 Defiance82Computer ElitePremium
join:2002-09-11
Burlington, WI
 ·Time Warner Cable
·Suddenlink
| Comcast Raising pricing again.. Another price increase has some area cable TV customers thinking about changing more than channels.
"I was already thinking about switching to satellite," said Melissa Wootton, a single mother of five from Spring Grove who subscribes to Comcast's cable service. "It's just getting old. Every time, there's a price increase for something. I can't afford to keep up with it."
Starting in January, Wootton will have to pay $3 more a month for her standard cable package, from $46.99 to $49.99, Comcast officials said. The price of basic cable will increase 50 cents a month to $16.49 from $15.99, and digital additional outlet service will increase $1 to $5.99 from $4.99.
The price increase, which will take effect in December for new customers, is the third for the Chicago metropolitan area since 2003. All Comcast subscribers in the Chicago area, including McHenry County, will be affected, officials said.
Some area leaders said the company was taking advantage of its stronghold on cable TV in the region.
But Comcast officials said the increase was the result of improvements such as more customer-service employees, more field technicians, evening and weekend installation and service appointments, and better network monitoring.
Comcast spokeswoman Patricia Keenan said the company's rates increased because of its standing as one of the "pre-eminent telecommunication providers in the world." Other Comcast services, such as high-speed Internet, digital telephone, digital voice, digital video recorders, or high-definition TV set-top boxes, will not be affected, Keenan said.
"We keep increasing the things we bring to customers," Keenan said. "We have more channels, new services, exclusive coverage on the White Sox, and now the rights to CBS On-demand. We have 2,000 on-demand offerings. We are heads and shoulders above what you would have seen in this market three or four years ago."
On-demand is a feature that allows subscribers to see a movie or program whenever they want. Some programs are free; others are pay-per-view.
But county board member Ann Kate, R-Crystal Lake, said Comcast was padding its profits at the expense of its customers.
"Unfortunately, we don't have any say over rates," said Kate, who drafted a resolution last year to protest rate increases. "Comcast, to me, is the monopoly in this area. There's not a whole lot consumers can do, and I don't think it's real fair."
Kate also said satellite options such as DirecTV, which require equipment with a clear southern view, are not always feasible.
"The satellite rates are as high or higher," she said, "and there are some areas that can't even get satellite."
Keenan denied that Comcast has no competition in the Chicago area, where it has 1.7 million customers. Comcast began providing service in most of the six-county Chicago area in late 2002.
"Chicago is one of the most competitive markets there is," Keenan said. "Satellite market penetration is 15 to 20 percent. There is nothing exclusive about cable in a community."
But in terms of competition from a comparable cable provider, Comcast competes against RCN in Chicago and Skokie, and with Wide Open West in Elgin and a few other suburbs.
"We've invested a lot in this," Keenan said. "We've been in business for 40 years. Cable is a capital intensive business. Don't fault us for people who don't build the infrastructure. There is nothing to stop a company to build in your area."
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My crime is that of outsmarting you, something that you will never forgive me for. I am a hacker, and this is my manifesto. You may stop this individual, but you can't stop us all... after all, we're all alike. |
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 VegasManAre We There Yet?Premium
join:2002-11-17
Schaumburg, IL | Wow no response for ComcastGuy defending this???? I am surprised.
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Thank you sir may I have another? |
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3 edits | reply to Defiance82
Who are they kidding?
Bringing more? The only thing they have done recently is take away channels to digital.
My pings aren't that great for the $53 you pay a month and not to mention the complete monopoly on HSI.
I seriously hope this doesn't take effect into my promo of Digital Cable for $19.99 a month I have for 12 months but it likely will.
I seriously think all these restrictions on Broadband have to go. Only then will we see faster speeds, better customer support, lower prices. |
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RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | reply to VegasMan
said by VegasMan:Wow no response for ComcastGuy defending this???? I am surprised. He changed his name to "cablefool" or "cabletool" or something like that...and has vowed to stay out of cable rate increase threads. Probably a good idea for his sake.
It is quite amusing to watch the apologists and shills over in the Comcast TV forum trying to spin this. Yeah, it's no big deal--if you can't afford it, don't buy it--but some things are more about the principle and not the money. This is just one more brick in the wall.
Patricia Keenan is a PR tool, but she might want to go back to spin school: "the company's rates increased because of its standing as one of the "pre-eminent telecommunication providers in the world". Ain't that the truth. They increase rates just because they can.
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Toolmaster of Brainerd. |
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Dont forget
Its Comcastic !!!  |
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VegasManAre We There Yet?Premium
join:2002-11-17
Schaumburg, IL
1 edit | reply to RadioDoc
said by RadioDoc: Ain't that the truth. They increase rates just because they can. When you're the only game in town you can charge whatever you want. The few towns that I know of that have more than one cable provider you can only have one there is no choice because the two agreed to their territories.
I should say though I have DirecTv mainly because the building I live in has a contract with Jim Bobs cable company that offers nothing but charges out the ass. In the 5 years I have had DTV I have had one rate increase of $3.
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Thank you sir may I have another? |
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 jmdominiPremium
join:2000-05-04
Sycamore, IL
 ·Verizon Wireless..
| reply to Defiance82
I've had quite enough of Comcast's rate increases. I intend to fall back to the local reception only package. I'd go back to antenna only, except here in Aurora I can't get CBS OTA.
Wish I could get locals plus Discovery and History Channels. That's all I watch, and it's certainly not worth what they are charging! |
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 SledhedEamus CatuliPremium
join:2005-01-19
Crete, IL | reply to Defiance82
It's to pay for that pretty new building they built in Homewood. |
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I asked ComcastGuy some questions about filters and conectors size types, and I haven't heard from him since!!!
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Looking for 1939 Indian Motocycle |
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 JimThePCGuyFormerly known as schja01.Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-27
Morton Grove, IL
4 edits | He still lives.
I had some questions which he promptly answered for me.
Personally I think Comcast Cable TV would be a deal at twice the price. At the way things are going I'll probably have my wish in 3 years. Ha Ha.
What is interesting and possibly obvious is the products that are NOT being increased are exactly those items which have competition to the Comcast offerings.
HSI vs DSL
Phone vs POTS vs various VOIP providers
DVR vs TIVO etc.
J |
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| reply to Defiance82
You have to remember that the higher they raise the prices, the more incentive it gives competitors to enter the market.
As Comcast said don't blame them for others not building in your area, if comcast raises their rates that means competition that might be looking at building can charge more as well.
So to an extent that's the positive side. (yes I know a far fetched but optimistic view) |
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 drmorleyPremium,MVM
join:2000-12-20
Park Ridge, IL | After Comcast announced this latest price increase our town decided they had had enough. We are currently courting RCN & WOW to expand their network to Park Ridge. Doesn't really concern me as I use DSL/DirecTv, but I found the article interesting.
FWIW, I don't think anything will ever come of it. |
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JimThePCGuyFormerly known as schja01.Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-27
Morton Grove, IL
1 edit | said by drmorley:After Comcast announced this latest price increase our town decided they had had enough. We are currently courting RCN & WOW to expand their network to Park Ridge. Doesn't really concern me as I use DSL/DirecTv, but I found the article interesting. FWIW, I don't think anything will ever come of it. WOW and RCN both have their issues. Now if Time Warner were to come to town that WOULD be competition.
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"Have I said something amiss?"
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drmorleyPremium,MVM
join:2000-12-20
Park Ridge, IL | TW would be real competition, but it's never going to happen here in 60068.
I'd much rather see our town lobby SBC to be included in their first wave of PLS rollouts.
Either way I don't really care. DirecTv's HDTV service coupled with a HD-Tivo makes me a happy boy and Speakeasy while expensive provides excellent 6.0/768 DSL service. |
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 StepRCode WarriorPremium
join:2000-11-06
Elgin, IL | reply to Defiance82
We received a letter today announcing WOW is increasing prices for 2006 also, but only about $1 per month. For 4 MBps with basic cable that is $$71 per month. |
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 insomniacOh YeahPremium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
·Comcast
 ·AT&T Midwest
| said by StepR:We received a letter today announcing WOW is increasing prices for 2006 also, but only about $1 per month. For 4 MBps with basic cable that is $$71 per month. Yeah, that's still considerably better than Comcast's prices. If I still had Comcast HSI, I'd be paying $86/month if I rented a modem from them ($39.99 TV, $45.95 HSI). Comcast has raised their rates for expanded basic by $2-3/year for the last couple years; I haven't gotten my latest bill yet, but I expect a rate increase to $42.99 shortly.
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If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. |
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insomniacOh YeahPremium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL | reply to Defiance82
And there it is... the latest bill informs me that standard cable goes up from $39.99 to $44.04 effective with my next statement.
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If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. |
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