  RobIn Deo speramus.Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
kudos:3
1 edit | HD Programming.. Seeing how Comcast charges a $9.95/mo. "HD Technology Fee" that provides their customer with access to HD Channels, I don't see how they can justify that the increase in price is, in part, due to the HD Programming.
--
CheckSite.us | YourIP.us | Reverseip.us | |
|
 |  plencnerbPremium
join:2000-09-25
Elgin, IL
kudos:2 | Re: HD Programming.. If the price increase is due (in part) to an increase in the cost of providing HD programming, then why not raise that line item cost from $9.95 to cover the increase?
Example: If the total increase is $3.00, and $1.50 of that is due to increases in providing the HD channels, then $1.50 should be added to the "general" TV part, and $1.50 should be added to the HD Programming Charge (bringing it up from $9.95 to $11.45).
Now, my numbers in my example are made up, as I have no idea what they really are. But, my point is this: Since Comcast has on their bill the breakdown for specific items, and if those specific items cost more to provide, then why not increase only those specific items, and not the overall bill? This way, people can see exactly where the increase in costs are, and then make a choice to either keep those items, or make a change in what services they want.
--Brian
--
============================
--Brian Plencner
E-Mail: CoasterBrian72Cancer@gmail.com
Note: Kill Cancer to Reply via e-mail | |
|
| | | Comcast removed 24 HD channels alone in the last month in Philadelphia.
In Atlanta, they reshuffled movie channels into lesser-watched networks in HD. To say they added anything is pretty disingenuous. They didn't.
And they wonder why their customer satisfaction numbers are where they are? | |
|
| |  pizzFiber pleasePremium
join:2000-10-27
Astoria, NY
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: HD Programming.. Why is it that people think Cable TV is some sort of necessity? It's a simple luxury. You don't need Cable TV to survive or sustain. But since people are using the internet as their main sources of TV, sure Comcast and other providers of TV are gonna raise rates, if you have a bundle etc..
I'm not a shill, but people tend to forget what a luxury is and a necessity.
--
Fantasy football is Dungeons & Dragons for the guys who beat up kids that played D&D. | |
|
| | | | | Re: HD Programming.. said by pizz:Why is it that people think Cable TV is some sort of necessity? It's a simple luxury. You don't need Cable TV to survive or sustain.
I'm not a shill, but people tend to forget what a luxury is and a necessity.
Cable TV is a necessity for those of us who live in areas with no OTA signals.
I don't really consider TV a luxury, it comes in handy for watching the local news and the few decent programs that are left nowadays.
HBO and premium content channels are luxuries. I do not consider basic cable to be a luxury.
--
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
Sinclair Lewis | |
|
| | | |  HUH
@comcast.net | Re: HD Programming.. Any TV is a luxury. Get your priorities on straight. | |
|
| |  Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Detroit, MI
 ·Verizon Wireless..
·Comcast
| said by osravens:And they wonder why their customer satisfaction numbers are where they are?
When company like Comcast has grip on the market like they currently have, unfortunately they don't have to worry about that. At this point they are only trying to keep local, state, and federal governments happy.
--
"I like to refer to myself as an Adult Film Efficienato." - Stuart Bondek | |
|
| |
| | Free Market? As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE" | |
|
| | | Re: Free Market? said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
The only part of free market that is not working is the customer's willingness to disconnect services that cost too much. As long as you continue to pay the increases you are reinforcing that the market is accepting the price hike. | |
|
| |  MoracCat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
kudos:1
·Comcast
| Re: Free Market? said by puttinitout :said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
The only part of free market that is not working is the customer's willingness to disconnect services that cost too much. As long as you continue to pay the increases you are reinforcing that the market is accepting the price hike. Disconnecting Internet these days is like disconnecting electricity or water. It's basically like a basic utility.
And before you respond that there are alternatives, there really aren't in many places. In many areas Comcast has a true monopoly.
--
The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired. | |
|
| | | | | Re: Free Market? So true the Internet is the new basic. Without it you are basically living in the stone age. | |
|
|  BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
People that live in Comcast area have other cable companies to choose from? | |
|
| |  jmn1207Premium
join:2000-07-19
Ashburn, VA
kudos:1 | Re: Free Market? Since the customer is unable to pay directly for the content that they want to view, the only real option in a free market sense is to completely drop pay TV. That is a tough choice to have to make for many of us. | |
|
| | | | | Re: Free Market? Its quite easy actually. It boils down to this. Would I like to have an extra $100 in my pocket every month or should I continue to pay for cable tv where its impossible to get any real value from? Hmmmmmm what to do? Your right this is hard. Just like shampooing my hair. Good thing they put instructions on the bottle. | |
|
| | | | jmn1207Premium
join:2000-07-19
Ashburn, VA
kudos:1 | Re: Free Market? said by FLATLINE:Its quite easy actually. It boils down to this. Would I like to have an extra $100 in my pocket every month or should I continue to pay for cable tv where its impossible to get any real value from? Hmmmmmm what to do? Your right this is hard. Just like shampooing my hair. Good thing they put instructions on the bottle.
"Great point, and tactfully presented."
-Telly Savalas-
| |
|
| | | | said by BF69:said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
People that live in Comcast area have other cable companies to choose from? I don't know. Ask those that tout the biblical "free market" slogan. | |
|
| | | | | Re: Free Market? dish,direct tv. | |
|
| |  dnoyeBFerrous Phallus
join:2000-10-09
Southfield, MI
·Comcast
| said by BF69:said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
People that live in Comcast area have other cable companies to choose from? Some near me do. I live in Michigan and some of the neighboring cities have both Comcast and WOW or some other service. Those that have access to other service have significantly lower rates that I.
--
dnoyeB
"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard. " Ecclesiastes 9:16
| |
|
| | | Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Detroit, MI Reviews:
·Verizon Wireless..
·Comcast
| Re: Free Market? said by dnoyeB:said by BF69:said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
People that live in Comcast area have other cable companies to choose from? Some near me do. I live in Michigan and some of the neighboring cities have both Comcast and WOW or some other service. Those that have access to other service have significantly lower rates that I. So out of those very few areas (I live here in MI too!), what does that do for the rest of this state. Does that do any good for the rest of country?
--
"I like to refer to myself as an Adult Film Efficienato." - Stuart Bondek | |
|
| | | | said by BF69:said by seamore:As many like to gloat, "let the FREE MARKET DECIDE"
People that live in Comcast area have other cable companies to choose from? I count 4 choices...
DTV
DISH
OTA
and No CATV
Man up and choose. You are not entitled to affordable CATV, it's not a right. Cut the cord and move on. If people understood by doing this in mass, that prices would drop, we could change how CATV is sold. | |
|
| | | | | Re: Free Market? In Atlanta, there's also U-Verse. | |
|
| | | dnoyeBFerrous Phallus
join:2000-10-09
Southfield, MI Reviews:
·Comcast
| DTV/DISH don't compete with Comcast if you have internet. They always seem to price themselves just to not compete. unless you have tons of channels and do those people even care what they pay?
--
dnoyeB
"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard. " Ecclesiastes 9:16
| |
|
| | | If human stupidity wasn't a common virtue then such systems would function accordingly. Yet since everyone wants handouts and don't want to be held responsible for their actions, the decision is done for us. | |
|
|
| | | Re: The linked articles point out.. hey - mama bear loves the jewlery channel. not everyone who watches tv posts on the internet. | |
|
| |
| |  tshirtPremium,MVM
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA
kudos:3
·Comcast
| Re: The linked articles point out.. yeah I know they are freebies, or even the revenue that makes limited basic almost free, my 2 points were
throw in the HD it makes those channels more effective and would be a finally selling point for everyone to have some CATV (once it's in the house upgrades are MORE likely. )
and don't pretend to the rest of us this is some fantasic new bonus.
this is for shopoholics (those that "SHOP" compulsively and sometimes buy )
Mama bear can watch all she wants | |
|
| |  cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:7 | said by Linklist:Usually, channels like the shopping channel, & the jewelry channel, the religious channels like EWTN, etc pay the ISPs to carry them instead of the other way around. That is why so many of these junk channels are in the lineup.
Perhaps then they shouldn't talk about the cost of programming going up and then immediately refer to adding ShopNBC to the lineup like they did in the press release Karl quoted. | |
|
| | ShopNBC Really? Customers were demanding ShopNBC? Nothing worth the rate increase there. | |
|
|  ropeguruPremium
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA | Re: ShopNBC said by mlcarson:Really? Customers were demanding ShopNBC? Nothing worth the rate increase there.
It is only because they now own NBC and want to push all the channels they can. | |
|
 pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Shrug Cut the cord. Problem solved.
Most of you who do this will be very surprised that you won't be missing cable TV much at all.
--
Romney/Ryan 2012 - Put a couple of mature adults in charge. | |
|
|
See 11 replies to this post |
|
| | Oregon price hikes I'm getting hit with the second price hike this year here in Oregon. For me, they already raised limited basic channels and cable box rentals a few months ago.
Now they're swinging around to hit me up with higher Internet fees.
You got the older subscribers downplaying the price hikes, but from the POV of a 3 year customer, it totally sucks. 3 straight years with price hikes, around 25% increase for Internet (from around $40 to $50 - Performance Internet /w additional service). | |
|
Reviews:
 ·Frontier Communi..
| content providers It would be nice if just one of the articles about cable rate hikes mentioned the role of the content providers in jacking up rates. Comcast, Time Warner, et. al, are not increasing their prices in vacuum. My new hometown is served by a privately owned regional cable company and our rates aren't much cheaper than Time Warner's offerings in my old hometown.
True a la carte offerings would go a long way towards addressing these price hikes, as the channels that demanded too much money would see decreased uptake. The problem is that true a la carte is not technically feasible for analog cable channels, traps are limited in their flexibility and truck rolls are required to install them. An exclusively digital cable television system would solve this problem, but at the cost of mandating set-top boxes for the millions of customers with older televisions.
One wonders why Dish or DIRECTTV haven't tried the a la carte model, their technology would easily allow for it, and they'd be able to increase their margins somewhat as people took less channels. Perhaps the contracts they have to sign with content providers don't allow for it? | |
|
| SunnyD
join:2009-03-20
Madison, AL | Re: content providers a'la carte only works if it's economically feasible for ALL parties involved. The last DirecTV dispute with Viacom for example brought to light a big hole in the a'la carte model. DirecTV pays Viacom a set price for an entire BUNDLE of channels, not a per channel price, in order to get a favorable rate. That bundle pricing is passed on to the customer, and it's probably written in the carriage agreement that it's all or nothing to the customer anyway.
There's just no way DirecTV could offer that pricing to customers a'la carte, let along CHEAPER pricing. | |
|
| |  Killa200Premium
join:2005-12-02
Southeast TN
·Charter
| Re: content providers said by SunnyD:...and it's probably written in the carriage agreement that it's all or nothing to the customer anyway.
There's just no way DirecTV could offer that pricing to customers a'la carte, let along CHEAPER pricing.
True statement, for any TV provider. | |
|
| | Reviews:
·Frontier Communi..
| Well, I always assumed that they signed agreements for bundles of channels, but they could still separate out those bundles into different packages. Want the History Channel or A&E? Buy the A&E package. Want ESPN? Buy the Disney package. Want TNT or CNN? Buy the Turner package. Not as ideal as a'la carte on a per channel basis but it's still better than the "all or nothing" model we have today.
As far as pricing, it's a given that you'd wind up paying more per channel than you currently do, but the hope is that you'd pay less money overall by dropping unneeded channels. It would also allow consumers to see the true cost of different channels/bundles, whereas today they are insulated from it. Connect them closer to this cost and the content providers will eventually see decreased uptake as a result of their never ending price hikes. It would also solve the problem of content providers holding the cable/satellite companies hostage. They can charge whatever they want, consumers will either pay it or ditch their channels.
In the ideal world you wouldn't even have the cable company as the middle man collecting the funds. Imagine a purchasing model similar to the way you select a long distance provider on your POTS line. You deal directly with the provider, work out whatever pricing/contract arrangement you want with them, then they tell the cable company to release their channels to your equipment. | |
|
| KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | sad thing is I bet when content creators/owners raise their prices, its not the camera men, gaffers, grips, etc that get the pay raise either.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
|
| | Poor excuses are better then none "hikes are necessary due to network upgrades and higher programming costs", but have plenty of money to buy NBC. | |
|
| | Comcast price hike I always thought a company was supposed to use profits it earned to upgrade, not pre-charge customers so it can upgrade. Give a superior product, more people use it. More people use it, more profit. More profit, more money to upgrade. And so on. I guess just charge more for upgrades that need to be done, and then charge more for the upgrades because it has been upgraded. | |
|
Reviews:
 ·ooma
·Optimum Online
 ·Verizon FiOS
| excuses, excuses.. Do consumers really need those channels? This is the kind of thing consumers would cancel over.. usually cable companies wait until the next year to raise prices.. but, then they won't be able to get as much money next year from next year's price increases! Little does Comcast know that there is a ceiling that consumers will pay for video services before they cancel, and drop all their set-top rentals and subscription fees. Then, they'll get their programming over the internet and OTA & other venues for less cost. I don't know many couch potatoes who get to stay home and watch enough programming to pay $50 a month for it plus a $7 set-top box rental, plus franchise fees & taxes..
Well, if the internet fees go up.. and the speeds & cap/overages don't have a better value, this will backlash too and smack against a wall of regulation sooner or later and they'll be sorry for it..
»www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZdp46Jen_w | |
|
 IowaCowboyWant to go back to IowaPremium
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA
·Comcast
·Verizon Broadban..
| Comcast vs Time Warner I have Comcast and Grandma up in Maine has Time Warner. Comcast seems to just give in to rising content provider fees and turns around and raises rates. On the other hand, Time Warner gets into carriage disputes all the time and pulls channels until the programming providers meet their demands of reasonable carriage fees. Each time I go to Grandma's house, there is one or two channels that is blacked out because of a carriage dispute. Comcast never seems to have carriage disputes, instead they seem to give in to the content providers and just raise rates.
As for cost, Grandma's cable is cheaper than mine despite the fact we both have triple plays through our respective cable providers. We both get approximately the same channels and we both have digital phone. And Time Warner does not charge rent on modems like Comcast does. Time Warner charges $1.75 for a cable card, Comcast charges $7.45 additional outlet fee for a cable card along with the bogus "HD Technology Fee".
So based on my comparison (as I have dealt with both cable providers firsthand) of Time Warner vs Comcast: The customer friendly award goes to Time Warner for price and customer service. I also get a local call center (located in Portland, ME) when I call Time Warner vs Comcast and their outsourced and sometimes offshored call centers.
I have also dealt with Mediacom but that was over ten years ago before I moved away from Iowa.
--
I wish I still lived in Iowa; Everything there from rent and groceries to Cable TV is much cheaper in Iowa (especially with an overbuilder in town). | |
|
| | | Re: Comcast vs Time Warner And outside of NFL Network, Time Warner has a more comprehensive channel lineup, IMO. And in most markets, more HD channels. | |
|
| | Rate Hike Browse the entire lineup of what your cable provider gives you. Then ask yourself how many of those channels you actually watch or care to watch. Is it really worth the continually rising expenses to pay for channels you don't want? A-la-carte alternatives exist. Giving in only reinforces the cable company's rate hikes and costs. Do the research and cut the cord. Streaming, DVDs, pay per episode TV. Why are you paying for shopping and cooking shows you don't watch. A jewelry channel? Are you kidding me? Why do you pay for the Disney channel if you don't have small children?
Would you accept this behavior from other services? "Here, we know you didn't ask for this, or want it, but we're going to give it to you and charge for it." | |
|
| | | Re: Rate Hike The problem with this idea of a-la carte alternatives existing (and they really don't), the industry is so condensed that there's a good chance the channels you don't watch are owned by the same company of one that you do.
Look at FOX, who owns Speed, National Geographic, Fox News and FX. There's a good chance everybody watches 1 of these 4.
And FOX wants their hand out for you to pay for all 4. But you can't have one without the other. | |
|
| | MadtownPremium
join:2008-04-26
Madera, CA | Re: Rate Hike You might not watch the Disney Channel but you you might watch ESPN. | |
|
 antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
United State
kudos:4 | Everything goes up. Not just Comcast.  | |
|
| KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | Re: Everything goes up. all costs go up, even life needs costs (power, water, gas, sewer, insurance). yet pay rates seem to stay flat. makes one wonder where that money goes.
And then you hear such and such energy company has record profits and the CEO got an eight figure bonus. But they are closing six refineries and laying off 4,000+....
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
|
| | Everyone Wants to Complain Sure there are other options for the internet, like dsl, satellite broadband, Verizon air card - which I'm using, tether your wireless to your phone, any more??? Human beings are always looking to bitch about something. as many company's out there, name some that are lowering there price's, i cant think of any, anyone? | |
|
 andybPremium
join:2003-05-29
SW Ontario
kudos:1
·TekSavvy DSL
| normal BDU scam So they added 15 channels.Not bad for 3 bucks.But I highly doubt anyone can get them anyway without subscribing to a certain "package"Otherwise it wouldnt be bad but if you ad then charge more just raise the price of the bundles that have that stuff.
" And over the past few years, we've locally invested $75 million in our network to deliver those next generation services."
Funny thing is a $3 increase over 3M people gives you $108 million per year.That doesnt count the last increase or the ones from "over last few years" or the actual number of customers by far | |
|
| | Comcast desperate for customers Comcast must be desperate for customers... just had some guy knock on my door trying to get me to become a customer. Of course I told him that I wasn't interested. I live in the greater Boston area. | |
|
| IowaCowboyWant to go back to IowaPremium
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA | Re: Comcast desperate for customers Based on your domain of Verizon.net, if you have FiOS, great. If you are stuck on DSL, Comcast Internet is ten times much better than DSL. | |
|
| | Hate to tell you It's not just Comcast raping people.
My Charter bill has gone up 3 times this year and I have not made a single change to anything. Simple expanded basic tv and their 15/3 plan,, which they no longer even have.
At least you have more than 2 lousy internet plans to chose from and aren't being forced, if you make any changes to internet, to use one of Charter's combo unit gateways.
--
The Firefox alternative.
»www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/ | |
|
| | It's all a ploy It's the cable companies response to Internet TV like Hulu and others. They are raising Internet costs to offset TV losses down the future. Don't buy their standard rhetoric.
I think cable TV providers knows that Internet TV will take over eventually. They are getting their internet price licks in now just to keep the bases covered.
What we really need is an internet alternative to the cabled internet providers. I'll bet the cabled internet providers are worried at what the cell networks could to do them as far as internet access alternatives are concerned.
Remember the price arrogance the phone companies had when they developed their own "high speed" data link called ISDN and priced that any way they wanted as often as they did? | |
|
| | | Re: It's all a ploy Makes we wish I had FIOS. | |
|
|
|
)
