 wdoa
join:2001-10-16
Spencer, MA
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| [CATV] Charter jacking "minibasic" rates by 26% Charter is apparently feeling the heat from people rolling back their service to "mini-basic". "Mini-basic" is comprised of your local broadcast channels along with CSPAN and your Public Access feeds. Their response? Ratchet up the rates for minibasic, while dropping the rate by the exact same amount for "extended basic" Just got a notice in my latest bill that they are raising the rate for minibasic from $12.85 to $16.21 (before fees). The clear motivation is to close the gap between the two levels of service just enough to get customers to think 2X before dropping back their service level. I'm now going to have to make the tough decision of whether to try to erect an antenna on my property (online estimates tell me at my location I would need a tower of 100 to 150 feet to pull in more than 2 or 3 channels), suck up the price hike, or just pull the plug completely on my TV service and go with internet only via my Verizon DSL (no FIOS planned now or ever in my neck of the woods). |
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zed260Premium
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN
kudos:1 | Re: [CATV] Charter jacking "minibasic" rates by 26% antenna route id probably go
maybe if you got 1 or 2 nighbors nearby they may go same route and devide antenna cost |
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| reply to wdoa
How much is extended basic? |
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zed260Premium
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN
kudos:1 | reply to wdoa
also you can probably add this onto the prior rate hike which percentage wise effects minibasic the most (well tv surchage fee stleath rate hike) |
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 BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | reply to wdoa
said by wdoa:Charter is apparently feeling the heat from people rolling back their service to "mini-basic". "Mini-basic" is comprised of your local broadcast channels along with CSPAN and your Public Access feeds. Their response? Ratchet up the rates for minibasic, while dropping the rate by the exact same amount for "extended basic" Just got a notice in my latest bill that they are raising the rate for minibasic from $12.85 to $16.21 (before fees). you're lucky. Mini-basic in my area is $30 a month. |
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wdoa
join:2001-10-16
Spencer, MA Reviews:
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Karl Bode
Here is the full text from the insert on my bill. Expanded basic is going from $48.14 to $44.78. They are also jacking up several other items...
MPORTANT 2011 Charter Product & Pricing Information, effective with your January Statement pricing will be adjusted for TV Install fees: New Primary Outlet Installation and Reconnection will be adjusted from $29.99 to $39.00; Change of Service Special Trip from $23.62 to $30.00; Additional Outlet with Initial Install from $9.87 to $9.99; Additional Outlet with Special Trip from $29.86 to $39.00; Labor Charge (formerly Hourly Service Charge) from $34.85 to $39.00; Inside Wire Service Call from $35.00 to $45.00; Ancillary Equipment Install with Initial Install from $5.99 to $9.99 and Ancillary Equipment Install with Special Trip from $27.15 to $35.00.
Effective with your January 2011 Statement pricing will be adjusted for the following fee(s); Public Access Fee will change from $0.52 to $0.55, Franchise Fee will change from $1. 13 to $1.17.
Effective with your January Statement pricing will be adjusted for Residential TV services; Basic Service Tier from $12. 85 to $16.21 an increase of $3.36; Expanded Service Tier from $48.14 to $44.78 a decrease of (-$3.36). Customers in a promotion will not see this immediate price change; however, new pricing will apply at the end of your promotional period. |
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 IowaManPremium
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA | reply to BF69
I'm right there with you my "Limited TV" is $27.95 per month
(Mediacom Cable) |
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| reply to wdoa
He may have the lifeline basic package that is the lowest cost package. |
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| reply to wdoa
I've been a happy user of OTA HDTV for nearly two years now and have no sign of turning back to Cable or Dish anytime soon. As a former customer of Charter cable and then Dish Network, I have grown to dislike both services. Unfortunately, if your estimates through the websites indicate a significant tower to pull in stations then that might be more trouble than it's worth (I'm fortunate to get a dozen stations with my DIY CM 4228 knock-off antenna).
How much do you actually watch TV? I'm not one to be big on news or sports or anything like that, so I get by ok with streaming whatever shows I desire from the stations website if available or falling back to my streaming Netflix subscription for any other entertainment needs. |
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| reply to wdoa
I'm in Madison, WI and my basic TV is $24.99.
It jumped in November from $19.99 |
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Reviews:
 ·Charter
 ·Brown Dog Networks
·Access US
 ·Google Voice
| reply to wdoa
My cord is cut and I put up a roof antenna. I get 17 digital channels - all in HD...for free.
No need to pay Charter a thing and considering all they offer here is ANALOG cable with 'known issues' and no plans on upgrading anything so long as there is no competition.
Thanks for making it easy for me Charter, at least you did something right. |
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IowaManPremium
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA | reply to megarock
Re: [CATV] Charter jacking "minibasic" rates by 26% If you have a TV with a QAM tuner you should be able to get the digital channels.
This is what I have, I have 2 TV's with QAM tuners and I just have Basic for $27 It works great. |
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| Charter just offered me BASIC TV for $9.99 a month since I already subscribed to HSI. |
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| reply to wdoa
the cost of expanded basic should go down. They keep moving channels off of it.
I got a notice too recently but I only caught the installation price changes. I'll have to take a second look and see if my expanded basic price is going down. that would be something different!
Actually, if you think about all the streaming competition they now have, all of catv should get more competitive pricing. time will tell. |
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