CableCARD Alternative to Cable Box Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are there any alternatives to leasing a Suddenlink Digital set-top box in order to receive digital channels, including Digital Premium and HD channels?

Yes. You can lease a CableCARD for use in either of the following:

  • "Digital-Cable-Ready" TV set (has a CableCARD slot and built-in Digital QAM tuner)
  • "Digital-Cable-Ready" device (such as a TiVo box or Microsoft Digital Cable Tuner).

    • Please Note: If you have newer digital TV sets and live in areas where Suddenlink offers
    "digital simulcasting," you will likely not require either a Suddenlink Digital set-top box or
    CableCARD to view digital versions of Limited Basic and Expanded Basic channels. You
    may only need a Suddenlink Digital set-top box or CableCARD to view channels that you
    subscribe to outside the Limited and Expanded Basic line ups, namely:

  • Channels offered on one or more of Suddenlink's "Digital Tiers" (Sports, Movies, Variety, etc.)
  • Digital Premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.)
  • HD Basic, HD Plus, or HD Premium channels. (HD Broadcast channels can be viewed without a Digital set-top box or CableCARD if your TV set has a built-in Digital QAM Tuner.)


    • 2. What is a CableCARD?

    A CableCARD is shaped like a thick credit card with electronics that "decrypt" or "decode"
    Digital Cable channels so they can be displayed on your TV screen. The card is designed so
    it can be inserted into a CableCARD slot on a Digital-Cable-Ready TV set or other Digital-Cable-Ready device.

    3. What type of TV set or other device do I need in order to use a CableCARD instead of a Suddenlink Digital set-top box?

    In order for a CableCARD to work with your TV set, that set must have a CableCARD slot
    and a built-in Digital QAM tuner. (Check your owner's manual or with your TV set's
    manufacturer to determine if your set has these two specifications.)

    CableCARDs can also work with other Digital-Cable-Ready devices - such as a TiVo box or
    a Microsoft Digital Cable Tuner - by inserting the CableCARD into the appropriate slot on
    those devices. (CableCARDs must be activated during professional installation by a
    Suddenlink field technician.)

    4. Are there any drawbacks to using a CableCARD instead of leasing a Suddenlink Digital set-top box?

    CableCARDs will not allow you to access Suddenlink's Digital:

  • Interactive Program Guides (IPG's), also known as interactive channel guides
  • Parental Controls
  • Entertainment on Demand (EOD), also known as Video on Demand (VOD)
  • Pay-Per-View (PPV) movies or special events (e.g., boxing matches)

    • The cable and consumer electronics industries are discussing the development of devices
    that, once equipped with a CableCARD, would provide access to the above-noted services;
    however, we do not currently know when such devices will be available to consumers.

    5. Why does Suddenlink offer CableCARDs?

    We and other cable operators are required to offer CableCARDs by the Federal
    Communications Commission (FCC). Suddenlink is also committed to supporting Digital-
    Cable-Ready TV sets and other Digital-Cable-Ready devices that consumer electronics
    manufacturers are developing.

    6. How do I get a CableCARD?

    After entering your zip code in the noted box on the home page of Suddenlink.com, look for
    the "Contact Us" link. That link will take you to a page listing multiple ways to reach a
    Suddenlink customer-service agent, who in turn can assist you with leasing one or more
    CableCARDs.

    CableCARDs are activated during professional installation by a Suddenlink field technician.
    At this time, CableCARDs are available for lease only, not for purchase. There may be a
    nominal fee associated with leasing a CableCARD from Suddenlink.

    Please Note: If you are using a Digital-Cable-Ready device like TiVo, you may need more
    than one CableCARD - and there may be a nominal fee associated with each CableCARD
    installed. At the time of installation, your Suddenlink field technician should be able to
    clarify and resolve whether or not you need more than one CableCARD.

    7. What is the typical charge for leasing a CableCARD from Suddenlink?

    Please contact our customer-service agents for current pricing information. (See information
    above regarding how to contact Suddenlink customer-service agents.)


    8. Will a CableCARD work with more than one Digital-Cable-Ready TV or device?

    After a CableCARD is installed and activated by a Suddenlink field technician, that
    CableCARD is "paired" with the specific TV set or device in which the technician installed
    it. For the CableCARD to operate in a different Digital-Cable-Ready TV set or device, it
    must be re-installed in (re-programmed to work with) the new set or device by a Suddenlink
    field technician.

    9. Does a CableCARD offer parental controls?

    No. A CableCARD only enables the decryption (decoding) of Digital Cable channels to
    which you have subscribed. While a CableCARD does not offer parental control functions,
    some Digital-Cable-Ready TV sets and other devices will offer those functions, in addition to
    the legally required "V-Chip" function. (A "V-Chip" allows parents to block programming
    they don't want their children to view.) Check your owner's manual, or with the
    manufacturer of your particular TV set/device, to determine what (if any) parental control
    functions might be available through that TV set/device.


    10. What should I do if my TV or VCR is not "Digital Cable Ready?"

    Some TV sets and other devices - especially older sets and devices - may not be "Digital
    Cable Ready." If that's the case, you can lease a Digital set-top box from Suddenlink or
    purchase a Digital-Cable-Ready TV set or device from an electronics retailer.

    If you plan to purchase encrypted cable services, such as Digital Premium or certain other
    Digital Cable services, you should make sure any TV set or device you purchase is "Digital
    Cable Ready" - in other words, that it has a built-in Digital QAM tuner and CableCARD slot.