With some customers struggling to figure out their new cable boxes and others still waiting to pick them up, Bermuda CableVision said yesterday it will delay scrambling its signal - again.

When it first announced its plan for descrambler boxes in July, CableVision said it would scramble its signal on August 1, after which all customers would need a set-top box to view channels. The move was intended to cut down on signal thieves who received the service without paying for it.

As the August 1 date neared and customers expressed annoyance about the changes, CableVision decided to wait. The five movie channels were scrambled on August 15, and channels 14 through 56 were scheduled to scramble today. Channels 2 through 13 were to be left unscrambled.

But yesterday, Jeremy Elmas, CableVision's general manager, said the company would push back the date indefinitely. He said a revised timetable would depend on whatever distribution plan the company devises. Up until now, most customers have collected the boxes from Cableision's headquarters on Laffan Street. Alternatively, the company delivered and installed the boxes for a $25 fee.

Mr. Elmas was primarily concerned with the 1,000 or so customers that have yet to collect a cable box. So far, the company has distributed about 30,000 boxes to 15,000 customers. The stragglers were not lured by CableVision's last ditch promotional effort, which offered a free pay-per-view movie to customers who collected their boxes before August 17.

"We don't want to abandon the rest," Mr. Elmas said in a telephone interview yesterday.

But even those with a box risk being abandoned because they have been unable to get the boxes to work or get help from CableVision

Last Friday, three desperate CableVision customers called The Royal Gazette for help, hoping someone could tell them how to install the new equipment.

Gail Smith, who pays more than $100 a month for cable, said she followed the instructions, but her boxes still did not work.

"I had the guy next door come over," she said. "He's done his own, but he could not get mine to work."

Ms Smith tried calling CableVision's customer service department, but the line rang busy or was unanswered for three hours.

Although she can still see her daytime soaps without a box, the housekeeper said she missed the movie channels that have already been scrambled.

"This is my only relaxation," she said.

Yesterday, Mr. Elmas said the company installed a new phone system last week with more lines and a telephone tree that directs customer calls. He expects further improvements when software is installed to manage incoming call traffic.