Some Comcast viewers to need boxes

<p>For years, many Comcast customers have been able to watch TV without a cable box.</p><p>No more.</p><p>Starting next month, Comcast will gradually begin turning off a chunk of its analog service in the Bay Area and switching those customers over to its digital network.</p><p>When the shift is completed at the end of the year, about a quarter of Comcast customers who currently plug cable directly into the back of their TV sets will need a digital set-top box to watch their favorite programs, said Andrew Johnson, Comcast spokesman.</p><p>The decision is designed to free up space on the network for faster Internet speeds and more high-definition channels, Johnson said. It means that 1.7 million Comcast customers who subscribe to its expanded basic cable service will need to find a space in their entertainment consoles for a set-top box to receive channels 35 to 82.</p><p>"Our customers have been telling us they want more high-definition channels and faster Internet speeds. This does that in a quick, efficient manner," he said. "Every city in the Bay Area that Comcast serves will go through this sometime this year."</p><p>Comcast is beginning in March with a handful of cities in Marin County and on the San Francisco peninsula. No time has been set for Santa Rosa and other Sonoma County areas, but Comcast aims to complete the change by the end of this year.</p><p>Customers can install the new equipment immediately, if they wish, and obtain one box and up to two adapters at no charge. Comcast is not raising rates in conjunction with the move, Johnson said.</p><p>Comcast is announcing the switch in letters, phone calls, notices on channels, and advertisements. Customers can call (877) 634-4434 to request the equipment.</p><p>The move comes as Comcast battles AT&T with its expansion into cable television service, as well as satellite companies.</p><p>"That will allow us to take the bandwidth to launch faster Internet service and more high-definition channels," Johnson said.</p><p>Digital signals take up less space in the cable compared with analog. By moving more channels to digital, Comcast gains space to increase Internet speeds three to six times the current rate and eventually double the number of high-definition channels, Johnson said.</p><p>About two-thirds of its Bay Area customers already receive digital service.</p><p>Comcast is upgrading the one-fourth of users who now receive channels 2 to 82 in analog. They will need cable boxes or adapters to receive channels 35 to 82 once the switch to digital is completed.</p><p>The move does not affect channels 2 to 34, which will continue to be delivered in an analog signal.</p><p>Customers who only receive so-called limited basic cable service don't need to install new equipment.</p><p>The digital expansion also gives the middle tier, expanded basic customers access to On Demand programs, some of which cost more, 29 new channels, 30 FM radio stations, and 45 music stations through the cable box. The smaller, digital adapters only deliver channels 2 to 82.</p><p>Comcast is providing one box and two adapters at no cost to each expanded basic customer because its average household has 2.8 televisions.</p><p>Digital customers with expanded basic service on other televisions will receive two digital adapters at no cost.</p><p>If they need extra equipment, customers will be charged $6.99 a month for an additional cable box and $1.99 more for extra adapters.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Michael Coit at 521-5470 or mike.coit@pressdemocrat.com.</p>