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Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

Mr Matt

Member

The Cable Television Industry should be regulated.

The cable television industry and all broadband services should be regulated the same way the Telephone Companies voice services are regulated. That way such abusive money grabs will be stopped.

Comcast just raised rates in this area. As a result of these increases my total monthly rate increase was $9.50 including taxes. In view of the fact that there is a recession the only way that Comcast can raise prices is that they are a quasi monopoly.

The most diabolical part about the price increase was the fact that they did not raise the price of their premium channels or broadband service. Why? Customers can drop any or all premium channels and still have cable service. Many customers can get DSL Service from the local telephone company so Comcast did not raise prices on that service. On the other hand Comcast did not match Embarq on the price of their economy broadband service which is $24.95 for a 768 Kbps download speed. Embarq offers 1.5 Mbps for the same price. I guess that Comcast wants to keep their economy service so lame that no one will order it.

Time to re-regulate the Cable Television Industry.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

They are regulated - for the basic TV tier by franchise agreements. Everything above that is considered an optional premium service and NOT a utility that needs regulation.

Matt3
All noise, no signal.
Premium Member
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC

Matt3

Premium Member

said by FFH5:

They are regulated - for the basic TV tier by franchise agreements. Everything above that is considered an optional premium service and NOT a utility that needs regulation.
Perhaps it's time we updated that then. I am going to suggest as much to my local franchising authority.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Not happening, FCC law prohibits franchising authorities and states from regulating it, and it bans itself from regulating it in CFR.
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

1 edit

Sammer

Member

said by patcat88:

Not happening, FCC law prohibits franchising authorities and states from regulating it, and it bans itself from regulating it in CFR.
True but TWC's bad behavior got the attention of members of Congress who can change all that.
dentman42
Premium Member
join:2001-10-02
Columbus, OH

dentman42 to patcat88

Premium Member

to patcat88
said by patcat88:

Not happening, FCC law prohibits franchising authorities and states from regulating it, and it bans itself from regulating it in CFR.
The FCC doesn't make laws.

Matt3
All noise, no signal.
Premium Member
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC

Matt3

Premium Member

said by dentman42:

said by patcat88:

Not happening, FCC law prohibits franchising authorities and states from regulating it, and it bans itself from regulating it in CFR.
The FCC doesn't make laws.
The franchising authority can add whatever stipulations into the franchise agreement they want. That is the same effect as regulation.

jadebangle
Premium Member
join:2007-05-22
00000

jadebangle to Mr Matt

Premium Member

to Mr Matt
said by Mr Matt:

The cable television industry and all broadband services should be regulated the same way the Telephone Companies voice services are regulated. That way such abusive money grabs will be stopped.

Comcast just raised rates in this area. As a result of these increases my total monthly rate increase was $9.50 including taxes. In view of the fact that there is a recession the only way that Comcast can raise prices is that they are a quasi monopoly.

The most diabolical part about the price increase was the fact that they did not raise the price of their premium channels or broadband service. Why? Customers can drop any or all premium channels and still have cable service. Many customers can get DSL Service from the local telephone company so Comcast did not raise prices on that service. On the other hand Comcast did not match Embarq on the price of their economy broadband service which is $24.95 for a 768 Kbps download speed. Embarq offers 1.5 Mbps for the same price. I guess that Comcast wants to keep their economy service so lame that no one will order it.

Time to re-regulate the Cable Television Industry.
The only way to get their attention is to cancel service with them. I just will not put up with this and neither should you. Hopefully they will lose even more profit in the long run and we the consumer are the ones that are feeding them... we are master, they are servant. We win...
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to Matt3

Member

to Matt3
said by Matt3:

The franchising authority can add whatever stipulations into the franchise agreement they want. That is the same effect as regulation.
The franchising authority's authority was created in the first place by the FCC. Any attempt by a local or state government to regulate something reserved to federal jurisdiction will quickly result in a cable company running to a federal judge and get instant strike down by a federal judge as the state or local government exceeded its scope/standing. States tried to regulate cellphone provider prices, plans, etc, ILEC style in the late 1980s, instant lawsuit, instant block by judge and jurisprudence that only the FCC can regulate cellphone providers, and states can only regulate it through commercial code or consumer protection code, not PUC code.