Keep Americans Connected Pledge Doesn't Apply to Your TV Bill

The language on the Federal Communications Commission’s website seems simple enough. According to a “pledge” signed by the nation’s cable and internet providers, for the next two months, there will be no termination of “service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” Turns out, the pledge does not appear to apply to TV.  That was news to Kimberly Martinez Malo, a Broward resident, who discovered that her cable TV connection, Xfinity by Comcast, had been shut off. Martinez Malo has been indefinitely furloughed from her job as an administrative assistant, and currently has no source of active income. She had been led to believe by Comcast that no such shutoff would occur. A representative for Comcast confirmed that customers like Martinez Malo do have the option to go to a lower-tiered payment system to help maintain their internet connections. But Comcast said TV service is not part of its FCC pledge, noting “The FCC pledge, which Comcast signed and fully supports, applies to internet and voice customers.”