Comcast uses Salem, Ore., as all-digital test market
In anticipation of the digital transition, Comcast is using Salem, Ore., as a test market for going all-digital and using digital-to-analog set-tops.
Salem appears to be a good choice for the attempt; 75 percent of Comcast’s subscribers there are already digital, and 10 percent subscribe to the Limited Basic or Extended Basic tier, leaving a fairly small population to deal with (Salem’s total population was 152,000 as of July 2007).
Comcast will distribute, for free, one set-top and two D-A adapters to any subscriber who elects to continue getting the 70+ Extended Basic channel lineup.
Comcast will continue providing channels 2 through 31 in analog format. Customers who had Extended Basic and do not want a D-A converter box will get fewer channels, and will have their bills adjusted accordingly.
More Broadband Direct:
• Cox Communications to trim 460 jobs [1]
• TWC starts testing Cisco's switched video adapters [2]
• Comcast uses Salem, Ore., as all-digital test market [3]
• Mixed Signals monitoring gets comprehensive [4]
• AT&T begins bandwidth caps [5]
• Bright House launches PowerBoost in Indiana [6]
• RCN ups revenue in Q3 [7]
• Japanese service provider deploys Juniper [8]
• FCC tables controversial vote [9]