If your TV is hooked to the cable and you aren't subscribed, you're going to be paying them big bucks unless you can come to an suitable agreement.

I'd first off like to thank the 99% of you who thought about the question at hand and gave me a honest opinion, it is very appreciated. To answer one of the questions, it is a home and to the best of my knowledge there is no free cable. Also in regards to the DSL suggestion, it is not available in my area, if it was I would most certainly pay for that and keep the cable TV free. What is even more mysterious about this is that we have several cable jacks in the house and only one works. I was walking around the basement last weekend trying to follow where all the cables go. Each room the cable runs to receives no signal when hooked to a television. However, the one lonely cord in our family room receives a signal. I almost think that this lonely wire comes from somewhere else seeing as none of the others work. Here is what I have decided to do. I called the cable company and they will come out soon to hook up cable internet as well as cable TV. I will take everyone's advice, disconnect the active line and hide the wire deep in the basement. I will take advantage of their new customer pricing on both services for the promotional period of six months. Once this promo period is over I will most likely keep the cable internet and ask them to disconnect the TV. After this is done I will hook up my hidden wire and see what happens. Thank you all once again, I love these groups for all the knowledge everyone has on such a variety of topics. I could, however, do without the moral questions of if I'm stealing or not. I understand people want to be smart assess, but lets save that for while were at work, not in forums which are supposed to be informative. Thanks again.

If the coax from the street was connected without the homeowner's permission, then that is an invasion like wire-tapping. The cable company should have disconnected the cable from home or pole instead of tresspassing.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with someone saying "I won't help you do something unethical, immoral or illegal." We all are volunteering our knowledge, and that means we're allowed to do so based on our moral compasses, and to indicate our opinion as well. No poster has a right to insist that I freely give away my knowledge.

Jesse, we can't change the fact that you have been steeling cable service up until now. As Gary pointed out, you might have been able to pleed ignorance, and my moral compass allows me to help you correct your mistake. (Although your original post seem to indicate that you weren't ignorant.) I have no problem with letting the past be the past, and if you're willing to become a paying customer *before* the cable company catches you, they generally will allow the past to be the past.

But now I really have to question your character. Not only do you no longer seem repentant for your crime (and yes, it is a crime, not just a tort), you are so lacking in character that you're announcing that you plan to do it again! Not only do you lack character, you're an idiot.

I supose I shouldn't complain. Law enforcement would have an easier time if all criminals announced that they have committed a crime, and are planning on committing the crime again in the near future.

So don't get on a high horse about how calling a thief a thief is something you can do without, and how everyone should help you in your criminal endevors. Your position does not have the moral high ground. You're just a common thief no different than a shoplifter or pickpocket. If that doesn't bother you, then I feel very sorry for you because even if you don't get caught by law enforcement, you will get caught by Karma. And Karma can be a bitch.

At first, you might have been able to pled ignorance as to how you are getting cable TV service. But now, after reading the above, it is clear that you're a thief, plain and simple. Better hope you don't get caught.

I, for one, welcome the moral discussions here. This isn't a cable theft group.

-Gary

Unfortunatly I have to agree. Jesse's original post described a 'hypothetical' situation but then, without any proof of wrongdoing being presented blatently admitted the crime and stated it would be done again.

While I don't condone criminal activity there's a lot to be said for the age old advice ... "never admit to anything".

BernieM