WALLINGFORD - The ability to find public access shows while channel surfing will play a central role in a struggle between public access advocates and AT&T's new television service, U-verse.

U-verse will group all of the state's community access channels under one U-verse channel, channel 99. After selecting 99, viewers could choose their desired public access program from a menu.

Not offering public access on a regular "surfable" channel will be detrimental, said Scott A. Hanley, manager of Wallingford Government Access Television. He said many people like to flip quickly between public access and other channels.

"This would just be an added obstacle to try to bring people to view the channel," he said.