Independence law firm sues Comcast alleging it sold deceptive service plans

A Missouri class action lawsuit against Comcast alleges that the cable company sold deceptive service plans that promised to cover repairs to interior wiring connected to internet or television equipment.

The Independence law firm Humphrey, Farrington & McClain claims in a lawsuit against Comcast that $5 surcharges on monthly bills that purported to pay costs associated with service calls to repair wiring issues, but covered next to nothing in practice.

“People purchased this thinking it would cover any of the wiring inside their house,” said Kevin Stanley, an attorney for for Humphrey, Farrington & McClain. “What they don’t know when they purchase it is it doesn’t cover wiring that is inside the house if it is inside of a wall.”

In other words, the $5 service charge would cover wiring from a cable box to a wall, for instance, which a customer would have an easier time fixing on their own. But the service plan excuded repairs to wiring defects behind a wall, which would require more technical expertise and equipment to fix.

Comcast was not immediately available for comment. The company denied wrongdoing in a similar lawsuit filed on Aug. 1 by the Washington Attorney General.

In that case, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson accused Comcast of violating consumer protection laws, in part by not covering wiring repairs inside a customer’s walls. That lawsuit seeks more than $100 million from Comcast.

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Independence law firm sues Comcast alleging it sold deceptive service plans."