A class-action lawsuit against Cablevision has resulted in a settlement in which customers can get $20 to $40 or services worth much more — but they have to file a claim form by Friday, Sept. 23.
The lawsuit, Marchese v. Cablevision, was filed in federal court in New Jersey back in 2010, and alleged that “certain business practices” Cablevision engaged in, “resulted in subscribers paying higher prices for Cablevision’s cable TV set-top boxes,” according to an April news release from Taus, Cebulash & Landau, one of the law firms that prepresented plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit. “Cablevision denies all of the claims in the lawsuit.”
Logo of Cablevision, now a subsidiary of Altice USA
The Law360 website reported last December that “Plaintiff Gary Marchese initially launched the putative antitrust class action in April 2010. He has been seeking to bring claims on behalf of all Cablevision customers who purchased Two Way Services and were required to lease a cable box in order to access those services, according to the suit.”
The Marchese v. Cablevision Systems Corp. Settlement Website states that Cablevision customers from April 30, 2004 to March 9, 2016 are eligible to submit claims for benefits from the settlement, if they apply by Sept. 23.
The settlement website says these benefits are available (see below for more details):
“The Settlement offers credits for services (ranging between $50-$140 in value) or a one-time bill credit (ranging between $20-$40) to Cablevision’s Current Subscribers. Former Subscribers can get a one-time cash payment (ranging between $20-$40) and other benefits.”
All current subscribers (as of March 9, 2016) can get one benefit whether or not they submit any claim form at all: free access to a four month subscription to the internet-delivered SundanceNow service from AMC.
The news release from Taus, Cebulash & Landau has more details:
“The Settlement provides that Current Subscribers who file a valid claim form can choose either: (1) a one-time bill credit (ranging between $20-$40) or (2) one of several Cablevision services or equipment options (ranging between $50-$140 in value). Former Subscribers who file a valid claim form will receive a cash payment. All Current Subscribers and those Former Subscribers who file a valid claim form will receive a free four month subscription to the Internet-delivered SundanceNow service. Class members must submit a Claim Form online or by mail by September 23, 2016.
How to apply for the settlement benefits
To apply for the settlement benefits, get the claim form online here and follow the instructions to either submit it online or by mail.
If you file by mail, use these claim forms:
Former Cablevision customers may not need to have all the exact information about their subscriptions — the form for former subscribers requests “approximate dates of Cablevision TV service at this address” and “Cablevision Account Number (if known).”
Part of the form that former customers can submit. Note that exact information isn’t required for dates of service and account numbers (which the company might find in its own records).
If you had Cablevision service at more than one address, you can include that too, and there are more benefits the longer you have had service.
If you lie in the application (instead of just making a mistake), you are subject to penalties for perjury, the application warns.
More details about benefits
Here are some excerpts of the long official document showing what benefits customers can get (see the full document for more details):
For customers subscribing 36 months or less
For customers subscribing 36 months or less as of March 9, 2016
For customers subscribing 36 to 72 months
Benefits for Cablevision customers subscribing 36 to 72 months (three to six years).
;;;;;
For customers subscribing 72 months or more
Benefits for the longest-subscribing customers, 72 months (six years) or more
For former customers
What former Cablevision customers can receive from the settlement
There are additional details, including details that affect benefits, in this settlement document.