CONSUMER UPDATE

February 2005 Consumer Newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

• GEUS Success
• GEUS adds HDTV and DVR
• Electric Rates Go Down
• What's New In "YOUR" GEUS Channel Lineup?
• "YOUR" High Speed Internet Provider
• GEUS Board Members - Past & Present

GEUS has been fortunate these past twelve months with successes in multiple areas. The system's electric reliability reached a historic high in July 2004 when the average electric customer had only experienced one outage of fifteen minutes during the past twelve months. That's a far cry from the early 1980's when frequent power outages were just a part of living in Greenville. Cable TV and Internet sign-ups exceeded expectations with the addition of ten channels while rates remained competitive and reliability high. So how do you follow up a year like that? How about the launch of state-of-the-art high definition TV and ten new HBO and Cinemax channels. As you're probably starting to see, we are not satisfied with just sitting back experiencing the status quo.

The Picture is Crystal Clear

GEUS high definition (HD) TV is here with a wonderful digital video recorder (DVR) included! You'll find nine new HD channels in this package, including Discovery HD, ESPN HD, NFL Network HD, HD Movies, HD Net (recently featured six hours of live broadcasts of Iraqi elections), ABC HD, FOX HD, NBC HD and PBS HD. The GEUS HD/DVR Package is $19.90/month and requires a digital subscription. One HD/DVR receiver comes with this package.

A new GEUS HD/DVR subscriber said it best, "The picture is just unbelievable. I initially wanted the HD so I could watch football and basketball, but I quickly figured out that the Discovery Channel is the most AWESOME HD channel. I love it. The DVR is really a great extra. It's so easy to tape the shows when we aren't around." - Pat Just

What is high definition? Well, there are some things you just really have to see to appreciate. Feel free to stop by the GEUS Service Center at 6000 Joe Ramsey Blvd. for a free demonstration with no obligations. We just like showing HD/DVR off!

If you would prefer to learn more from the web, go to www.geus.org/hidef/index.html for a DVR demonstration. Coming soon to the GEUS website and to GEUS channel 96 is a demo focused on HD.

Are you considering the purchase of an HDTV? Check out http://www.dtv.gov/DTV_TipSheet.pdf or http://www.dtv.gov/shopgde.html or call GEUS at 903-457-2800. We want to answer your HD/DVR questions.

General HD Info Sites of Interest:

• http://www.dtv.gov/
• http://www.checkhd.com/

High Tech Sites for You Techies:

• http://www.choisser.com/monitors.html
• http://www.nab.org/newsroom/issues/digitaltv/DDTV/
• http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/index.htm
• http://www.g4techtv.com/callforhelp/features/44712/Should_You_Get_HDTV.html

Electric Rates Go Down As Cable Rates Rise to Cover Programming Costs

The GEUS Board recently approved a $.55 reduction in the monthly electric customer charge paid by every GEUS customer. Residential consumers' customer charge will be $4.95 each month with commercial customers' rates dropping to $12.45/month. It is projected that GEUS will collect about $76,000 less each year through this adjustment.

Each GEUS cable tier package will increase by $2/month due to increased programming costs from networks. Programming costs account for more than 50% of GEUS cost to provide cable TV. The past year's increases were greater than $50,000 and those costs are expected to rise more than $90,000 in the coming year. "Increased programming costs seem to be inevitable for all cable providers, but GEUS' acquisition of programming though the National Cable Television Cooperative has kept our rates very competitive," said David McCalla, GEUS Assistant General Manager.

GEUS high speed Internet pricing will remain the same with the new electric and cable TV pricing going into effect March 1, 2005. "The success of the cable and Internet system spreads our customer service costs over a greater number of customers, thus allowing us for the past two years to reduce the monthly customer charge paid by each GEUS electric customer", said Tom Darte, GEUS General Manager. "One goal of GEUS entering the cable and Internet business was that all GEUS customers would benefit - even if they didn't switch to these new services," Darte added.

What's New In "YOUR" GEUS Channel Lineup?

TWC Enhanced Weather Channel Features - Frequent local weather info, instant hazardous weather updates and radar/forecast every ten minutes on the 8's.

Soapnet - 24 hours of current and past soap operas including classic series such as Dynasty, Dallas, Knots Landing, Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place

NFL Network - This channel is dedicated to current NFL coverage and lots of old professional game footage

Varsity - Youth programming

FOX Sports Atlantic - Similar programming to FOX Sports SW, but focused on teams and players from the eastern region of the US

FOX Sports Central - Features popular shows such as Longhorn Sports Center, The Aggie Sports Connection, Inside Baylor Sports, Inside SW Recruiting, Inside Sooner Basketball and lots of college hockey.

FOX Sports Pacific - Similar programming to FOX Sports SW, but focused on teams and players from the western region of the US

Fuel - Specializing in extreme sports

NASCAR In Car - Some of you got a taste of this last year. NASCAR In Car allows you to channel surf between multiple drivers with in-car cameras, live team communications and real-time car data.

Season Packages are available. GEUS digital subscribers can give this a free test drive during the Daytona 500 on February 20th.

Sci Fi - This popular channel features an array of Science Fiction programming

National Geographic - This channel and Sci Fi are now available to Economy Plus customers.
Your TV may require channels to be auto reset to access these two channels

4 New HBO additions to the Premium Package - HBO Comedy East & West and HBO Zone East & West

6 New Cinemax additions to the Premium Package- WMax East, Thriller Max East & West, Outer Max East, @Max and Star Max East

ESPN Deportis - Recent addition to GEUS all-Spanish premium package, Greenville Diversión
Click here for a complete TV listing

What Makes GEUS Cable TV Different?
Local, Local, Local!

GEUS 34 Local Programming - Greenville's only local TV channel dedicated to covering this community's events and citizens each day of the year.

GEUS 72 Local Weather - 24-hour monitoring of the weather that affects us. Tune in to see multiple area radar images and data from Majors Field right here in Greenville.

Two Local Customer Service Locations - Our goal is to provide you with friendly and helpful customer service.
6000 Joe Ramsey Blvd. and 2821 Washington St.

We also have GEUS 22 KFWD - Featuring Big XII Sports and shows such as the Longhorn Sports Center and the Bobby Knight Show.

Sign Up for GEUS Digital Cable today
903.457.2800

"YOUR" High Speed Internet Provider

You've heard your friends speak of GEUS high speed Internet. So why are you still listening to that dial-up modem connecting to the service provider? Switch to GEUS! Did you realize that through GEUS' combo discount, digital customers with their own modems only pay $27.95/month for their Internet?

Residential High Speed Internet

GEUS supplies modem: $ 39.95/mth You supply modem: $ 32.95/mth

Subscribe to GEUS Digital Cable and High Speed Internet for a $5.00/mth discount!

No charge for Installation - modem set-up, computer configuration and outlet to one computer. (3 email addresses for each standard account)

GM Notes

Local service means better service, however it is not an automatic process. Courteous and well-trained customer service representatives result in friendly and efficient service. Our customer service teams enjoy their work and want to help you, our citizen owners, with your needs with electric, water, sewer, garbage collection, cable and high speed Internet services.

We are quite proud of the fact that we have been able to lower your monthly residential and commercial electric customer charges by $2.55 and $1.55 respectively over the past two years. These decreases have come due to the synergies that have developed from the success of GEUS' cable TV and Internet system.

You probably know that we have walk-in and drive-through services at City Hall and at the GEUS Service Center, at 6000 Joe Ramsey Blvd. You may not know that we have connected the telephone systems at these two locations in order to more efficiently answer your phone inquiries. Most of the time we can answer your questions when you call; however, on occasion it will be necessary to refer the call to a supervisor or another department. Our goal is to keep such referrals to a minimum.

This newsletter is designed to inform you of the latest improvements in service offered through our state-of-the-art cable and high speed Internet system. We continue to make improvements to the electric system that are not readily apparent but have resulted in a record improvement in system reliability.

We must never forget the fundamental concept that we are here to service you.

GEUS Board Members - Past & Present

Present Board Members

• Sue Ann Harting - Chairman
• Randy Hall - Vice Chairman
• Renee Shelton - Secretary
• James W. Adams
• Jerry J. Ransom

Past Chairmen

More Variety & More Video on GEUS Cable TV