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| Moving, Packing and Utilities |
Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) provide water and sewer services to many Houston-area neighborhoods. Be sure to ask a real estate agent or landlord if a new home is in a MUD.
— Cable Television
Comcast is the dominant cable operator in the Houston area, servicing more than 1.7 million homes. Services offered include cable television, high-speed Internet and digital telephone. If you’re planning a move, let the Comcast representative know as there may be discounts that apply. Learn more by visiting www.comcast.com or by calling (800) 226-2278.
AT&T also offers its U-verse services in the Houston area, providing digital television, high-speed Internet and digital home phone service. Visit www.att.com/uverse/ to check availability in your area of Houston.
— Satellite Television
DirecTV (www.directv.com) and Dish Network (www.dishnetwork.com) are both available in the Houston area. Check with your real estate agent or neighbors about companies offering services in your area.
— Telephone Services
Service for the Houston area, including most of the surrounding cities, is provided by more than three dozen service providers. For a complete list, visit the Texas Public Utility Commission of Texas website at www.puc.state.tx.us. Base residential rates include a local access line, touch tone, state and federal taxes and surcharges. Rates (including taxes and surcharges) vary from $25 to $46 depending on the services requested. Long-distance service and custom-calling features, such as call forwarding, call waiting and call notes, are available for additional monthly fees. Check the local phone directory for contact information on other available local service providers.
The city of Houston and the immediate surrounding area have three area codes: 281, 713 and 832. When calling from one of these area codes, 10-digit dialing is required for local calls. Three other area codes 409, 936 and 979 are part of the larger 10-county Houston metropolitan area. When calling from the 281, 713 and 832 area codes to the 409, 936 and 979 area codes, long-distance charges are assessed.
When you call to request telephone service, be prepared to provide the following information:
AT&T requires an average of one to three days to connect your telephone, and the one-time installation charge is $39. Additional jacks inside the house are extra. The installation charge will be billed to customers with satisfactory credit histories while others might have to pay in advance. If building a house, arrange to have the telephone company wire it before interior walls are completed. This will prevent the need to put holes in the walls and save time and money.
LOCAL GARBAGE SERVICE
There is no fee for residential garbage collection in the city of Houston. Garbage and light trash are collected weekly. Heavy trash is collected only on a call-in basis for some neighborhoods while others may have monthly or bimonthly heavy-trash pickup. There is no garbage collection on municipal holidays. Some subdivisions opt to contract local garbage companies to collect refuse. Fees for these services usually are included in the homeowners association dues.
In the city of Houston, the Department of Solid Waste Management’s basic garbage collection services consist of the following:
— Residential Garbage Collection
Currently, homes get garbage collection service once a week on an Automated Garbage Collection System. Automated collection is a technologically advanced system that employs a specially fitted refuse truck. A sidearm grabs and lifts a special container, dumps the garbage into the truck and returns the container to the curb. Residents participating in the program receive a 65- or 90-gallon can from the city, specially designed for automated collection.
— Cable Television
Comcast is the dominant cable operator in the Houston area, servicing more than 1.7 million homes. Services offered include cable television, high-speed Internet and digital telephone. If you’re planning a move, let the Comcast representative know as there may be discounts that apply. Learn more by visiting www.comcast.com or by calling (800) 226-2278.
AT&T also offers its U-verse services in the Houston area, providing digital television, high-speed Internet and digital home phone service. Visit www.att.com/uverse/ to check availability in your area of Houston.
— Satellite Television
DirecTV (www.directv.com) and Dish Network (www.dishnetwork.com) are both available in the Houston area. Check with your real estate agent or neighbors about companies offering services in your area.
— Telephone Services
Service for the Houston area, including most of the surrounding cities, is provided by more than three dozen service providers. For a complete list, visit the Texas Public Utility Commission of Texas website at www.puc.state.tx.us. Base residential rates include a local access line, touch tone, state and federal taxes and surcharges. Rates (including taxes and surcharges) vary from $25 to $46 depending on the services requested. Long-distance service and custom-calling features, such as call forwarding, call waiting and call notes, are available for additional monthly fees. Check the local phone directory for contact information on other available local service providers.
The city of Houston and the immediate surrounding area have three area codes: 281, 713 and 832. When calling from one of these area codes, 10-digit dialing is required for local calls. Three other area codes 409, 936 and 979 are part of the larger 10-county Houston metropolitan area. When calling from the 281, 713 and 832 area codes to the 409, 936 and 979 area codes, long-distance charges are assessed.
When you call to request telephone service, be prepared to provide the following information:
- Complete address for installation
- Optional calling services that you would like, such as additional line, call waiting, call forwarding, three-way calling or call notes
- Previous phone company information, including phone number and location
- How you would like your White Pages directory listing to appear
- Credit information, including your place of employment and Social Security number
- Your preferred long-distance phone company
AT&T requires an average of one to three days to connect your telephone, and the one-time installation charge is $39. Additional jacks inside the house are extra. The installation charge will be billed to customers with satisfactory credit histories while others might have to pay in advance. If building a house, arrange to have the telephone company wire it before interior walls are completed. This will prevent the need to put holes in the walls and save time and money.
LOCAL GARBAGE SERVICE
There is no fee for residential garbage collection in the city of Houston. Garbage and light trash are collected weekly. Heavy trash is collected only on a call-in basis for some neighborhoods while others may have monthly or bimonthly heavy-trash pickup. There is no garbage collection on municipal holidays. Some subdivisions opt to contract local garbage companies to collect refuse. Fees for these services usually are included in the homeowners association dues.
In the city of Houston, the Department of Solid Waste Management’s basic garbage collection services consist of the following:
- Once-per-week residential garbage and yard waste collection
- Once-per-month collection of heavy trash (large, bulky items)
- Neighborhood depositories
- Dead-animal collection
— Residential Garbage Collection
Currently, homes get garbage collection service once a week on an Automated Garbage Collection System. Automated collection is a technologically advanced system that employs a specially fitted refuse truck. A sidearm grabs and lifts a special container, dumps the garbage into the truck and returns the container to the curb. Residents participating in the program receive a 65- or 90-gallon can from the city, specially designed for automated collection.
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