SANTA ANA : Static Grounds Cable TV Scrambling Plan

After dozens of complaints from customers and City Council members, Comcast Cablevision’s proposal to scramble its signal has been put “on hold” until January, the firm’s general manager said last week.

The company originally planned to scramble its signal last month, but 75 customers wrote letters criticizing the plan, which they called an unnecessary inconvenience that would require adding a decoder box and a new remote control, general manager David Barford said.

Calling the company “extremely sensitive” to the complaints, Barford said the firm is studying whether the signal can be scrambled without inconveniencing customers.

He said his firm hopes that by scrambling its signal it can offer a wider range of service packages that include cheaper, scaled-back versions to attract customers who cannot now afford cable.

Customers now receive either a $10.95 service with broadcast channels, public access and superstations WGN and WTBS, or a $21.45 service with more stations, including CNN and MTV.

With scrambling, Barford said, intermediate-priced packages that include basic service plus a few channels tailored to specific interests--such as sports or news--could be offered.

Another advantage to the company would be that many of the estimated 3,500 homes now receiving the signal illegally would be forced after scrambling to sign up and pay for service, Barford said, with the firm recouping up to $1 million more annually.

City Council members reacted coolly when the plan was unveiled in October. Councilwoman Patricia A. McGuigan called the plan a ploy to “redo their whole pricing system,” an allegation that Barford denies.

“People think this is just a way that we are raising rates, but it’s really just the opposite, (because) we’re offering cheaper packages,” he said.

By offering reduced-rate service packages and curtailing cable theft, revenue would increase and potentially curb future rate increases, Barford maintained.