said by fiberguy :

The question that remains to be asked is that if people are worried (or like to appear worried and informed consumers) over a $1 or $2 difference in bill/costs, it makes me have to ask if a premium service such as pay television is right for this group to begin with.

I love days like this.. the day where the god o' mighty bird provider raises their rates - and they don't look much different than the wire provider.

The cold hard truth is that prices, in history, ALWAYS go up.. they NEVER go down.. welcome to the great experience we call life.

said by fiberguy :

I'm not taking this as you are bashing Sat Tv... or anything.. however, in a sad and hard core way, yea.. you answered your own question.

Prices go up. Do you sit idly by and clap? If you chose to.. sure. OR, you make "decisions".. you may have to cut back, for one, which is always an option.

Most people get a raise every year.. The common mistake that people make is that the raise they get will put them ahead. It's often called "a cost of living increase".. should I explain that one?

Are you getting "raped?"... knock it off already with that. Prices go up. Stop for a moment.. look at the money you make today. Now, step back 10 years from now taking today's pay based on cost of living 10 years ago.. with that in mind, you'd be in a pretty well off position, huh? Ok.. Now, step back 10 years ago with both the pay you had back then and the bills... much change?

The "THEORY" is that you should have, in 10 years, bettered yourself and raised your pay by means of advancement or job changes.. If you're not doing that, it's your own fault.

What the real truth is, which is often ignored, is that people have to live with in their means. If cable or sat is going to raise it's fee, they KNOW that some people are going to cut back on their services. However, you see it as a price hike which is also valid and true. So.. either absorb it with your annual raise, OR, call them and cut back on the level of service.

Everything is going up.. it has been since we started a barter system on this planet. You're not getting raped.. you're living life. Should you sit back? HELL NO! Make some informed and personal decisions to balance yourself out. If television is THAT important to you, and you have to have it, try eating out one less time a month and brown bag it. Why not car pool where possible and save on gas or take a bus to work. Why not cut back on some phone features.. maybe take the texting plan off your cell phone. At the store, buy less name brand items, use store brand and start clipping coupons. To be honest, if you can't clip a coupon or two because it's too much work, then I REALLY don't feel for you. The average customer in a month CAN and DOES save up to $70 a month by using coupons at the store alone! (Maybe some people don't know about this because they are too busy being "offended" by all the junk mail they receive in a weeks time and spend MORE time trying to get rid of it than they would actually looking at it and realizing they could save money with it - irony, huh!)

There are PLENTY of ways to take personal responsibility in your own budget - the fact remains that people are either too lazy, unwilling, or feel they shouldn't have to. (or something else) But, the point is that life changes.. and you have to adjust with it.

said by fiberguy :

What you don't realize is that not everyone in this country is in a recession, or the SAME recession.. A recession is not necessarily universally felt.

California, for example, and I am sure the east as well, is in a much harder economical phase than we are in the upper midwest where things are still doing fairly well.

Again, you keep on moaning about CEO salaries.. your daggers are aimed in the wrong direction. CEO's could stop taking a salary AND bonus and it wouldn't change a damn thing to the consumer in the end. However, I know how fun it is to bitch and moan about a CEO's pay.. Everyone in this country has the same opportunity to get CEO pay.. go for it. Bashing CEO's at every turn is the same thing as "Mommmmmm.... He got more pudding than I diddddd!!!!" It's not attractive.

Do you have a right to piss and moan and complain? ABSOLUTELY... no one says you can't.. but, at least attack the right things and look smart about it instead of just pissing to the wind. AND.. at the same time, make sure you have your own house in order at the same time when doing so. In hard times, some people have to make cut backs.. What I/We hear from you is "prices are going up, I want to have the same and not pay any more".. and it's not going to happen. There are PLENTY of ways to still EASILY afford your bills.. you just need to make an effort, which I doubt you have.

In your reply my post, you spend all your energy on the CEO and not a lick of attention to ways to maximize your dollar or adjust your own budget.. you just chose to complain how a CEO is making a good salary and your rates are going up.

Things will never get better for you it seems.. good luck.

said by fiberguy :

Ahh yes.. the "contract"... so if your economic situation worsens at some point and you need to cut back, you can't with out being rewarded with a hefty penalty for tightening your ropes. For Verizon, they are the winners here.

said by fiberguy :

American's have this notion that they should be able to have a home, a car, all utilities at whim, cellular phones, cable tv, high speed internet, phones with all the long distance they can have, the ability to eat out all the time, travel, go to amusement parks, have the latest HD tv, etc.

said by fiberguy :

In other words, what you are saying is that
American's have this notion that they should be able to have a home, a car, all utilities at whim, cellular phones, cable tv, high speed internet, phones with all the long distance they can have, the ability to eat out all the time, travel, go to amusement parks, have the latest HD tv, etc.

said by bobny1 :

Ok!. If we are in the middle of a recession and is all about sacrifices, what about CEOs getting millions of dollars in bonuses. Last year most of the CEOs got ridiculous amount of money while employees go cut backs, r

said by en102 :

This is personal and discretionary spending - well said.

Many have been jumping through the hoops with all the gadgets that they can get.
HD, multiple cell lines with data/messaging plans, new cars, Wii/PSP3, new PC, 20Mbps/5Mbps internet, etc.

There's a LOT of discretionary spending there, and that doesn't include the cost of extras, and utilities to go with it.

If many knew the 'true' cost of these items, they probably wouldn't spend on half of them.

said by Camelot One :

First it was no rate hikes. Then it was "moving" channels from the HD package to a new "add on" package, essentially forcing us to pay more to continue receiving the same channels. Now it's a rate hike on top of that?

said by Camelot One :

First it was no rate hikes. Then it was "moving" channels from the HD package to a new "add on" package, essentially forcing us to pay more to continue receiving the same channels. Now it's a rate hike on top of that?

said by Nightfall :

Comcast is way behind in HD, while Dish is trying to expand to keep up. Directv, IMO, is worth the price I pay every month.

Seems that the TV industry as a whole will keep bringing their rates up about 3-5% every year for a long time to come.

said by Neyland :

Dish announced they were freezing rates for two years.

said by badmedicine :

Watch consumers go without cable tv.. Direct-Tv is going to bring this upon itself.. that is, a shrinking consumer base with this round of price increases.. let the backlash begin.
Consumers who refuse to pay this round of increases won't be running to a wired provider, they will do without any provider.

said by Rob A :

When I first signed up the flat monthly cost of total choice was $41.99, now up to $52, damn.