Electricity

Some landlords provide electricity for their tenants, but in other cases, it’s up to you  to sign up.
West Penn Power, formerly Allegheny Power, serves much of the region and can be reached at 800-255-3443.

You’ll need to provide your new address, move-in date, Social Security number, birth date and a phone number where you  can be reached. A credit check will be run to determine whether you  need to provide a security deposit.

You  can call up to 30 days ahead of time. There is also a form to make a request for service at www.alleghenypower.com. Click on “residential customers” and follow instructions.

Caps on electricity rates that had been in place in Pennsylvania since 1997 expired at the end of 2010. The deregulation is intended to create competition, providing Centre County consumers a choice of electricity suppliers. To learn more, visit www.alleghenypower.com and click on “customer choice” or visit the state Office of Consumer Advocate at www.oca.state.pa.us and follow the link to “Electric Consumer Shopping Guides.”

Phone

To ensure you  won’t be without phone service when you  move, call Verizon at 800-660-2215. You  can complete an application over the phone.

If Verizon has questions after receiving your credit report, a representative may ask you  to fax two forms of ID, including one photo ID, before your order is processed.

Also providing local and long-distance phone service in the borough of State College is Windstream Corp. at 866-445-3402.

Vonage (www.vonage.com or 800-705-7092) and Comcast (www.comcast.com or 800-266-2278) also provide long-distance via broadband for many Centre County municipalities.

Water and sewer

In many cases, the landlord will take care of water and sewer services. If he or she doesn’t or if you’re building a new house, contact your municipality or the Centre County Planning and Community Development Office at 355-6791.

There are many water and sewer systems in Centre County, and Planning Office personnel can direct you  to the correct one.

Television

Television content providers include the companies listed below. Some apartment complexes include television packages with the cost of rent. Certain companies supply service to specific areas. Channels and available packages vary with service area. Call for information.

•  Comcast, 800-266-2278 (800-COMCAST)

•  Windstream Communications, 866-445-3402.

•  Direct Digital TV, 800-481-6922

•  Direct TV, 800-280-4388

•  Dish Network, 888-825-2557

•  Tele-Media Corp., 353-2025 (serves Zion area, some Spring, Walker and Marion township residents)

•  Country Cable TV Pleasant Gap, 359-3161 (serves Julian and Unionville-area residents)

•  Millheim TV Transmission Co., 349-4837 (serves Millheim-area residents)

Internet

In addition to many national providers, several local companies provide residents with Internet options. Some of these options are:

•  Central PA Internet LLC, 866-781-3128 or www.cenpanet.net

•  Fisk Internet Services LLC, 689-3475 or 888-880-8603 or www.fiskis.com

•  Windstream Communications, 866-445-3402 or www.windstream.com

•  Getwireless.net, 867-2100 or www.getwireless.net

•  Pennswoods.net, 877-716-2002 or www.pennswoods.net

•  PA.net Internet Services, 689-9000 or www.pa.net

Natural gas

To arrange for natural gas service, call Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania Inc. at 888-460-4332 or PPL Utilities at 800-342-5775.