Thousands of Millennium Digital Media subscribers in Anne Arundel County may soon become Comcast cable customers if the U.S. government approves a service change.
Millennium is seeking to transfer its 40,000 county customers to Comcast, which provides similar service in most of the county.
County officials downplayed concerns of monopolies, athough Millennium?s departure leaves two cable providers, Comcast and Verizon.
“My major concern is that the consumer interest was protected,” said County Executive John Leopold, who added that other cable providers may surface. “There is still competition in the marketplace with Verizon.”
Peter Smith, Millennium?s vice president of programming, would not comment on the transfer, as the deal still awaits approval from the Federal Trade Commission.
But County Council Chairman Ronald Dillon, R-District 3, said competition from the more technologically advanced Comcast and Verizon made it difficult for Millennium to stay in the market.
A smooth transition is what the county wants to see, as Millennium plans to dump its customers regardless, Dillon said.
“I prefer a very structured transition, as opposed to one day there is no cable signal because Millennium left town,” he said.
Aimee Metrick, spokeswoman for Comcast, would not comment on the deal until the federal approval, nor would she say how many Comcast customers reside in Anne Arundel.
“We look forward to welcoming Millennium subscribers and employees into the Comcast family,” she said. “Millennium customers will not see any immediate changes to their existing products, customer service contact, billing or any other area.”
According the county?s Cable Television Administrator?s office, the deal would give Comcast new customers in the northwest section of the county.
Comcast and Millennium charge about $48 a month for the same for basic cable for one television, according to the county. Metrick would not say if costs would change if the deal was finalized.
