The city of Dearborn and Meridian Township near Lansing sued Comcast cable in federal court in Detroit today to block a plan that would move local access channels up the dial on Tuesday and require non-digital basic subscribers to get digital converter boxes to continue receiving those channels.
“They are taking away a service that should be provided to subscribers,†said Deborah Guthrie, Meridian Township cable coordinator, after the suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
She said Comcast’s unilateral decision would cost basic subscribers $4 to $5 per month per television for access boxes — over and above the free box Comcast is offering subscribers with analogue televisions for one year.
She said the decision would force many subscribers with analogue televisions, especially senior citizens living on fixed incomes, to stop receiving the public, educational and government-access channels.
Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly agreed, adding that other communities are likely to join the suit — the latest effort to derail Comcast’s plans.
A Comcast spokesman said today that the suit is without merit, but declined to get into specifics. He said Tuesday’s planned move would provide subscribers with better service in a digital format. He said Comcast’s satellite competitors don’t provide so-called PEG — public, educational and government access — service.
Next February, customers with analogue televisions must rent digital converter boxes to continue receiving signals under the federally-mandated switch from analogue to digital service.
The lawsuit said Comcast’s action would affect 500,000 customers statewide. It said cable operators, which receive local franchises to provide service, have no authority under federal law to interfere with the delivery or availability of the channels.
U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts scheduled a hearing for Monday to consider the communities’ request for an order to stop the move.
The lawsuit is the latest challenge to Comcast’s plans.
State legislators are writing a bill to reverse Comcast’s decision. And the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, plans to hold a hearing Jan. 29 to consider the issue.