Telemarketers for Cox Communications falsely claim digital cable service is required for the 2009 TV transition
If you have Cox Communications basic non-digital cable service, your television will continue to work after the analog-to- digital TV transition next February.
The switch from analog to digital cable is now less than a year away and UCAN has received some complaints that telemarketers have been trying to get Cox customers to upgrade from basic cable to digital cable as part of the transition. THIS IS NOT REQUIRED.
If you have basic cable connected to your TV, you will not need a converter box and you do not need to upgrade to digital cable. Digital cable and High-Definition are different services, and you do not need either service for your television to work after the transition.
For more information on the Digital Transition see UCAN Consumer Advocate Art Neill's blog: The day the TV died. Why your analog television won't work in two years. So, if you hear from any telemarketers, remember if you have basic cable you do not need to make any changes to continue to watch TV after the digital transition.
If you currently have an antenna, you may need a converter box, which are available at retail stores and you can receive a discount voucher for it from the Federal Government.
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Bye Bye Cable
I also got a call from Cox telling me this. I decided to try this out for myself. I bougth a DTV converter, plugged into the TV with a simple antenna and I had CLEAR DIGITAL television with all the local channels. The government subsidizes this with a $40.00 coupon.
Once I saw all local channels in great (better than cable) image I went ahead, called COX and cancelled my cable.
THAT WILL SHOW THEM TO STOP TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FALSE SITUATIONS, claiming that people need to upgrade their basic cable service to their Digital Cable or these customers will loose the signal.
If you've been contacted by a Cox Telemarketer telling you this........BEWARE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO UPGRADE. Get a Digital Converter Box at Best Buy, Walmart or Circuit City for $50 plus antenna (unless you want the Government to subsidize -$40) and say bye bye to Basic Cox Cable.
Re: Text Filters for Comments
[…] On the substantive side, a few legislators got to ask the cable people serious questions. Points for substance go to Garrison (D-Marietta), Stewart (R-Athens), Okey (D-Carrollton), Barrett (D-Amherst), and Foley and Williams (D-Cleveland). […]
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