Quad residents without cable TV

They've already missed Monday Night Football, Saturday Night Live and everything else in between. And today, more than a week after a steampipe explosion first disrupted telecommunications services to University residences and offices south of Spruce Street, more than 2,000 Penn students continue to be without that all-important college diversion: cable television. The trouble began last Sunday evening, when a steampipe burst beneath the John Morgan Building behind the Quadrangle, immediately damaging telephone and television circuits leading to the Medical School buildings, the Quadrangle and Stouffer College House. The explosion also knocked out Penn's student-run television station. Broadcasting on the Stouffer College House-based UTV-13 came to an immediate halt with the blast and hasn't yet been restored, according to Eric Gordon, the station's general manager. "When the TV lines to Stouffer were disrupted, we lost our outgoing signal," said Gordon, a College senior. "We don't plan on coming back on the air until it's fixed since it wiped out our ability to transmit." Further inspection of the damaged circuits indicated that the intense heat of the explosion destroyed much of the copper wiring itself, necessitating a longer-than-usual repair period, according to Gordon. Since the initial accident last week, all Quad and Stouffer residents have been without standard ResNet cable service. Telephone service to a significant portion of Medical School offices was also knocked out for several days, though it was restored on Friday. According to a recorded message left on the Penn Video Network hotline, technicians are anticipating a return to service by tomorrow. "Cable television to all Quadrangle College Houses, Stouffer College House and all associated academic and administrative buildings will continue to be unavailable until Tuesday, September 12," the message read. "Physical Plant and telecommunications engineers are doing everything they can to restore service as soon as possible," it continued. The repairs to the Quad and Stouffer TV systems can't come soon enough for the staff of UTV-13, who say they are losing valuable exposure time while their transmission is blocked. "It's bad for us since we're trying to recruit freshmen and make an impression on them to be a part of UTV," Gordon said. "All we can do is sit by, be patient and get ready to be back on the air." Despite the problems, student life officials say that the start of classes and the warm weather have kept most students' attentions away from their lifeless televisions. "I haven't heard any complaints," Spruce College House Dean Christine Brisson said. "The weather has been very nice... so I think people have been taking advantage." "Surprisingly, I haven't heard much," Ware College House Dean Katherine Lowe-Becht added. "I think it's a great sign that everyone is busy with other things.