Story Filed: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 4:31 AM EST

Dec. 19, 2000 (CableFAX's Pay-TV Today, Vol. 1, No. 152 via COMTEX) -- Subscribers to Telewest's Active Digital service have been hit by a technical glitch that has left them unable to access email or play interactive games.

Pay-TV Today understands that the situation has been going on for at least two weeks and in one case for as long as six weeks. The problem results in the TV screen freezing and can only be rectified by unplugging the box. Telewest uses Liberate software, though it is unclear whether the problem is software related, or is a networking issue. Pay-TV Today is aware of similar 'box freezing' problems on the NTL/CWC network.

A Telewest spokesman admitted, "There are issues," but denied there was a serious problem. The spokesman was unable to provide further clarification by the time Pay-TV Today went to press.

Glitches in Telewest's order processing computer systems recently caused lengthy delays in delivering its main internet telephony package to home users.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000