Suddenlink has added its voice to those supporting Mediacom's retransmission-consent complaint against Sinclair.

In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, the company said the agency should designate the complaint for a hearing before an administrative law judge, and grant Mediacom's request that Sinclair not be allowed to pull its TV station signals while the complaint is being heard.

While the FCC has previously decided that broadcasters need no "special constraint" on their retrans negotiations to make sure they did not unreasonably boost cable rates, Suddenlink said the marketplace has changed and the FCC needs to increase its oversight.

On Dec. 14, DirecTV, Dish Network and Insight Communications announced their backing of Mediacom in its retrans fight with Sinclair. Time Warner Cable and the American Cable Association are also on the record in the fight.