DanB
join:2002-10-05
Marietta, GA
| Watchdogs: Cable gouges broadband users
Watchdogs: Cable gouges broadband users
Consumer groups call for an antitrust probe into cable companies that charge people more for broadband access if they don't sign up for a television package.
»news.com.com/2100-1034-994276.html |
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J D McDorce
Premium
join:2001-12-29
Westland, MI
| They'll probably get real upset if they go to »www.comcastonline.com/code/howmuch.asp?.=. and see the cost for non-CATV customers as $57.95 versus the $56.95 that they have been bouncing around 
A discussion on this topic can be found here: »Bundling an Antitrust Violation?
I wonder how many takers they have for their $139 cable modems? |
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Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| reply to DanB
I just hope to God that you people who really want this to land in a court realize what you are doing and the precident it could set should it land in a courtroom; the implications could quite possibly extend far, far beyond Comcast (everything from discounted airline tickets to toothpaste coupons to mcdonalds value meals to preferred credit card rates could be affected).
And the irony is that should you get your way, you're not even going to get the lower price, they're just going jack everybody up to the higher price.
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So it begins. |
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fuzydice
join:2000-12-18
Sunnyvale, CA
| its a form of regulation for the cable industry ppl are seeking. it needs regulation otherwise comcast can do anything they want from not providing any service to raising rates as high as numbers can go (infinite?). They're a monopoly, they need government regulation.
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[referring to the RIAA...] These guys buy congress people like M&Ms |
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aTmFan
join:2003-01-20
Knoxville, TN
| reply to DanB
Quick question.....
How is Comcast or any other cable company any different than say SBC or McDonald's or any other for-profit company for that matter? They all charge a lower rate/price if you BUNDLE services/products. So why doesn't anyone bitch and moan about the tremendous difference in getting a Big Mac at $3.29 or whatever the hell it costs nowadays or $3.99 with a fries and a drink??(Someone probably has written Micky D's about this I'm sure! Is there a Hamburgerreports.com???)I can see it now!
McDonald's Price Gouging the Big Mac only people!!
"This is some kind of scam. I want my Big Mac to be just a cheap if I only want that one thing. Who cares if I can get fries and a drink for .70 more. I want fair pricing, damn that Hamburglar! Ripping me and the other Big Mac only people off...I am writing the Hamburger Franchising Authority!! This is illegal. Burger King has the Whopper on sale, how come I can't buy a Whopper on this side of the road.......IT'S A DAMN BURGER MONOPOLY!!!"
Why doesn't anyone cry about SBC or any other phone service charging more for a DSL connection if you don't have phone service through them?
sorry..... [getting off soapbox] 
aTmFan |
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Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| reply to fuzydice
But thats not what they're going to get.
What they're going to get is a court set precident that companies that bundle services are extorting customers that choose not to take advantage of bundle pricing, and thus no more bundled pricing or anything that looks like bundled pricing on anything, anywhere.
Contrary to popular belief, regulation is not the holy grail of dealing with pseudo-monopolies. It's going to end in medeocre service or no service at all should comcast decide that it's not profitable to provide service under the regulation, and nobody picks up where they left off.
I might agree with you that regulation is needed if the price was way higher in areas where Comcast is the only provider, or if the price was significantly higher than other options such as DSL; but quite frankly neither of those are true at this point in time.
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So it begins. |
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Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL
| reply to Combat Chuck
quote:
I just hope to God that you people who really want this to land in a court realize what you are doing and the precident it could set should it land in a courtroom; the implications could quite possibly extend far, far beyond Comcast (everything from discounted airline tickets to toothpaste coupons to mcdonalds value meals to preferred credit card rates could be affected).
Based on the article it looks like they are questioning whether Comcast has a monopoly and if so, are abusing their monopoly power to extort customers who don't subscribe to their television service. Since antitrust law only applies to monopolies I doubt any decision against Comcast, if they are proven to be a monopoly, would have an effect on the other industries you mentioned. |
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drugrep
--
join:2000-08-10
Woodridge, IL
 ·Comcast
·Comcast Formerly ..
| reply to DanB
This is where bundled pricing has bit me in the arse.
Before Comcast bought AT&T, I was begging for a break since AT&T is my phone provider (local & long distance), cell provider, and was Internet provider.
Now, bundling is bad bad bad! |
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mdford
join:2003-03-27
Richardson, TX
| reply to DanB
I'm really getting screwed by this new pricing. When I signed up for @Home service, I was paying something on the order of $34.95/mo. When AT&T Broadband took over, it jumped to $42.95. Now, Comcast is taking over and it jumps to $57.95/mo!!
Why am I being forced to pay so much more for the same service I've always gotten just because I don't subscribe to cable TV service? |
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gharney
join:2002-01-04
Laurel, MD
| reply to fuzydice
said by fuzydice  :
They're a monopoly,
they are far from a monopoly.
unless of course you are using your own definition which differs from the real world definition. |
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rody_4O
join:2003-03-19
Quakertown, PA | reply to DanB
so what. NOTHING WILL CHANGE |
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somebodeez
Premium,MVM
join:2001-09-24
here
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
| reply to gharney
Comcast is the only cable company in my area. There simply are not any other cable services around here. This is a fact that can not be denied no matter how badly some try to sugar coat it, twist words - whatever. This is the "real world".
Evidently, according to an article I read some where around here (can't find it now)Comcast only cuts prices in the very few areas where there is another cable company.
So if Comcast only considers other cable companies competiton and since there are no other cable companies around here and because of that I have to pay a higher price than what the customers get to pay in those few areas where they have a choice in cable companies, Comcast is a monopoly in my book.
Please note, I did not state whether I am happy with Comcast or not, did not voice complaints or praise. Just wanted to get my 2 cents in about this monopoly stuff 
[text was edited by author 2003-03-27 10:23:23] |
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rody_4O
join:2003-03-19
Quakertown, PA | reply to DanB
asking for a investigation and anything coming from the investigation is 2 dif. things. |
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Chronometon
join:2001-12-05
Santa Fe, NM
| reply to mdford
: Why am I being forced to pay so much more
: for the same service I've always gotten just
: because I don't subscribe to cable TV service?
Exactly. This goes beyond a simple bundling of services.
Where it crosses the line is that now Internet+Basic Cable TV is CHEAPER than Internet alone. I see no way to interpret that as anything but predatory.
You literally have to PAY MORE to *avoid* taking the CATV service along with the Internet service. |
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AthlGrond
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO
·Comcast
| reply to gharney
said by gharney :
said by fuzydice :
They're a monopoly,
they are far from a monopoly.
unless of course you are using your own definition which differs from the real world definition.
/rolls eyes
Fact is there are multiple definitions for monopoly. (please consult your dictionary to confirm, as I will not argue this point)
The economic definition is "The sole provider of a good or service", and this is by far a more "real world" definition than most others. (since when this condition is encountered people tend to suffer due to price, innovation, offerings, etc. problems)
The economic one applies to Comcast providing cable service in most places. (in the vast majority of the places where they provide cable service they are the only available provider) They are not a monopoly for high speed internet access in most areas however, since DSL, wireless, and other services are available those areas that Comcast sells high-speed internet service.
gharney likes to use the legal definition of monopoly, saying that by law Comcast can't keep competition out of the areas in which they operate. And he is correct in that regard. His is a real-world definition, but it is not the only one. |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:
 ·LINGO
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·surpasshosting
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to gharney
said by gharney :
said by fuzydice :
They're a monopoly,
they are far from a monopoly.
Comcast by legal definition in most cases is technically not a monopoly. But I wouldn't say they're "far" from it.
In the overwhelming majority of locations, Comcast enjoys the benefits of offering a unique service, which is in high demand, without competition. So they can behave like an unregulated monopoly.
Sure, Comcast can justify their behavior by splitting legal hairs. Every move, disclaimer, and price hike they make is entirely within the law. But the result is the same.
Many people feel they're being ripped off and bullied, and they're downright angry about it.
[text was edited by author 2003-03-27 11:56:30] |
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MikeDz3$
join:2003-03-15
Weirton, WV
| the government isn't gonna do anything. The justice department and the fcc both approved this merger with little or no restrictions on comcast. The fcc chair has always turned down requests to regulate the cable industry and to let it flourish on its own. Therefore i don't think anything will change. If anything they will raise the rates for everyone and make everyone pay $60/month and they will see all the 2.5million subscribers leave because they don't see paying $60 for lowband high speed internet service(1.5/256). |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:
·LINGO
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·surpasshosting
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to AthlGrond
said by AthlGrond :
The economic one applies to Comcast providing cable service in most places. (in the vast majority of the places where they provide cable service they are the only available provider) They are not a monopoly for high speed internet access in most areas however, since DSL, wireless, and other services are available those areas that Comcast sells high-speed internet service.
I guess things are different in Denver, AthlGrond . In Rockville 20852, between Rock Creek Park and the CSX line, that's simply not true. There is no choice competition for broadband services at my location.
•DSL at 19,300 cable feet? Please provide a link!
•Wireless? Not in Rockville!
•other services? I'm all ears. But I've already ruled out:
•Powerline - I'm iso trials, but there are none in Rockville.
•Satellite - Last time I checked, the only offering was a telco return.
Edit:
I changed "choice" to "competition". In fact, I do have a "choice". I can remain at the mercy of whatever torture Comcast decides to bestow on its customers, or I can regress to technology of the last millennium.
[text was edited by author 2003-03-27 11:30:05] |
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odog
Cable Centric Vendor Biased
Premium
join:2001-08-05
Norcross, GA
clubs:
·Comcast
·Metrocast Communic..
·Vonage
| reply to DanB
want DSL? you have to get a dial-tone capable copper pair... while it is completely possible and is done in some circumstances. try calling up the phone company for DSL without a dial-tone line, and they will tell you it's a requirement.
with many people using their cellphone for everything.... would object to getting another $25 tacked on their $25 on their DSL biil for phone service when they don't need it.
--
disclaimer: my opinions are my own, my employer is not responsible.
[text was edited by author 2003-03-27 11:52:05] |
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AthlGrond
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO
·Comcast
| reply to JTRockville
said by JTRockville :
I guess things are different in Denver, AthlGrond . In Rockville 20852, between Rock Creek Park and the CSX line, that's simply not true. There is no choice competition for broadband services at my location.
•DSL at 19,300 cable feet? Please provide a link!
•Wireless? Not in Rockville!
•other services? I'm all ears. But I've already ruled out:
•Powerline - I'm iso trials, but there are none in Rockville.
•Satellite - Last time I checked, the only offering was a telco return.
Edit:
I changed "choice" to "competition". In fact, I do have a "choice". I can remain at the mercy of whatever torture Comcast decides to bestow on its customers, or I can regress to technology of the last millennium.
I am aware that there is not competition everywhere. (There isn't everywhere in Denver too) But as I said in most places there is. (in most places where Comcast provides HSI)
Obviously in some area's Comcast is a monopoly for HSI too. (well obvious to you and me anyway)
BTW I get the same deal in the area with competition that you do without, though I'll be they try harder to keep me as a customer through better service and maintenance. (though I didn't get a bribe package like you did )
FYI Some satellite systems allow for uplink via the dish, but the usually problems with satellite systems still apply. (not all that fast, expensive and high latency) |
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