The days of getting cable service by simply plugging a coaxial cable directly into the back of the TV set are coming to an end for many Comcast customers.
Beginning this week, the largest cable company in the nation began requiring customers in Prince William and Stafford counties to get digital set top boxes to continue receiving many of their regular channels.
Customers who haven’t already switched to digital service on Tuesday were greeted with a message on their TV screens stating upgrades to Comcast’s network would require customers to get additional equipment to continue receiving many of the Comcast’s channels they have come to expect.
Not all of the channels were taken away, but cable networks such as Bravo, TNT and others suddenly disappeared from the cable TV line up.
“Again, we’re calling the initiative “world of more” because it’s helping us keep our customers ahead of the digital curve and bring them access to more HD, more video on demand, faster Internet speeds and the ultimate in digital video and sound. To make “world of more” possible, Comcast’s analog expanded basic cable channels will be delivered exclusively in digital format, and digital equipment will be needed to view those channels,” said Comcast spokeswoman Alisha Martin.
The change won’t affect the 85 percent of Comcast customers nationwide who already have cable TV converter boxes.
Comcast’s expanded basic customers without will be allowed one digital converter box and up to two smaller boxes for other TVs in the house for no additional charge. Existing digital customers will be allowed up to two free digital adapters for their homes, said Martin.
Those new boxes can be picked up at payment center, including one in Dale City and on Garrisonville Road (Va. 610), or can be ordered online and mailed to customers.
So many people have been affected by the change that a customer service center in Manassas ran out of the smaller digital adapters on Wednesday afternoon, but was still able to offer set up boxes.
Cable bills are not expected to rise as part of the change, but customers are promised more channels like Biography, Bloomberg, History International and Lifetime Movie Network.
