AT&T files complaint against Cablevision

WASHINGTON Aug 13 (Reuters) - AT&T Inc (T.N) filed a complaint on Thursday with the Federal Communications Commission, alleging anti-competitive practices against Cablevision Systems Corp (CVC.N) in a bid to gain access to high definition programming from its Madison Square Garden network.

AT&T is the second telecommunications company to recently file a program access complaint against Cablevision. More than one month ago, Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) filed a similar complaint with the FCC with the same goal, which is to access the lucrative New York regional sports market.

That market includes games played by the New York Knicks basketball team as well as New York Rangers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils ice hockey teams.

Cablevision owns the Knicks and the Rangers.

AT&T said FCC rules prohibit cable operators like Cablevision from engaging in conduct that prevents other video providers from offering a competing service to consumers

Cablevision could not immediately be reached for comment.

It could take up to five months for the FCC to respond.

(Reporting by John Poirier, additional reporting by Yinka Adegoke; Editing Bernard Orr)