Wiktor Wise
Service Electric, a cable television and communications company, was founded in 1948 by John Walson in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. The company is currently the largest privately held internet provider to homes and businesses in the Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and Hunterdon County, New Jersey. In 2020, Altice USA, a New York City-based cable provider, acquired Service Electric Cable TV of New Jersey for \$150 million. Today, the company is led by John M. Walson, the third generation of the Walson family, who has served as president since his father, John E. Walson's death in 2012.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founder | John Walson |
| Year founded | 1948 |
| Original name | Service Electric Company |
| Founder's spouse | Margaret Walson |
| Founder's son | John E. Walson |
| Current owner | John M. Walson |
| Current president | John M. Walson |
| Headquarters | Lehigh Valley |
| Area served | Pennsylvania, New Jersey |
| Parent company | Altice USA |
| Number of subscribers | 290,000 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
John Walson founded Service Electric in 1948
In 1945, PP&L left the appliances business, so Walson started running a General Electric franchise from his home with his wife, Margaret Kowatch. In 1947, the shop began selling television sets, but sales were poor due to the difficult reception in Mahanoy City. The town was surrounded by mountains, which blocked television signals. To solve this problem, Walson built an antenna on a utility pole on a local mountain, which he connected to his store with a cable. He then connected several customers who lived along the cable path, creating the first community antenna television (CATV).
Walson's innovative idea led to the founding of Service Electric in 1948, and he is widely considered to have invented cable television. Service Electric is now the fourteenth-largest cable company in the US, with 290,000 subscribers, and it continues to thrive as a strong family business.
Electric Company Options in Somerset, PA: Your Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
John E. Walson took over in 1993
Service Electric is a third-generation company that was founded in 1948 by John Walson Sr. (born John Walsonavich). John Walson is credited with inventing cable television. In 1945, he and his wife Margaret opened a GE appliance store in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, where they sold, installed, and repaired General Electric appliances. In 1947, they began selling television sets, but the town's mountainous surroundings made it nearly impossible to receive the three Philadelphia network stations. To solve this problem, Walson built an antenna on top of 'Broad Mountain' (also known as Old Boston Mountain) and connected it to his store and a few local homes, creating the first cable TV 'subscribers' to the CATV network.
John E. Walson took over the company in 1993 after his father's death. He ran Service Electric Cable TV, Inc. for 38 years until his own untimely passing in 2012. During his time at the helm, Walson Jr. further expanded the company's reach into broadband and fiber optic technologies. In 1994, he spearheaded the creation of PenTeleData, a partnership between five regional companies. He also fostered a culture of philanthropy within the community.
Under Walson Jr.'s leadership, Service Electric continued to innovate and introduce new services. The company became a founding partner of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs baseball team and provided exclusive coverage of the Allentown Ambassadors' home baseball games. It also introduced the first two-way cable modems in the Lehigh Valley and became a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) by creating Service Electric Telephone. In addition, Service Electric began offering internet services in the Lehigh Valley in partnership with ProLog, a Service Electric company.
In 2008, the Service Electric Network began carrying home games of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. The station also added coverage of the Reading Phillies, the Philadelphia Phillies' AA-level minor league baseball affiliate, and Bethlehem Steel FC soccer games. In 2011, Service Electric commenced offloading cable systems from its Service Electric Cable Company affiliate, and its Cablevision affiliate acquired CATV Service Inc., based in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Where Are They Now? Electric Company Cast
You may want to see also
Explore related products
John M. Walson is the current president
Service Electric, a cable television and communications company, was founded by John Walson in 1948. John Walson is credited with inventing cable television. After graduating with a technical degree in electronics, Walson returned to Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife Margaret opened a GE appliance store. He sold and repaired General Electric appliances and also sold television sets. However, the surrounding mountains in Schuylkill County made over-the-air reception from Philadelphia television stations difficult. To solve this problem, Walson built an antenna on top of 'Broad Mountain' (aka Old Boston Mountain), the mountain overlooking Mahanoy City. He then connected it to his store and a few local homes as the first cable TV ‘subscribers’.
John Walson passed away in 1993, after which his son, John E. Walson, took over the company until his death in 2012. Since then, John M. Walson, the founder's grandson, has been the president of Service Electric. Under his leadership, the company celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2023. It is now the largest privately held internet provider to homes and businesses in the Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Hunterdon County, NJ.
Service Electric has a long history of innovation, introducing new services that have transformed the world of communications. In 1969, they launched TV2, a channel offering local sports, news, and events. Just three years later, in 1972, they became the first cable TV company to offer the Home Box Office (HBO) pay-TV channel.
In recent years, Service Electric has expanded its services to include broadband Internet and telephone offerings through partner companies PenTeleData and Alianza. They have also ventured into sports broadcasting, covering hundreds of high school and collegiate sports events, as well as exclusive access to Musikfest, IronPigs baseball, and Phantoms hockey.
While Service Electric has a strong presence in the Greater Lehigh Valley region, they have also expanded their reach beyond Pennsylvania. In 2020, their New Jersey operations, serving Sussex County, were acquired by Altice USA, a multi-systems operating company based in New York City. Despite this acquisition, Service Electric continues to be a family-owned business, with John M. Walson at the helm, carrying forward the legacy of his grandfather.
Electric Company in Luzerne MI: Who Powers the County?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![4 Books Collection Set by Jocko Willink [Extreme Ownership; The Dichotomy of Leadership; Discipline Equals Freedom & Leadership Strategy And Tactics: Field Manual]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/819jg3yXaOL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Service Electric was acquired by Altice USA in 2020
Service Electric, a cable television and communications company, was acquired by Altice USA in 2020. The company was founded in 1948 by John Walson, who is credited with inventing cable television. Walson built an antenna on top of the mountain overlooking Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and connected it to his appliance store and a few local homes, creating the first cable TV 'subscribers'.
Over the years, Service Electric expanded its services to neighbouring communities and introduced new offerings, including broadband internet and telephone services. The company also created local sports, news, and events channels, and was the first cable TV company to offer the Home Box Office (HBO) pay TV channel.
In 2020, Altice USA, a cable, phone, and internet provider based in Long Island City, New York, acquired Service Electric Cable TV of New Jersey for $150 million. This acquisition expanded Altice USA's presence in New Jersey, allowing them to provide high-quality broadband, video, mobile, and news services to thousands of additional homes and businesses in the state.
The purchase of Service Electric Cable TV of New Jersey by Altice USA marked a significant change for the company, which had been operating for over 70 years. While the specific details of the deal were not disclosed, Altice USA CEO Dexter Goei stated that the acquisition would be "very profitable and accretive" due to the lack of competition and the underdeveloped broadband network in the area.
With the acquisition, Altice USA continued the legacy of Service Electric, bringing innovative services and a commitment to quality to customers in the region.
Electric Companies in Brazil: Who Powers the Country?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Service Electric is the largest privately held internet provider in the Lehigh Valley
Service Electric is a third-generation company that was founded in 1948 by John Walson in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. John Walson is credited with inventing cable television and is recognised as the founder of the nation's first CATV system.
Walson initially started an appliance store, Service Electric Co., from which he sold, installed, and repaired General Electric appliances. He soon began selling television sets as well, but the surrounding mountains in Schuylkill County made over-the-air reception from Philadelphia television stations difficult. To solve this problem, Walson built an antenna on top of the mountain overlooking the town and ran a cable to his appliance store, using boosters to enhance the signal. He then hooked up his neighbours to the antenna system, thus laying the foundation for cable television.
Over the years, Service Electric has expanded its services and introduced innovations such as the first two-way cable modems in the Lehigh Valley and bundles of cable, phone, and internet services. The company has also been a leader in sports broadcasting, providing exclusive coverage of local sports teams and events.
Today, under the leadership of John M. Walson III, the grandson of the company's founder, Service Electric is the largest privately held internet provider in the Lehigh Valley. It serves homes and businesses in the Greater Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and Hunterdon County, New Jersey. In 2020, Altice USA, a New York City-based cable provider, acquired Service Electric Cable TV of New Jersey for \$150 million. However, the acquisition did not include Service Electric Cable TV & Communications, which continues to serve the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania area.
Electric Distribution Company: Who Powers Your Home?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Service Electric Company was founded by John Walson in 1948. After his death in 1993, his son John E. Walson took over the company until he passed away in 2012. The current president of the company is John M. Walson, the son of John E. Walson.
Service Electric Company is a cable television and communications company that also offers broadband Internet and telephone services. It is the largest privately held internet provider to homes and businesses in the Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Hunterdon County, NJ.
Service Electric Company is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and serves communities across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
John Walson, the founder of Service Electric Company, started the company by building an antenna on top of a mountain overlooking Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. He then ran a cable to his appliance store and connected several local homes to the antenna system, creating the first cable TV system in the United States.
