AfterDawn: News

AT&T files FCC complaint against Cablevision

AT&T Inc. has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) against Cablevision Systems Corp, alleging anti-competitive practices. AT&T is seeking to gain access to HD programming from the Madison Square Garden (MSG) network, which is the same goal as Verizon Communications Inc, which filed a similar complaint with the FCC just last month.

The content they seek to gain access to includes games played by the New York Knicks basketball team, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils ice hockey teams. According to AT&T, in its complaint to the FCC, Cablevision engages in conduct that prevents other providers from offering a competing service to customers, which is claims is against FCC rules.



AT&T providers the programming to customers in Connecticut but in standard definition. "Their customers already receive every single game offered on MSG and MSG Plus," Cablevision said. "Now they want the FCC to force MSG to hand over its HD programming, which is a product of many years of technological development and investment. The idea that a phone company more than 15 times our size needs a regulatory bailout is absurd."

Written by: James Delahunty @ 13 Aug 2009 20:13

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• 2 comments

• IcyCool

  Cablevision is a bunch of liars. Every god damned commercial I hear is babbling on and on about the phone company's high speed internet and how Optimum (Cablevision's service) is 10x faster. No shit it's faster than the "high speed internet". Because Verizon's High Speed DSL is a edited by ddp PHONE LINE!! Another thing I've heard from them recently regarding AT&T was that Optimum had more HD channels than AT&T's service, which isn't even used in the Optimum area. But then claims that, "If you're getting your HD from a phone company, you need to switch now". Wrong phone company artards! I swear, their marketing has more lies than war propaganda. I'm so sick of watching it on TV, hearing it on the radio, and seeing it EVERYWHERE I go on Long Island.

  13.8.2009 21:16 #1

• DarkJello

  I hope they win, I hate cablevisions service, but love the Rangers. Hockey is certainly the sport where viewers benefit most from HD, and I want it on FiOS

  14.8.2009 19:01 #2