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roveer
join:2004-01-18
Mendham, NJ

roveer

Member

How do Digital Outlet Fees work with comcast?

Here's a proposed setup.

(1) HD STB
(1) M-Card for Tivo HD
(7) DCT-700 boxes for all my old TV's.

How would comcast bill this? Would any digital outlet fees apply?

Chuckles0
Premium Member
join:2006-03-04
Saint Paul, MN

Chuckles0

Premium Member

Depends what cable package you have.
harodude
join:2009-01-08
Sacramento, CA

harodude to roveer

Member

to roveer
First outlet is always included
each A/O is $6. They can combine 6 A/O for $10 though.
roveer
join:2004-01-18
Mendham, NJ

roveer

Member

Not sure what an A/O is, but am I to understand that it would be:

#1: free + STB fees
#2-#7: $10 + DCT700 fees
#8: $6.00 + DCT700 fees
#9: $6.00 + m-card fees

Is this correct, $22/month to use my own inside wiring before box fees? I'm way off track here right?
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse to roveer

Member

to roveer
we have 6 cable cards and dont pay a single "digital" or "additional" outlet fee

darkadept
Premium Member
join:2002-02-17
Greenwood, IN

darkadept to roveer

Premium Member

to roveer
I think it all depends on your market...

I just had 2 cable cards installed last week for my TivoHD. I specifically asked for an M card, but the tech had never heard of them, and didn't have any (we did check, and all 3 were S cards).

I also have one of their HD DVRs.

I got my new bill yesterday and I had a cable card fee of 1.99 listed, and a Digital A/O (additonal outlet)fee of 13.90 (6.95 x 2).

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU to roveer

Member

to roveer
As others have indicated, it depends on your market and the package you select.

Here, if you select a digital package, the first digital device (box or CableCARD) is included. If you do not select a digital package, then you pay (quite a bit) for that first device.
roveer
join:2004-01-18
Mendham, NJ

roveer

Member

Wow, more confused than ever. Now I know I will never call comcast to ask. I was reading a few threads on another forum from back in 2007 and there was so much confusion about this A/O charge. Trouble was, nobody was complainging about getting charged 6.95 per outlet (on multiple outlets) to then hook up a device that they were also paying for. How does everyone feel about paying all those extra fees in this economy?

There's no way I can see allowing comcast to charge me (any amount) to call my cable outlet "digital". Let's get real here. That's like the electric company charging you extra to put electricity on your in-house wire. Make any sense?

I dont' think FIOS has any of these crazy fees. It's time to look elsewhere. I've become very disenfranchised with Comcast. Their analog signal has gone down hill over the past 12 months and that coupled with the dissapearing channels and crazy fee structure has made me begin my transition to FIOS. I can see no clear path to digital with comcast without hours of frustration, fees and bad billing. I know FIOS is no walk in the part when it comes to billing, but at least you get a clean signal, straight forward billing practices (once you straighten out your bill) and lots of content.

So much for "best of intentions" comcast. Time to move on.
roveer

roveer to neufuse

Member

to neufuse
said by neufuse:

we have 6 cable cards and dont pay a single "digital" or "additional" outlet fee
You better never let comcast know about that. They've got some "A/O fees" waiting for you.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

1 edit

bUU to roveer

Member

to roveer
Remember -- these fees you're talking about are fees for services you ask them to provide you. If you don't like the fees, don't ask for the services. If you just want local broadcast service, on one television, then you can very easily avoid all the fees you're so concerned about. Beyond that, make your own judgment with regard to whether the price they're offering the services to you, all fees included, is worth it to you, and if not, do without the services.

The unbundling of fees is a very common occurrence, these days, in the mass-market. Have you flown an airline recently? They're charging for pillows. They're charging for luggage. They're charging for many things, separately, which previously were included. Why? Because the mass-market is maniacally fixated on the lowest base price.

Why are you not switching to some other provider, such as DirecTV? Your answer to that question will provide several indicators of why Comcast charges what it charges: Whatever excuse you use will shine a light on why Comcast is providing service that is available to more people, has more of the features (i.e., HSI, telephone) that people want, service that is more readily accessible, more convenient, more compatible, etc. -- whatever excuse you use to explain why you haven't switched helps explain why Comcast charges what it charges. If you don't have an excuse, but still choose not to switch, then you truly have no one but yourself to blame.

Rest assured that Comcast will be monitoring patronage appropriately, and will adjust prices and services when it should, rather than when we perhaps want them to.
roveer
join:2004-01-18
Mendham, NJ

1 edit

roveer

Member

said by bUU:

Remember -- these fees you're talking about are fees for services you ask them to provide you. If you don't like the fees, don't ask for the services. If you just want local broadcast service, on one television, then you can very easily avoid all the fees you're so concerned about. Beyond that, make your own judgment with regard to whether the price they're offering the services to you, all fees included, is worth it to you, and if not, do without the services.

The unbundling of fees is a very common occurrence, these days, in the mass-market. Have you flown an airline recently? They're charging for pillows. They're charging for luggage. They're charging for many things, separately, which previously were included. Why? Because the mass-market is maniacally fixated on the lowest base price.

Why are you not switching to some other provider, such as DirecTV? Your answer to that question will provide several indicators of why Comcast charges what it charges: Whatever excuse you use will shine a light on why Comcast is providing service that is available to more people, has more of the features (i.e., HSI, telephone) that people want, service that is more readily accessible, more convenient, more compatible, etc. -- whatever excuse you use to explain why you haven't switched helps explain why Comcast charges what it charges. If you don't have an excuse, but still choose not to switch, then you truly have no one but yourself to blame.

Rest assured that Comcast will be monitoring patronage appropriately, and will adjust prices and services when it should, rather than when we perhaps want them to.
Love your username. So lets...

Exactly what service is comcast providing me with a digital outlet fee? If understand correctly the tech will verify the outlet digital capable during a truck roll that I may have to pay a fee on (which I can understand). After that. What allows comcast to fee me (every month) for my own cable jack? I must be missing something here because there should be a freak'n revolt on this kind of thinking. Either that or everyone has become way to used to fees. I however have not.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

said by roveer:

Exactly what service is comcast providing me with a digital outlet fee?
Television.

If you want television service, you pay the fees associated with that. Not the fees you like. Not the fees you agree with. All the fees applicable.

If you don't like the fees, do without.
said by roveer:

What allows comcast to fee me (every month) for my own cable jack?
The same thing that allows any supplier to charge any fee.

And beyond that, if you pay it, then that, alone, justifies the fee.
said by roveer:

I must be missing something here because there should be a freak'n revolt on this kind of thinking.
You're thinking too myopically, as if the world is arrayed for your personal convenience. Rather, especially in the mass-market, it doesn't work that way at all.
harodude
join:2009-01-08
Sacramento, CA

harodude to roveer

Member

to roveer
I have 4 HD/DVR boxes. Each are free for a year, including the first outlet, but we still have to pay the A/O fee per box. They combined these 3 non Package inclusive into one $10 fee. This $10 fee in my area will cover up to 6 boxes.
wdwms
join:2005-06-15
Milford, NH

wdwms to roveer

Member

to roveer
Digital Outlet Fees are not a "fee" to scam the consumer. They are used the pay the royalties for channels that by having an additional outlet can be watched simultaneously. This includes channels, on demand content, music, etc. Comcast has these fees; and DirectTV [and dish i believe] has these fees.

Personally I pay for digital cable card starter and additional outlet fee and $1.50 for an extra cable card. This gets me service on two tivos (one tivo takes 2 CC's, the other takes 1).

I have two other TVs in the house that receive digital via this nifty device: »www.buy.com/prod/channel ··· 782.html

It is an RF modulator; essentially it takes the output of one of my Tivo's and "broadcasts" it inside my house on channel 14. I have an IR setup so I can control Tivo. Viola; digital cable in every room. Granted every room watches whats on; but with only 2 of us and a 2 year old in the house its no problem for our situation.

If you have HDMI, this product: »www.rixlabs.com/product_ ··· 9da74c66
In combination with an HDMI splitter will get you full digital and HD glory in another room.

-t

Anon_Pa
@comcast.net

Anon_Pa to bUU

Anon

to bUU
said by bUU:

Remember -- these fees you're talking about are fees for services you ask them to provide you. If you don't like the fees, don't ask for the services. If you just want local broadcast service, on one television, then you can very easily avoid all the fees you're so concerned about. Beyond that, make your own judgment with regard to whether the price they're offering the services to you, all fees included, is worth it to you, and if not, do without the services.

The unbundling of fees is a very common occurrence, these days, in the mass-market. Have you flown an airline recently? They're charging for pillows. They're charging for luggage. They're charging for many things, separately, which previously were included. Why? Because the mass-market is maniacally fixated on the lowest base price.

Why are you not switching to some other provider, such as DirecTV? Your answer to that question will provide several indicators of why Comcast charges what it charges: Whatever excuse you use will shine a light on why Comcast is providing service that is available to more people, has more of the features (i.e., HSI, telephone) that people want, service that is more readily accessible, more convenient, more compatible, etc. -- whatever excuse you use to explain why you haven't switched helps explain why Comcast charges what it charges. If you don't have an excuse, but still choose not to switch, then you truly have no one but yourself to blame.

Rest assured that Comcast will be monitoring patronage appropriately, and will adjust prices and services when it should, rather than when we perhaps want them to.
You sound like a comcast employee.

Greg2600
join:2008-05-20
Belleville, NJ

Greg2600 to roveer

Member

to roveer
I never understood the charge. Nobody else charges "outlet fees," just the fee to lease the box. $8.95 to lease an SD Box is ridiculous. Another reason to switch.
Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

Joe12345678

Member

Comcast used to let you build a system with more then one box on there on line web site but now they don't and it's very hard to find out what the fees really are.
Is the Hd fee just for hd and the box fee is on top that?

If you want HD and a HD DVR do you pay the HD fee and the HD DVR fee. There is no sd box fee is that part of the base rate?

Is the hd box the $7 hd fee + the build in price in the base rate?

DISH and direct tv let you build systems with more then 1 box and THEY TELL WHAT THE COSTS WILL Unlike comcarp's new site.

There may be a local rate card with more info but they are not easy to find.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU to Anon_Pa

Member

to Anon_Pa
said by Anon_Pa :

You sound like a comcast employee.
No, I don't. A Comcast employee would sugar-coat it for you. A Comcast employee wouldn't put you on the spot like this: Why are you not switching to some other provider, such as DirecTV?
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

4 edits

dishrich to wdwms

Member

to wdwms
said by wdwms:

Digital Outlet Fees are not a "fee" to scam the consumer. They are used the pay the royalties for channels that by having an additional outlet can be watched simultaneously. This includes channels, on demand content, music, etc.
Then WHY isn't there these "fees" on analog-only service?
Comcast has these fees; and DirectTV [and dish i believe] has these fees.
But their fees ALSO include the box(s) themselves. Also, DISH has dual-room receivers that do NOT have this fee on the 2nd room, while the prog prices are the SAME.

Sorry, better try this scam again...
wdwms
join:2005-06-15
Milford, NH

2 edits

wdwms

Member

said by dishrich See Profile
Then WHY isn't there these "fees" on analog-only service?

But their fees ALSO include the box(s) themselves. Also, DISH has dual-room receivers that do NOT have this fee on the 2nd room, while the prog prices are the SAME.

If you look at anolog line ups a good portion are free government channels and OTA channels; Agreed that analog can not be "policed" as digital can. But digital does give you a better picture; ondemand; music; etc. You're paying for that difference and the ability to do all those things on multiple TVs at one time. It's the old addage; you want to do more you pay more...

IF you read the fine print of your price list the "outlet" fee DOES include a cable box and remote OR a cable card. So your argument on direct/dish does not stand.

I gave you a solution to get multiple viewing in other rooms w/out a fee.. yet you didn't comment on that.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU to dishrich

Member

to dishrich
said by dishrich:

Then WHY isn't there these "fees" on analog-only service?
Because there is no effective way of adequately securing analog service. One of the big advances with the switch to digital is the ability for suppliers to more effectively offer a range of service levels.

markofmayhem
Why not now?
Premium Member
join:2004-04-08
Pittsburgh, PA

markofmayhem

Premium Member

Please stop. The A/O fees are used to subsidize the cost of networking equipment. Edge QAM routers, Video Servers, Nodes, Amplifier upgrades to handle digital tolerances, deeper penetration of amps/nodes are all examples of INCREASED cost to Comcast so that you can have EXTRA digital devices in your home. Satellite beams a signal, they could care less how many devices you have hooked up to your dish. Comcast has to assign an IP address to each and every single digital device as part of it's security and offering (VoD, PPV). These fees are to offset that cost, for Comcast is willing to "eat" the cost to provide one digital outlet per home. A home with 4 boxes could take up 4 VoD slots, knocking 3 other customers out of availability to order a movie. You are being charged for that convenience and your neighbor's inconvenience as Comcast replaces/upgrades/repairs infrastructure to handle the load correctly. The box rental does not include this. That separates equipment from network to satisfy current/future regulations that do/may exist regarding "clear equipment fees". If you don't like it, don't pay for it.

trythisfirst
@comcast.net

trythisfirst to roveer

Anon

to roveer
the fees are a one time activation of the outlet fee, only charged at time of install, it is not a monthly fee. It is the charge for making sure they work properly.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU to markofmayhem

Member

to markofmayhem
said by markofmayhem:

Please stop.
?
said by markofmayhem:

If you don't like it, don't pay for it.
I agree completely. In the end, the fees are the fees. There is no relevance to the question, "Why?" when it comes to pricing.

markofmayhem
Why not now?
Premium Member
join:2004-04-08
Pittsburgh, PA

markofmayhem

Premium Member

said by bUU:

said by markofmayhem:

Please stop.
?
Was in reference to the back and forth banter regarding why this fee isn't applicable to analog. Should have been less lazy in my response

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Okay, but really, any company charging fees based on cost is really a poorly run company. Good companies based on perceived value, which is almost always higher than they'd get charging based on cost -- so as I mentioned above, the whole "back and forth banter" was irrelevant. "Why?" is always irrelevant when it comes to pricing (at least from the consumer's standpoint).
roveer
join:2004-01-18
Mendham, NJ

roveer

Member

Glad I sparked a good debate. Helped me to avoid shooting my TV like the guy in MO. In any event, I'll be voting with my pocketbook and canceling comcast as soon as I get my replacement in place. As the economy continues to shrink and people will be forced to cancel CATV I'm sure comcast will get in line for a gov't bailout so no matter what we will continue to pay. But for now, I'm going to keep my costs in check. No A/O fees for this guy.

Thanks for the lively debate.

Roveer
roveer

roveer to trythisfirst

Member

to trythisfirst
said by trythisfirst :

the fees are a one time activation of the outlet fee, only charged at time of install, it is not a monthly fee. It is the charge for making sure they work properly.
Ahh. I wish you were here a day ago with this information. That changes a lot of things. Never mind...

Greg2600
join:2008-05-20
Belleville, NJ

Greg2600 to roveer

Member

to roveer
Again, $8.95 is more than Fios, for which I get more channels. The math and Comcast's archaic pricing doesn't add up. Again, another reason why their outdated technology will do them in, in the end.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

4 edits

dishrich to wdwms

Member

to wdwms
said by wdwms:

If you look at anolog line ups a good portion are free government channels and OTA channels;
BULLCRAP! The majority (2/3's) of our expanded analog basic is NOT these type of channels AT ALL - but again, just keep pouring the kool-aid.

Actually, I buy this guy's reasoning more (but NOT completely, mind you:)
said by markofmayhem:

Please stop. The A/O fees are used to subsidize the cost of networking equipment.
This actually makes MORE sense than yours, but thx again for trying...
said by wdwms:

It's the old addage; you want to do more you pay more...
If you're dumb enough to, I guess...
IF you read the fine print of your price list the "outlet" fee DOES include a cable box and remote OR a cable card. So your argument on direct/dish does not stand.
Not here it doesn't...& my argument on DISH very MUCH stands, thank you!
I gave you a solution to get multiple viewing in other rooms w/out a fee.. yet you didn't comment on that.
Uh, OK - I'm ALREADY doing it in my own house x9 sources; but then again, I've been doing this for about 15+ years for other clients as well.
But here another comment - this is really NOT a solution for the "mass market" sub base (ie: NON-tech geeks, like us on these boards) or, who are NOT fortunate enough to know tech-geeks like us. And even this solution is NOT appropriate for some folks at all - you know, the ones that can barely remember to keep their TV on the SAME input/channel, & to do ALL their channel changes on the set-top box. Which is another reason why DBS is also NOT appropriate for many households, either IMHO.