U.S. Digital must stay on air through revamp

A Delaware bankruptcy judge has ruled that Draper-based U.S. Digital Television keep its service on the air while the company is restructured.

A representative of the company said USDTV, which provides over-the-air digital TV service, said service representatives will be available to help customers with their accounts as soon as the representatives are available.

USDTV LLC filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 6 in Delaware. A trustee is handling the remaining assets of the company.

"The court-appointed trustee is working with potential investment groups to provide customer service until new owners are selected," the source said. "During this period, every effort will be made to help subscribers with any technical problems or billing questions."

Updates will be posted on the USDTV Web site, www.usdtv.com.

Formed in June 2003 and commercially launched in December 2005, USDTV leases portions of the digital spectrum from local television stations. Customers with a set-top box and antenna receive about 30 channels of "off-the-air" wireless digital TV service for $19.95 monthly as a low-cost alternative to cable or satellite TV.

The company has about 6,000 subscribers in Utah, part of a group of 16,000 in Salt Lake City, Dallas, Albuquerque and Las Vegas.

Prior to the bankruptcy filing, USDTV had about 120 employees, including about 50 in Utah. A skeleton crew remains.