Despite FiOS, Comcast TV Prices Rise > Is FIOS available where comcast is?

Is FIOS available where comcast is?

Actually, in the mid-Atlantic region (NJ to VA) FIOS is Comcast's biggest competition. However, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has said, flat-out, that Comcast refuses to compete on price with FIOS. Further, Comcast is actually somewhat protected from competitive pressures by the *STB tax* that FIOS customers are forced to pay (I'm referring specifically to standard cable, which *requires* an STB for FIOS, but does not for Comcast), which only increases with each additional TV. If you have more than four TVs, the *STB tax* can get onerous, especially if you *don't* have any pay-TV channels. For this reason, most homes with four or more TVs (these can, by and large, afford either service) mostly won't switch because of the *STB tax*; if the targeted customer *already* has STBs from Comcast, they would be even less likely to switch (in most markets, STB lease rates from Comcast have either remained unchanged or dropped).

How about getting the 50/5 FIOS package, a $15/month usenet package, and grabbing TV this way avoiding the tax? Just $10 less than cable internet + TV

If the government would like to slow down deployment of competition, circumvent it.

I don't live in a CV area, thus 30/5 is the highest-speed option available; on top of that, 30/5 in non-CV areas is $170 per month (basically cutting off your nose to spite your face). Lastly, obtaining copyrighted material via USENET is *still* illegal. For most people, breaking the law in *that* fashion is a nonstarter.

I am in a non cablevision area, and I get 31/9.5 for $55/month. Verizon must love me.