Office of the Attorney General Secures Win in Appeal of Pro Rata Cable Law

January 10, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Danna Hayes 

Danna.hayes@maine.gov

 

 

 

Office of the Attorney General Secures Win in Appeal of Pro Rata Cable Law 

 

Supreme Court Declines to Review Lower Court Decision in 

Spectrum Northeast, LLC. v. Frey 

 

 

AUGUSTA – Yesterday the United States Supreme Court declined to review a challenge to Maine’s first-in-the-nation consumer protection law requiring cable companies to prorate customers’ final month of service. Sponsored by then-Representative Seth Berry, and passed by the 129th legislature, the law had originally been set to go into effect in September of 2020 but was stalled when Spectrum filed suit in federal court arguing it was preempted by federal law. By declining to hear Spectrum’s petition, the Supreme Court has effectively upheld the First Circuit Court’s ruling in favor of the State and the legality of the law. 

 

Since February 2022, Spectrum has been complying with Maine’s law by automatically prorating customers’ final cable bill after cancellation. In lieu of additional litigation, Spectrum has agreed to prorate the final month of service for anyone who canceled service between September 2020 and January 2022 for anyone who requests it. 

 

“Just as it would be unacceptable for a restaurant to charge for undelivered food or Amazon to charge for an undelivered package, large cable companies should not be permitted to charge for cable that is not provided,” said Attorney General Aaron Frey. “I’m thrilled that consumers will no longer have to pay after they cancel their subscriptions. I strongly encourage those who didn’t get what they were owed going back to September 2020 to request their refunds.”  

 

The Attorney General would like to thank Assistant Attorneys General Paul Suitter and Jason Anton for their work on this case. 

 

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