$50M Comcast Antitrust Class Action Settlement Gets Final OK

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After nearly 12 years, the class action lawsuit against cable company Comcast Corp. has finally ended. Comcast will be responsible for paying $50 million to resolve the antitrust class action lawsuit.

On Tuesday, Pennsylvania federal judge John R. Padova signed off on the order to grant final approval of the settlement. The class action lawsuit alleged that Comcast monopolized television service in the Philadelphia area.

Back in 2003, plaintiff Stanford Glaberson originally filed the class action lawsuit against Comcast, alleging that the company violated antitrust laws in the Philadelphia area. According to the allegations, Comcast acquired competitors, thereby reducing the competition for other cable companies in the area and establishing a monopoly on the services.

In 2004, an amended complaint was added to the original Comcast class action lawsuit to include claims in the Chicago area. Action on the Chicago class was halted due to a stay, but the Philadelphia claims moved forward.

In 2010, Comcast appealed the class action lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court determined that Class certification was not appropriate due to the lack of establishing enough in common for proposed class membership or for common damages that could be measured.

In 2013, the Comcast class action lawsuit survived a motion to dismiss by Comcast, and the court allowed Glaberson to redefine the Class. In 2014, the Chicago claims were dropped, and the Philadelphia claims were left to proceed.

After a preliminary approval of the Comcast settlement in 2014, Class Members were given the opportunity to join the class action litigation by filing a claim form through July 10, 2015. Any Comcast subscribers who were subscribers of Comcast beyond basic cable in certain Pennsylvania counties from Jan. 1, 2003 to Dec. 31, 2008 were eligible to join.

The terms of the Comcast monopoly class action settlement for Class Members are as follows:

Current Comcast subscribers could choose from one of the following:
• A one-time $15 credit on their bill
• Credits to include 6 pay-per-view movies (valued at $35.94)
• 4 months of upgraded Internet service (valued at $38-40)
• 2 month subscription to The Movie Channel (valued at $43.90)

Current subscribers who submitted a Claim Form but did not indicate a choice will receive a 2-month subscription to The Movie Channel. Class Members who are no longer Comcast customers will receive a $15 cash payment.

U.S. District Judge Padova stated, “In conclusion, it must be remembered that a settlement is, by its nature, a compromise. Neither party can expect to receive a perfect outcome. Rather, each must consider the strengths and weaknesses of their litigation position, and determine what is an optimal outcome.”

The plaintiffs are represented by Barry Barnett and LeElle Krompass of Susman Godfrey LLP, Vincent J. Esades, David Woodward and Jessica N. Servais of Heins Mills & Olson PLC, and Joseph Goldberg of Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg Urias & Ward PA.

The Comcast Class Action Lawsuit is Stanford Glaberson, et al. v. Comcast Corp., Case No. 2:03-cv-06604, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

UPDATE: A Class Member filed an appeal to the Comcast monopoly class action settlement on Oct. 21, 2015.

UPDATE 2: On Feb. 23, 2016, according to our readers, Class Members who submitted timely and valid claims for the Comcast settlement began receiving checks worth as much as $15.