US Cable Support > Mediacom > Mediacom Pricing - Des Moines and surrounding areas

Mediacom Pricing - Des Moines and surrounding areas

Man that's a lot of typing! Thanks.

I see Ultra50 has gone down its no longer $100 a month. Ultra50 is actually within my rech (barley though)

reply to Radio_Guy
looks as if ultra 105 is about the same as im paying for ultra 50, wonder if i could upgrade without getting the cap?

For any upgrade/downgrade or new installation of internet after August 1st 2012 there will be a data allowance on the account. For the Ultra 50 and 105 the allowance is 999GB a month.

reply to Radio_Guy
After typing in all of this stuff, I do have one question for MediacomChad. Can you please tell me exactly what the Digital Gateway is and why I would need it?

Based on the information above, the Digital Gateway "Includes Interactive guide, Digital Music & VOD/PPV access". I understand that Mediacom needs to pay for royalties and upkeep for the very simple (and rarely updated) software that is on each cable box, along with it's two-way communication to the central office for VOD & PPV. So why doesn't Mediacom bundle the extra $4.00 for the Digital Gateway into the rental price of the cable box, making it an even $10.00?

Also, why do HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, Canales Latinos, and any of the Digital Pak channels require a digital converter with digital gateway? I lease a Motorola "M" card from Mediacom and use it in a home theater system. I subscribe to Family TV so I have no Mediacom cable box or digital gateway. Hypothetically, if I wanted to subscribe to HBO so I could keep up on my True Blood, it would appear that I would be required to lease a cable box and digital gateway for an additional $10/mo.

Someone please explain to me why this is a fair billing practice.
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The bitterness of poor quality lingers longer than the sweetness of low cost. (usually)

The digital gateway is hardware included in the cable box itself that allows the use of the above mentioned services as well as a few others. As for the premium channels, you should be able to pick those up with one of our M cards. I have worked with customers with the cable cards in their own equipment and they are able to watch the premium channels.

Thanks for the quick reply. It's good to know that premium channels don't rely on the digital gateway to work.

However, I can't help but wonder why there is a $6.50 hardware charge for the digital converter, and a separate $4.00 charge for the digital gateway (which is also hardware inside the digital converter). Since you can't have one without the other, why not combine the charge for simplicity sake?

Please don't take this the wrong way. I'm just trying to better understand why Mediacom chose to bill people in this manor. I'm sure there is some legal reason for this.
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The bitterness of poor quality lingers longer than the sweetness of low cost. (usually)

Often cases when explaining these charges, they are combined. It's a $10.50 a month charge for the cable box, for example.

reply to Radio_Guy
they are dropping the prices on the higher tiers, that way if we want the lesser prices we have to go under the cap. i never hit the cap for ultra 50 anyway but i hate the idea of having a cap period

I'd go to the 105 if I could get it cheaper than what I'm paying currently for 50... but I've a feeling this is for new signups, or having to sign a new contract which I would not do.

Plus, I have a feeling the Quad Cities prices are higher since Rocco pretty much has a monopoly on high speed internet.

reply to Radio_Guy

The Iowa City Council has a franchise agreement with Mediacom. Within the agreement it states "The City shall have the ability to regulate rates in accordance with Federal law." This could explain why Iowa City & Coralville have a different pricing structure than other cities.

There is more info at www.citychannel4.com/franchise/

Just for S&G, you can find Iowa city rates here:
»www.citychannel4.com/franchise/c···tes.html

EDIT - replaced the copy pasta rates with the web page source to make this thread scroll friendly
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The bitterness of poor quality lingers longer than the sweetness of low cost. (usually)

reply to Radio_Guy
The DCT costs $10.50/month. I have no idea why they break it in two. I was told the gateway part is the guide and the menus and have seen people with no gateway and no menus paying $6/mo per DCT.

They should eliminate this and simply state the price as $10.50/mo per DCT.
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I speak for myself, not my employer.

when is mediacom going to learn. Directv charges 7 per box and 10 for dvr service and the first box is free. If mediacom would adopt some of there compeditors pricing they might just get new customers.

I really think the prices on this new tivo gear there getting is going to be out of this world. There going to jack the customer for all there worth.

I agree about the equipment/DVR prices.

Interestingly, Mediacom is painfully aware of the threat satellite providers bring, among other factors. If you get a chance, read their 2012 annual report here:
»www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/···44165_12

Page 5 not only points out a steady decline of video subscriptions over the past 5 years (from 48.3% of market in 2008 to 37.4% of market by the end of 2012), but during the same time, there has been a steady increase of high speed data (from 27.0% of market in 2008 to 33.8% of market by the end of 2012).

Page 22 lists a number of risk factors, including this statement:
"DBS providers, principally DirecTV and DISH, are our most significant video competitors. We have historically faced, and expect to continue to face, intense competition from these DBS providers, who have used discounted promotional pricing, more advanced consumer equipment, a larger number of HD channels, and, in the case of DirecTV, exclusive NFL programming to attract new customers. Additionally, in many of our service areas, these DBS providers have entered into co-marketing arrangements with local telephone companies to offer a DBS provided video service bundled with DSL, phone and, in some cases, wireless service offered by a local telephone company. We and other cable companies have lost a significant number of video customers to DBS providers, and we expect to continue to face serious challenges from them in the future."
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The bitterness of poor quality lingers longer than the sweetness of low cost. (usually)

reply to Radio_Guy
There's just no reason in 2013 that Mediacom can't provide a 4-5 tuner DVR with a 500GB HDD as a std DVR for their DVR service. The above 4-5 tuner DVR probably would cost ANY cable company LESS money today than a 2 tuner DVR with 160GB HDD 4-5 years ago.

reply to Radio_Guy
The wife wants HBO. Must we use the Mediacom dvr hardware or can one get a better dvr in its place and not pay rent? We have family tv now so we pay for prime(an extra $15 or so) and HBO(another $16.95) and rent on the dvr/gateway($10.50 monthly), is that right?
Thanks

you could get a tivo box with a cable card. thats about it.... If you want good equipment I hate to say it but leave mediacom for tv. They have had the same equipment for years and years and it has paid for itself 300 times over.