CableVision has been so overwhelmed with hooking up customers to their new digital system that they have not even had time to observe their new competitors, World on Wireless, the company said.

And CableVision is offering free installation with the launch of digital cable to Smiths parish and the southern part of Hamilton parish, general manager Jeremy Elmas said.

?We haven?t even had a chance to look at WOW to be quite honest, we?ve been so busy,? CableVision operations manager Alan Smith said yesterday when asked if the launch of the new cable company had made any dent in CableVision?s customer base.

?We don?t really have time to focus on what WOW is doing. We?re really stretched focusing on what we?re doing.?

That included dealing with the ?overwhelming? number of customers signing up for digital cable, as well as the launch of digital cable in Smiths parish and the southern part of Hamilton parish, he said.

CableVision has also targeted improving customer service in recent months, Mr. Smith said, including the hiring of new staff to answer phones and ensure people are getting through.

While the company still has an automatic phone system that is mainly used by people wanting to check their account, etc., he said: ?We have now cured the issue of people not being answered quickly enough.

?We are even monitoring some calls to use them as a training function ... The biggest part is the staff, that?s where the kudos is going to.

?The salespeople are doing a great job answering the phone, it is astounding to see the number of calls answered and the speed at which it is done.

?Those people who do hang up now are choosing to do so after a wait of something like 15 or 18 seconds.?

The company is also training two new installers and interviewing for a third, as well as hiring two new line technicians to deal with the demand for digital cable, he said.

And CableVision is finally getting on track after the massive blow of Hurricane Fabian, he said. ?We are really starting to roll now ... There are constant improvements and training. We are hiring more staff so we don?t burn those we have out.?

The demand for digital is ?just amazing? considering how little advertising was done for it, he said. Most advertising was word-of-mouth. ?It?s unbelievable.?

CableVision is completing upgrades to its new broadband network and introducing digital service at a rate of approximately one parish per month. ?We expect to be halfway across the Island by July,? Mr. Elmas said. Devonshire is next on the list.

The new broadband network incorporates fibre optics for greater reliability and superior transmission and picture quality, a CableVision statement said.

The new network will also be enabled for two-way interactivity, allowing the company to provide Internet services, interactive games, e-mail and other applications over the television.

The digital line-up includes 120 video channels and 45 commercial-free, CD-quality music channels. Twenty of the channels included are the most-requested channels from the latest customer survey, while there are 17 movie channels and 23 pay-per-view channels.

CableVision will continue to offer the old analog system packages of up to 60 channels for as long as possible, Mr. Smith said.

However, as more and more satellites turn to digital, he said the analog system will eventually be phased out.

CableVision expects to be offering digital cable Island-wide by the end of 2004..