July 21, 2008

Verizon Claims HD Holdout

Verizon complained to the FCC Thurs of "the growing practice" of vertically-integrated programmers refusing to sell competitive providers access to HD programming feeds—and accused Cablevision of doing just that with MSG in NYC and Buffalo. CVC could not be reached for comment. The telco's letter stated that "some cable incumbents attempt to circumvent the Commission's [program access] rules... by routing [the HD] format (but not a lower quality version of the same programming) over fiber and arguing that, as a result, the 'HD feed' is not covered by the rules." Verizon claimed CVC won't sell the high-def feed for its MSG-Buffalo channel after doing the same in NYC but does provide the feed to "one or more" other video providers in Buffalo. Verizon urged the FCC to "promptly condemn [such] anticompetitive and unfair practices."