Published: May 10, 2008 08:38 pm         

Digital transition won’t affect Suddenlink customers

Cable customers in some parts of the country have been told they would have to rent a converter box for each television set, plus pay for a service call to install it, when the congressionally mandated digital transition begins next February.

Suddenlink Communications customers, however, will not be affected by the digital transition, according to Michael Kelemen, Suddenlink’s director of government relations.

“Suddenlink will not require customers get digital cable television service in order to continue receiving local broadcast channels,” Kelemen said. “In fact, people with Suddenlink cable service of any kind will not be required to change or upgrade their service in 2009.”

Kelemen says the transition to all-digital television applies to broadcast television signals and is mandated by the federal government.

“This is not a cable company decision,” he said.

Kelemen says anyone with a non-digital television who uses an antenna will need a converter box.

“That new format won’t work with older nondigital TV sets if the owner uses an antenna to get TV channels,” he explained. “However, the government is giving out two $40 coupons per household to subsidize the cost of the boxes. Suddenlink does not have access to those coupons.”

Kelemen says those who have an older non-digital TV set and choose to continue to use an antenna to get local broadcast stations in 2009 will need to either purchase a converter box from an electronics store or purchase a new television.

About 10 million coupons have been requested so far, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Another option for people with nondigital TVs is to get cable service, according to Kelemen.

“Even basic cable service automatically converts all signals so that older TV sets can get new all-digital channels in 2009,” he said. “People do not need to purchase digital cable service or get added equipment. For those homes that have only some or none of their TVs hooked up to Suddenlink’s service, people can call us for installation.”

There are about 65 million basic cable subscribers in the United States, according to the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

— E-mail: fpace@register-herald.com