Comcast Cracks Down On People With Free Cable

[Sci-Fi]

From the Indy Channel:

Comcast Cracks Down On People With Free Cable

Speedway Man Fined For Viewing Free Channel

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis cable company is going after people who are receiving TV channels free of charge.

Comcast Cable is especially concerned with people viewing premium or pay-per-view channels they haven't paid for, Call 6's Rafael Sanchez reported.

Although he's only set up for basic cable, on February 22 he was able to watch the Mike Tyson/Clifford Ettiene boxing match on Showtime.

During the fight, Comcast Cable ran a crawl that included a toll-free telephone number where viewers could call to win a prize.

But instead of a prize, Brian was give a bill demanding $1,000, Sanchez reported.

"I basically I told them it was highway robbery and I wasn't going to pay it," Burton said.

The prize offer was part of a sting to catch people who saw the fight without paying for it.

Secure Signals International -- working on behalf of Comcast -- was behind the sting, and accuses Burton of using a TV decoder to receive the signal.

Brian denies using a decoder. He said he subscribes to HBO -- which he said he can barely see -- and that he's been able to see Showtime for years.

"I didn't request it. It came to my house. I've watched it on occasion, and that's the way I feel about it. I'm not guilty of any crime, especially of trying to steal their signal using illegal equipment," Burton said.

"I've actually invited them to come over to my house -- Comcast and this company which is Secure Signals International to come over to the house and check it out, and they both basically said that they don't do that," Burton added.

Burton could face a fine of $10,000, along with 300 other people caught in the sting in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Sanchez reported.

He was offered an out-of-court settlement of $4,000.

"Is $4,000 a large fine that we are imposing on this particular case? Yes it is. We also feel its a crime that effects our cable industry in a big way," Comcast vice president Rusty Robertson said.

Comcast officials said whether people use a decoder or get a premium channel through no fault of their own and don't report it -- it will be considered theft if the homeowner is caught.

"If we penalize our customers for only the price of what they stole, then the risk is not that great to thwart theft," Robertson said.

Burton said he planned to seek legal advice.

Comcast officials said they lose around $6 million a year to thefts of all kinds.

The $10,000 fine for every violation was approved by federal authorities, Sanchez reported.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Yikes

[at58]

Wow

[JOEM]

And for that wretched Mike Tyson/Clifford Ettiene bout. That's adding insult to injury!

[SillyEagle]

A guy at work got caught in a same situation here in Ohio. Only it had nothing to do with a fight.

A friend of his told him to get a particular piece of equipment for his cable...etc. So he bought it off the 'net. No instructions or anything and no cables... so he put it in the garage and forgot about it. Never even hooked it up... but they rounded up all the folks here from the site where he bought it... and they were forced to pay $3500 in penalties or go to jail.

Buying it in the 1st place indicated his 'intent' to defraud the cable company... and he was stuck.