LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The future of television Bingo in Fort Simpson is uncertain after the community's only cable television service has notified customers it is going out of business.

Ivan Simons scales a pole in this September 2015 photo while repairing cable lines accidentally knocked down by high equipment. - NNSL file photo

Senga Services Cable TV, a division of H.R. Thomson Consultants Ltd., stated in a Feb. 29 letter to its customers that it is closing its doors, effective immediately. H. R. Thomson will remain in business.

Senga Services Cable TV had aired television Bingo since the mid-1990s, among other programs.

On March 2, manager Jennifer Simons confirmed the news to News/North.

"The owners are retiring and need to be closer to their medical doctors in the south," she said

"We wish to thank all of our loyal customers for the years of support."

Simons said the company has been put up for sale and could continue if new owners take charge.

Senga Services Cable TV was started up by H.R. Thomson owners Ivan and Senga Simons 23 years ago, and has been in business in Fort Simpson ever since.

Television bingo, one of the cable company's most popular programs, aired on Channel 9 three times each week, on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

When it was first started, the channel was originally used for community announcements such as birthday wishes, news and events.

Community groups looking to do fundraising had the option of paying a $135 fee to run a bingo, selling ticket packages to players who watched from home.

Recently, the channel was offered as part of an agreement with Liidlii Kue Support Services, a non-profit group and was dedicated purely to bingo. In December 2014, the fee for the channel was increased by $10 to $35, the first such increase in a decade.

Liidlii Kue Support Services could not be reached for comment.

In December of last year, Senga Services made the headlines of several international news outlets after posting the names of customers and the amounts they were in arrears.

The list included 33 customers who owed approximately $13,000 total.

At the time, Simons told News/North her company suffered online harassment, spamming and angry phone calls from people across Canada due to the attention. Although around half the customers settled up their bills after the list was posted according to Simons, the company took it down from Facebook on Dec. 3.