A Huntington, WV, resident has filed a class action lawsuit against the cable provider Comcast, alleging that the stipulation that customers pay a separate fee for a cable box is illegal. Comcast reportedly provides more than 24 million customers with cable services in more than 39 states.

Comcast currently rents out digital cable boxes to its customers for between $10 and $15 per month, on top of the monthly fee for cable service. The suit alleges that this practice constitutes "tying". Tying essentially describes a situation where a service can only be used if the customer obtains a separate product made available by the same company which is offering the service. This practice is in violation of federal and state trade laws.



The suit filed against Comcast claims that the company "has a monopoly in areas in which it provides cable television services to persons located in each of the states in which Comcast provides cable services, or otherwise has sufficient market power to appreciably restrain free competition."



Furthermore, the suit alleges that Comcast tells its customers that that cable boxes are incompatible with other cable services , therefore "Plaintiff, and all other Comcast television subscribers in the states in which Comcast provides cable services, have no choice but to contract with Comcast for cable television services," the suit states.



Additionally, the complaint charges that over a period of several months the rental fees paid total more than the box is worth: that Comcast buys the cable boxes at a fixed and low cost from manufacturers like Scientific Atlanta and Motorola and then rents them out to its customers.



Comcast Cable Box Class Action Legal Help If you or a loved one has suffered damages in this case, please Comcast currently rents out digital cable boxes to its customers for between $10 and $15 per month, on top of the monthly fee for cable service. The suit alleges that this practice constitutes "tying". Tying essentially describes a situation where a service can only be used if the customer obtains a separate product made available by the same company which is offering the service. This practice is in violation of federal and state trade laws.The suit filed against Comcast claims that the company "has a monopoly in areas in which it provides cable television services to persons located in each of the states in which Comcast provides cable services, or otherwise has sufficient market power to appreciably restrain free competition."Furthermore, the suit alleges that Comcast tells its customers that that cable boxes are incompatible with other cable services , therefore "Plaintiff, and all other Comcast television subscribers in the states in which Comcast provides cable services, have no choice but to contract with Comcast for cable television services," the suit states.Additionally, the complaint charges that over a period of several months the rental fees paid total more than the box is worth: that Comcast buys the cable boxes at a fixed and low cost from manufacturers like Scientific Atlanta and Motorola and then rents them out to its customers.If you or a loved one has suffered damages in this case, please fill in our form on the right and your complaint will be sent to a lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.

Reader Comments

Posted by

Thierry Sleszynski

on March 21, 2019 Had a Motorola DCX3400 HD/DVR set top box which I purchased in order to avoid paying the ridiculous $15.00 per month Comcast charge for their equipment. Had bought it in 2017 for my mother to replace a Motorola DCH3416 purchased in 2015 when Comcast unilaterally changed their protocol and desupported the DCH3416. Was working just fine, when my mother had Comcast come out to replace the remote controllers which weren't working properly. The Comcast technician (thief) who came out not only replaced the remote controllers but also my HD/DVR with a simple Comcast gateway. Not only did he do that (my mother didn't realize what he was doing), but he took (stole) the Motorola DVR, Mcard, DVR controller and manual and left. We reported this to Comcast Customer Service (ticket 048690672), and despite telling us that our equipment would be returned, they don't call us back, the equipment has not been returned, and they are always "working on it" when we call asking for status. Considering reporting the theft to the police Department, and filing in small claims court. Prefer to hook up with class action lawsuit and be reimbursed for the equipment, loss of use, installation cost and punitive action against Comcast for stealing equipment which doesn't belong to them and not returning it.

Posted by

Francis Hamzik

on January 28, 2018 They charged me for days of Erma had no cable 5 days ,there rep looked it up and our cable was out for the 5 days, then they , home office ! said he had no authorization and gave me only 1 day credit. now there adding programs and charging me never asked if I wanted them . They keep raising my monthly bill , I complained they-said they had that right ,but won't lower my rate ,kept saying ,under contract , I returned my infinity box ,to go back for the normal channels and they raised my rate over 20.00 a month. Asked them if they could help us a we are in our mid eighties ,reps said they don't really care just another client ,he said all they want is control and money flow.

Posted by

Tharisa

on January 27, 2018 It's not just Comcast. Atlantic Broadband's practices are absolutely ridiculous. They charge additional fees for the boxes among other things.



I tried to contact them regarding incorrect fees on the statement I received today and was on hold for over an hour before hanging up.



They are the ONLY provider I have access to for cable and internet, I have no choice.



I don't understand how these companies are permitted to get away with what they are doing!!!

Posted by

Marvin Knight

on December 10, 2017 Once again ComCast is charging me rental for my modem. I purchased the modem August 2015. This is the third time they have tried to illegally charge rent. I suggest that you check your ComCast bill very carefully.

Posted by

Jacqueline Sutton

on August 15, 2017 jacqueline.sutton Comcast is charging me five dollar broadcast TV fee it says "broadcast TV fee recovers a portion of the cost of retransmitting television broadcast signals."

The county ordinances say any re- transmission re-broadcast fee should be included in "basic service."

This flat five dollars is an illegal fee.

Posted by

Mr Painter

on August 1, 2017 They are horrible every month I have to fight them for different charges the thing is the other service providers are worst so we are stuck with this BS

where is the FCC are they getting a Kickback? Cmon

Posted by

Tony

on July 21, 2017 Comcast are crooks check into new vhf and uhf ant. get away from Comcast as quick as possible

you may also take them to small claims court they hate that. lets all file suit in JP courts to get the money they have been stealing from us.

Posted by

duane parker

on December 12, 2016 I have been with Comcast for a LONG time and have a verbal dispute on the phone with them on a REGULAR basis on box fees add on fees and techs They have charged me for their techs to fix their Comcast boxes and is CRAZY as of the first of Jan I I am forced to change provider(AT&T) hope that gets better. The problem is that there are not a lot of cable/internet providers(like we have for cell phones) and Comcast is the BULLY on the block and since they have purchased Universal I have seen the changes more on my bill EVERY MONTH. I wish I could be apart of this law suit, they would have PLENTY of phone and tech conversation for the courts. PLEASE contact me

Posted by

JOHN CREIGHTON

on November 10, 2016 COMCAST IS DOING THE SAME TO ME HERE IN SANTA ROSA CA PLUS THEY ARE ILLEGALLY BILLING ME AND DOING BAIT AND SWITCH. LOVE TO START A CASE IN CALIFORNIA FOR ALL 3 OF THESE. THANK YOU

Posted by

Latricia Knox

on October 31, 2016 I just got billed by Comcast for a technician for services that were not even provided and Comcast gave me a bunch of crap about reimbursing me and claim it's my fault because I don't have maintenance insurance for the lines outside, those are not my lines that's their lines I already pay too much for a Comcast services I should not have to pay for insurance on top of it ! their stuff should work! they charged me to install a new outlet and put in a new cable box in a different room in my house and that never happened the guy didn't do anything in my house except check the two boxes that I have and they were working perfectly so they lied in their billing and tried to get money for something they didn't do

Posted by

Anonymous Comcast Billing Representative

on October 26, 2016 I work at Comcast's billing customer service department and Comcast forces us at every call that the customer make us everyday, increase every customer's monthly rate. And Comcast wins millions every day and we on customer care everyday it's a chace to loose our works, even the field technicians when most of theirs are third party are obligated to charge every technical visit when part of the problems are caused for Comcast's equipment and if we don't do that we loose our jobs or in better cases we are degraded. And if we help the customers in most of the cases our ineffective quality department punishes us with the worst argument that we make something wrong even if the customer's problem get resolved. And I insist to everyone who call us everyday don't blame us if we don't resolve your problems with the company, please considerate that we are bad trained and we are forced to say some things to Comcast convenience and if you answer the survey on the phone to qualify our customer services if you put 5 in the scale of 1 to 5, you're excusing to Comcast to never change and if you put 1 in the survey's scale you are excusing to Comcast to be more inscrutable with their "company wins>customer looses" policy. And I beg to you to demand more better prices and please demand to Comcast corporative to make a really change, the products are good but the executives interests are wrong. Only the subscribers can make a real change and the personal is very rotating. In the phone, at service center, chats representatives and door-to-doors representatives are the edge of the knife pulling the empire to take every cent from you.

Posted by

Virginia C.

on October 21, 2016 I currently have Comcast and pay the additional $10.00 per month for the modem to ensure that I am able to access the internet that I pay for.

Posted by

dd

on October 15, 2016 Let's not forget they charge 10.00 for EACH box in your home- and you can not even get the same channels- They are the WORST!!

Posted by

Kristy Smith

on September 8, 2016 It really aggravates me to know that I pay $15 a month for equipment that I have to have in order to use Comcast cable it ought to come with the cable in a year's time I have paid $180 I have had that for the last 8 years my boxes should be paid for and yet I continue to pay how can that be legal I paid $1,300 for those boxes they are already paid off and I'm still renting them I should own them

Posted by

California

on September 28, 2009 I have provided proof that we returned the boxes within one week of discontinuing service, but Comcast kept billing us as if we kept the boxes. I have been turned in to a collection service for 689.00 for these boxes, that we returned.

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