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7/6: Analog Comcast customers lose CMT, Hallmark
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Comcast Atlanta, which is in 800,000 households in metro Atlanta, has been pushing folks to move to digital cable for years now and the cable company just gave another incentive to do so by recently dropping Hallmark and CMT from the analog basic cable lineup.
Hallmark, once on Channel 77, is now at Channel 137 for digital cable customers. CMT used to be on Channel 78 and is now at Channel 168. Basic analog customers now get nothing on 77 and 78.
Comcast spokesman David Williams said about 1/3 of its customers remain on analog but he has seen an “uptick” in transfers to the digital side since the change a month ago. He said Comcast made this move to clear up bandwidth for HD channels.
Tthe pricing is the same for basic analog cable ($49.99) and basic digital cable so there is really no excuse not to switch over. Basic digital cable now provides Hallmark, CMT and the following that analog does not get:
C-Span2, MoviePlex, NBC Weather Plus, Azteca America, Telefutura, Daystar, Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters, 47 digital music channels, Comcast On Demand and an On Screen Programming Guide.
For folks who use rabbit ears, the FCC is going to make analog transmission obsolete on February 17, 2009 and will force people with older TVs to buy digital converters or new TVs that take digital signals only. According to the FCC site, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part of the Department of Commerce, can provide up to two coupons per household worth $40 each toward the purchase of digital-to-analog set-top converter boxes for analog TVs.
Comments
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By peter
July 6, 2007 5:49 AM | Link to this
What’s a Comcast? Get satellite!
By adam
July 6, 2007 8:01 AM | Link to this
Why are you intentionally spreading 100% completely incorrect information about the 2009 analog cutoff? I guess that’s what’s expected from the AJC. The cutoff has NOTHING to do with cable or satellite subscribers. A person with analog cable will NOT be affected whatsoever because the cutoff is only of over-the-air analog signals. Stations after the cutoff date will only be able to broadcast over the air digitally. For example, WSB broadcasts on analog VHF2, and digitally on UHF39. After the cutoff, VHF2 will cease airing.
Thus, the cutoff only affects people who rely on rabbit ears and who don’t have a television with an internal digital tuner. THEY are the only ones who will need to get a digital tuner in order to continue using their old analog TVs for over the air programming. Sheesh.
And don’t get me started about people who confuse the analog cutoff with a mandate to broadcast in HD…
By Roger
July 6, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this
3 words “Directv or Dish” why would you waste your time with cable cable = half the channels twice the cost. Even better free to air satellite and and antenna