Time Warner Cable Wishes You a Happy Rate Hike Season Latest Hikes Not Going Over Well in Los Angeles Back in November we noted how Time Warner Cable was alerting users in many markets that they were about to get hit with a new round of price hikes. At the time, Time Warner Cable insisted that most users would see around a 4.29% increase, which the company insisted was in part needed to fund development of things like their new iPad video application -- but also due to soaring programming costs. David Lazarus over at the Los Angeles Times notes that rate hikes for some services are actually as high as 27.4%. An install visit is jumping 51.5% from $32.99 to $50, while installation of Time Warner Cable Wi-Fi service will see a 40% jump from $40 to $70. Investors have argued that the cable industry, which has been bleeding video customers to Internet video and satellite and telcoTV alternatives, can't simply continue to mindlessly jack up rates. Lazarus notes they're simply punishing existing, loyal customers: ...cable companies are compensating for these losses by reaching deeper into the pockets of customers who stay with them. "They're punishing people for being loyal," Consumer Watchdog's Heller said. Clearly this is an untenable situation. Cable companies will keep alienating their customers by raising prices well beyond the inflation rate, and those customers will continue leaving in droves, compelling cable companies to raise rates even more. Cable providers continue to pay empty lip service to ideas like a la carte pricing or economy service tiers, but at the end of the day continue their relentless price hikes -- in large part because the majority of their customers continue to pay them.
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  GbcueAlmost P.E.Premium
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA
kudos:8 | Vote With Your Wallets, People! Dump them! | |
|  | | | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! that's right. Americans COLLECTIVELY supported these price increases by paying them. | |
| |  KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | Oh and make sure you tell them that when you disconnect. | |
| | etaadmin
join:2002-01-17
Dallas, TX
kudos:1 | And go where?
After reviewing my last TWC bill I went to check Dish and Directv and the prices are the same after the 1 year promotion so no advantage there. I can always call TWC and negotiate a discount without all the hassle of switching companies.
Uverse's terrible macroblocked picture quality is out of the question even if it was available here which is not and BTW uverse price hikes are here too »U-Verse Price Increases.
I don't like price increases but this is the nature of the beast so at the end of the day I have to balance affordability vs unnecessary services and since I can afford TWC I'll stay with them. | |
| | |  pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! You could always do without cable TV. For most people in major cities there is plenty of OTA programming. You could also go with Netflix streaming and a Roku box.
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"Net Neutrality" zealots - the people you can thank for your capped Internet service. | |
| | | | | | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! Yea but what about internet? Its either them or the phone company. Unless you're in a very few select cities for a 3rd landline option, you're stuck with those two.
And no, wireless is expensive. 10GB/mo, please.... | |
| | | | | pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! said by thatissick:Yea but what about internet? Its either them or the phone company. Unless you're in a very few select cities for a 3rd landline option, you're stuck with those two. Agreed, but if I have to choose between having cable tv xor having internet, internet will win, all the time.
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"Net Neutrality" zealots - the people you can thank for your capped Internet service. | |
| | | | | | Reviews:
 ·Optimum Online
 ·Verizon FiOS
| Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! said by pnh102:said by thatissick:Yea but what about internet? Its either them or the phone company. Unless you're in a very few select cities for a 3rd landline option, you're stuck with those two. Agreed, but if I have to choose between having cable tv xor having internet, internet will win, all the time. There are some cable-tv networks which stream on the internet... many are... FREE! CNN happens to be one of them.. Do your homework.. if 90% of the channels you pay for (usually most people who $$ PAY $$ for cable-tv ONLY regularly watch 5-7 channels) are streaming for free or ultra low cost.. that's the perfect excuse to tell the cable company to scratch their ass for the $$ cable service-- then go return the box & be done with it! Let's not forget the cost savings of not having a cable box ($5-$20 per box a month in electricity too in addition to the rental fee). | |
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| | | | | I hear about OTA TV all the time, but why? You basically have four networks, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox that airs FCC friendly content and have very little variety. Aside from CBS, Fox Sunday Night, and limited sports programming, I have absolutely no use for OTA TV. I can’t get my HBO and Showtime programming over the air. Can’t watch FX originals OTA, no relatively new episodes of South Park either. Very limited NHL Hockey and MLB Baseball coverage and general programming, all 10 NASCAR Chase Races were on ESPN, plus I can’t get SportsCenter, Jim Rome or PTI. OTA TV is next to useless. And Netflix, forget about that! Very poor selection all around on Netflix. I was so disgusted with Netflix streaming I canceled two weeks into my month long free trial because I couldn’t find anything worth watching.
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2011 Time Warner Cable Forum @ DSLReports Poster Of The Year!
Voted Unanimously on by ChillyCat and Elyria!
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| | | | | | | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! OMG listen to some of you? But but .......if I don't have cable TV with every single channel known to man what will I do??? Someone call in the wambulance!
How about you man up with the rest of us and get yourself a freaking hobby. Spend more time with the family. Just do something constructive for god sakes. Just stop giving in to the damn cable company every time they bend you over. The more people that say no are just making the rest of you look more and more pathetic. | |
| | | | | | TychoPremium
join:2000-07-23
Grandville, MI | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! We need a like button for responses like this  | |
| | | | | | | | I do have a hobby, it's called electronics and digital entertainment. I didn’t spend over $7,000 last year on a new TV and audio/video set up not to use it. Some people find enjoyment in going to a bar, getting intoxicated and wasting money drinking alcohol and poisoning themselves. I find enjoyment in watching sports on TV and various original series on premium cable.
FYI - Out of the approx 110 million TV homes in America, there are approx 90 million pay TV subscribers. Those that don't subscribe to some type of pay TV service, are the extreme minority.
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2011 Time Warner Cable Forum @ DSLReports Poster Of The Year!
Voted Unanimously on by ChillyCat and Elyria!
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! quote:
I get it. Your a follower not a leader. You take comfort in making bad decisions because you are part of the majority. Good for you!. Your next step is to get your self a Prius, Macbook Air, iPad, and dont forget the iPhone. Now you can be a card carrying Douchbag.
Actually, I drive a Lincoln SUV, have an Android based phone and tablet and have three Windows based HP computers at my disposal. I can’t stand Toyota nor can I stand Apple. When it makes sense, I will be a follower. That’s my preference and prerogative. I have no problem going with my heart and mind based upon my own decisions comparing and contrasting my options. Rather than doing something A) because I want to be like everyone else or B) because I want to rebel against the norm.
To touch back on Apple, I owed an iPhone and absolutely hated it and bought out my AT&T contract to get away from it. If I would have liked it, I would still have it today. I didn’t ditch the iPhone because I wanted to rebel against the phone 99% of the world thinks is cool, I ditched it because I can’t stand Apple’s extremely closed ecosystem and I think iOS is an extremely poor mobile OS and the iPhone is an extremely poor piece of hardware.
quote:
I share your "Hobby" as well. Difference is these technologies eliminate the need for the cable company and I realized it long ago. All it takes is a little planning and dedication. Which should be a walk in the park for someone like you. Ive seen you around here. Your not some Noob so stop acting like it.
I have no desire to hunt and peck for the TV shows and live sports I want to stream. On Sunday night at 9PM I want to turn my cable box to channel 1100 and watch Boardwalk Empire or catch it the next day on my DVR. I have no desire to search the internet for a torrent, that may or may not be virus laden and that probably is worse quality then if I watched it on HBO HD. I also have no desire to wait a year for a DVD or Blu Ray rip. As you know, the last three Bills game games have been blacked out. I found the streams online and watched all three games. It took five minutes of searching but I found them. I hooked my laptop to my A/V receiver via HDMI so I could watch them blown up on the big screen. Some streams were higher quality, but not HD, not even close. Audio quality was sorely lacking as well, I guess I’m just too used to Dolby 5.1. Also, nothing like having the stream crap out and having to search around for another one.
For the past 3 or 4 years now, I’ve subscribed to NHL Center Ice and MLB Extra Innings. I’m not a fan of any particular out of market team, I just enjoy those sports. I find it enjoyable to watch a random hockey or baseball game, especially a west coast hockey team, or NL baseball game, where the teams playing have no impact on the standings for my favorite team. I’ll watch a game until a commercial break, then flip over to the next game. Doing that online can be troublesome and extremely inconvenient.
quote:
By the way you seem kinda confused so let me help you out. Going to the bar to get intoxicated does not qualify as a hobby. Your comparison is garbage. Your continuing to help the cable company do anything but innovate and compete doesnt make you a better man than one who spends his entertainment money on Booze
Getting plastered doesn’t quality as a hobby? Ever been to Chippewa on Friday or Saturday night? I did something ONCE that I will never do again. I played DD for a buddy and his friend as they went bar hopping and clubbing downtown. Between cover charges, the price of drinks and hitting on girls by buying them drinks, they could have paid my entire cable bill for the month, and that was in just one night, hell a matter of a few hours. Considering how much entertainment value I get from all of the content available to me. I am pretty damn proud that I am helping support those that bring me that content.
quote:
One last thing. Since I do share your enjoyment of watching sports on TV. But I refuse to pay inflated prices to get that while subsidizing all the crap that comes with it. Again theres Zero value there. Cut the cord and soon they will find alternative ways to serve you. All of the programming can be delivered via on demand over the internet. CMON MAN HELP THIS INDUSTRY MAKE THE STEP IT SHOULD HAVE MADE YEARS AGO!!! Lower prices so Value is achieved and for god sakes step into reality. Cable is dead. theres is no reason anymore to pay for and maintain two seperate networks when one can do the job.
Sure, I’ll cut the cord, then have nothing to watch. Netflix is a poor substitute. I used my Netflix free trial to catch some of the first episodes ever of King Of The Hill. I entered the names of about 30 movies, none of them were available for streaming. I missed the first season of A&Es original series, The Glades, so I wanted to watch the entire first season before the second season started, looked for it on Netflix, not available. When to the A&E HD section of Time Warner’s Entertainment On Demand. Bingo! The entire first season.
I find a lot of shows that I watch by channel surfing. Without channels to surf through to discover and sample content, I’d eventually have nothing to watch. If it wasn’t for channel surfing I would have never thunk twice about watching Big Bang Theory, or Cinemax’s new series, Strike Back. And I would have never known about HBO’s upcoming series, Luck.
So I should ‘cut the cord’ to make a point? Yeah that will work well. Rates will continue to increase, the programmers won’t lose a dime, but I’ll lose my ability to see the programming I enjoy. Makes no sense to me whatsoever. Cable is dead? DirecTV and Dish Network, a combined over 30 million subscribers. (yes I know, not cable, but still pay TV) Comcast 22 million subscribers. Time Warner 13 million subscribers. If the cable industry is dead, I’d love to see an industry that’s in real trouble.
quote:
Edit: Nope not yet. Got curious and took a look at your profile. YOUR A BUFFALO SPORTS FAN!!!! A little tip from one Buffalo fan to another. Your not going to miss anything. The Bills are still garbage. The Sabres are still figuring stuff out. Two years minimum till any chance at the Stanley Cup. Might as well drop support for the Bills too. Its been what 12 years since a playoff birth? 12 Years of a horrible product. How long are you going to support that? Forever as well? Cancelled my tickets of 20 years 3 years ago.
I will stand by my teams. In addition to the Bills and Sabres, I also enjoy watching the UB Bulls and Rochester Americans on Time Warner Sports Net. I can’t see those games being easy to find online. I don’t care how well or how terrible the teams perform at time, I want to watch my teams play.
To view all the content I do on cable, there is no easy way to do it, and no way to do it in the seamless fashion, like doing something as simple as changing the channel. I don’t want to hunt and peck for shows I want to watch, I don’t want to wait for them to be released on DVD, I don’t want to download TV shows, I don’t want to stream in subpar quality. Netflix is garbage, buying shows a la carte via iTunes or something similar in the end is more expensive then cable. You call me a follower, but aren’t you just a follower of this new found wave to try to stick it to the cable company? As for me, like I said, I don’t care if I’m a follower or a leader. I work for my money, and I will spend it however I please. If that means spending it on TV content, that is my right and who are you to tell me that I’m wrong. I don’t smoke, drink, gamble or anything else. Some of the guys at work cash their paychecks on Friday only to buy $50 worth of losing scratch offs, a carton of cancer sticks and then drink the rest of their paycheck away by poisoning themselves. They’ll spend their money the way they want, you spend your money the way you want, and I’ll spend my money the way I want. I have no intention of dropping any part of my cable subscription, be it my 50Mb broadband, digital phone service or digital cable with two whole house DVRs and all of the premiums. And if MSG is dropped from the Time Warner line up, I more than likely will add another TV subscription, either DirecTV or one of the Canadian providers
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2011 Time Warner Cable Forum @ DSLReports Poster Of The Year!
Voted Unanimously on by ChillyCat and Elyria!
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| | | | | | | | | | My point was made. Steve your an alright guy from what ive seen around here. But boy am I disgusted with you and those who think like you. I fear for a country thats sees a wrong and is too scared to make a sacrifice for the better. | |
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| | | | | | | | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! I get it. Your a follower not a leader. You take comfort in making bad decisions because you are part of the majority. Good for you!. Your next step is to get your self a Prius, Macbook Air, iPad, and dont forget the iPhone. Now you can be a card carrying Douchbag.
I share your "Hobby" as well. Difference is these technologies eliminate the need for the cable company and I realized it long ago. All it takes is a little planning and dedication. Which should be a walk in the park for someone like you. Ive seen you around here. Your not some Noob so stop acting like it.
By the way you seem kinda confused so let me help you out. Going to the bar to get intoxicated does not qualify as a hobby. Your comparison is garbage. Your continuing to help the cable company do anything but innovate and compete doesnt make you a better man than one who spends his entertainment money on Booze
One last thing. Since I do share your enjoyment of watching sports on TV. But I refuse to pay inflated prices to get that while subsidizing all the crap that comes with it. Again theres Zero value there. Cut the cord and soon they will find alternative ways to serve you. All of the programming can be delivered via on demand over the internet. CMON MAN HELP THIS INDUSTRY MAKE THE STEP IT SHOULD HAVE MADE YEARS AGO!!! Lower prices so Value is achieved and for god sakes step into reality. Cable is dead. theres is no reason anymore to pay for and maintain two seperate networks when one can do the job.
Im done now.
Edit: Nope not yet. Got curious and took a look at your profile. YOUR A BUFFALO SPORTS FAN!!!! A little tip from one Buffalo fan to another. Your not going to miss anything. The Bills are still garbage. The Sabres are still figuring stuff out. Two years minimum till any chance at the Stanley Cup. Might as well drop support for the Bills too. Its been what 12 years since a playoff birth? 12 Years of a horrible product. How long are you going to support that? Forever as well? Cancelled my tickets of 20 years 3 years ago.
Now Im done | |
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| | | | | | | I have a hobby, I watch NASCAR on cable tv | |
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|  VanPremium
join:2009-07-08
New Orleans, LA | As others say, where?
Most who are unhappy would LOVE to go elsewhere but they can't due to ridiculous exit fees or frankly nobody else to turn to.
How many people have we seen here posting that they have just 1 legitimate TV/Internet company in their region? I have lost count....many more are coming upon this problem as well | |
| | | GbcueAlmost P.E.Premium
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA
kudos:8 | Re: Vote With Your Wallets, People! As it's been said, cut the cord entirely. OTA, Netflix, streaming, etc.
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My Blog 2.2 | |
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| | | You write
"I am pretty damn proud that I am helping support those that bring me that content."
I'm glad you like it, but I thought the whole point of this news article, and the many comments on it, was that people somehow resented the prices going up. If you enjoy it and are proud to pay the prices, then you are in a logical position, it's not mine, but who cares what I think? I wish you joy of your position. My difficulty, and I think this may well be Flatline's problem as well, is with the complaining about the prices while at the same time paying them. If you don't care what you pay, then by all means pay whatever the cable companies charge. If you do, then by all means cancel your service. However, don't pay the prices, and then complain that the prices are too high and that you have no other choice but to pay them, as some people in this thread did. Don't say "the prices are too high and I can't switch because everyone else is the same". In fact, just pay. If you pay, whether complaining or not, all the good the complaints do is to blow off steam, the prices will continue to rise. | |
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| | PUC regulation These cable companies need the same sort of state PUC regulation like phone and electricity providers. If that was going on rate hikes would not be going on every year. | |
| | NWOhio
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH | Re: PUC regulation and you want the taxes that come along with it? | |
| | | | we need some kind of regulation what do u propose? | |
| | | | im all for it, turn cable companies in to middle men that just process the transaction for the content. $10 or so to access the network, you pay for each channel you want at what ever price the content provider wants with none of that tierd(sic) crap. basically turn them in to a credit card processor.
wont happen though, because then the consumer would know exactly how much content providers think each channel is worth, and the content providers couldnt get over blown profits for mandatory carriage of crappy channels just to get one channel, well, they could "require it" but theyd have to convince the consumer it was worth it.
thus it wont happen. | |
| | | NWOhio
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH | Re: PUC regulation and doing that will serve what purpose? Who are you going to call for the truck rolls? Tech Support? that costs more than $10 per month per customer. This would turn out the same as gas deregulation did. You still get charged around $20-30 from the actual company then your gas usage. | |
| | | | | | Re: PUC regulation said by NWOhio:and doing that will serve what purpose? Who are you going to call for the truck rolls? Tech Support? that costs more than $10 per month per customer. This would turn out the same as gas deregulation did. You still get charged around $20-30 from the actual company then your gas usage.
if they actually invested in their networks one wouldnt need multi turck rolls each year.
i mean really truck roll in summer because the line swells from heat, another in winter because it shrinks. seriously? thats not the fault of the customer.
$10, was an example by the way. id be fine with $20, or even $30 if that included locals. and still did pay per channel for all other channels.
$30 for basic with 22 channels is bs.. $70 for expanded is even more bs. and lets not get started on "digital" with the even more bs fee's for the box's (that lets not forget, you need for that so called "free" hd) | |
| | | | | NWOhio
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH | Re: PUC regulation you still have to factor in the truck rolls to hook service up. Who's going to pay for that? pass it on to the customer? Sure you need an install- you pay $100, that's what it costs us so it costs you that. You do need to have your lines and such checked due to signal loss or something else you pay $XXX just like you do with the telcos.
Regulation is NOT the answer it will only cost YOU and everyone else more money than everyone on here would have to hear about how your bill went up for what ever reason or you have to pay to have someone come out or have to pay to talk to someone on the phone. All that costs money. | |
| | | | | | | | Re: PUC regulation said by NWOhio:Regulation is NOT the answer it will only cost YOU and everyone else more money than everyone on here would have to hear about how your bill went up for what ever reason or you have to pay to have someone come out or have to pay to talk to someone on the phone. All that costs money.
the thing with that is simple, when i had DSL, (yes i know, not the same set up but still) if they came out and the problem was on "my" side i paid them $75, if it was on their side, i paid $0
i know i need them checked when theres a problem, but then theres all ways a problem because they dont maintain the system, would it kill um to have a guy that goes around from "node" to "node" to pull some preventative maintenance?
you keep saying no regulation, well then if the cable co's dont want it, maybe they should get off their #$% and do things to make us see that they dont NEED it. like not caving in to content providers every time they raise rates, and renegotiating for a-la-carte, and pulling preventative maintenance doing things to improve the level of service we get, on their own.
because as it stands now, from THIS customers point of view. none of that will get done untill they are regulated.
btw gas deregulation cost us more because the gas companies could now do exactly what the cable companies are doing now. when gas companies where regulated we had cheaper gas. so im not seeing how saying regulating a cable co would be the same as deregulating gas. since regulation would entail the cable co not being able to charge more than they actually needed to run said business + a small profit for future expansion. instead of worrying about lining shareholders and corporate exects pockets.. | |
|
 n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
·Optimum Online
| What Is The Problem Here? The last sentence in the article says it all:
Cable providers continue to pay empty lip service to ideas like a la carte pricing or economy service tiers, but at the end of the day continue their relentless price hikes -- in large part because the majority of their customers continue to pay them. Bottom line is people continue to pay! If I am a business owner, I really do not care if I have a happy customer as long as he/she is a paying customer. The only time it really matters is when you face competition, but in the world of cable you have at best a duopoly.
When I hear people exclaiming how they need their "insert program name here" that is carried on a cable channel or need the latest greatest hyper-expensive sports package, then I see no reason not to extract as much money from them as legally possible. Eventually they will wise up and realize it is no different than throwing your cash into the fireplace. Sometimes sheep do wake up and realize they are being sheared.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. | |
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1 edit | Re: What Is The Problem Here? "If I am a business owner, I really do not care if I have a happy customer as long as he/she is a paying customer."
Hence the reason why we see the amount of the greed we've all seen with business small and large and why customer service is not even a mere afterthought but rarely exists until as you said there's competition. Nice to know that given your view, small business can't even be trusted as to provide personable service and develop long customer relationships as money trumps all. | |
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See 8 replies to this post | |
|  djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
kudos:1
 ·Verizon Wireless..
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T U-Verse
 ·VOIPo
·PHONE POWER
| I think there's a relatively healthy amount of competition in terms of TV service. I can get TW cable, DirecTV, DISH network, or U-Verse TV. I can even give them the middle finger and use online resources / rentals (which would be more attractive if I could get OTA TV). Looking at my monthly expenses as a whole, TV is still a relative bargain in terms of entertainment value.
A-la-carte can't happen because the content providers create agreements that prevent them from doing so. I'm not a sports fan, but if I want ABC, Disney corp requires carriers to offer ESPN in a low end tier.
Because contracts are written with different providers at different times, the content providers have all of the power. If Time Warner fights with ABC over the forced bundling, DirecTV and DISH are ready and willing to accept the customers who defect. Rinse and repeat each time a contact expires. We customers always lose. Even if we vote with our wallets, we're not solving the core issue. I don't see this getting solved without government intervention or without the TV industry collapsing as a whole.
What I'm most concerned about is that data providers are becoming television providers (AT&T U-Verse TV, Verizon FiOS TV). That gives them every incentive to make sure that the online video experience from a competitor is as miserable and expensive as possible. It will only get worse if people start pulling the plug on their TV services.
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AT&T U-Hearse - RIP Unlimited Internet 1995-2011
Rethink Billable.
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| | |  cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:5
·Frontier FiOS
| Re: What Is The Problem Here? said by djrobx:What I'm most concerned about is that data providers are becoming television providers (AT&T U-Verse TV, Verizon FiOS TV). That gives them every incentive to make sure that the online video experience from a competitor is as miserable and expensive as possible. It will only get worse if people start pulling the plug on their TV services.
Why solo out AT&T and Verizon? The cablecos have just as much incentive to make competitor's services as miserable and expensive as possible.
Back before Verizon sold our area off to Frontier, I never had any indication that there was any throtting or other games being played with my FiOS data connection. And even after it was sold to Frontier before I dropped them do to the TV rate hike last year I never had any issues with my data connection. It was just a fat pipe that I could use as much as I want.
I personally would be more concerned when the content company is the data company is the "cable company". THAT is when there is clear incentive for the content provider to only play nicely with traditional cable channels and offer nothing for streaming or alternate distribution means. | |
| | | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| However, there's little competition to keep content prices low.
They bend over the 4 major PayTV providers you mention, who then pass the costs to you. Sure you could leave and go to one of the other 3.... who are also raising prices to pass the costs onto you....
And so on. And so on...
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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| | New customer pricing I always wondered why they offered these "great" deals for new customers, but ignored existing customers. My brother-in-law is considering bouncing from satellite to cable and back to maximize his new customer discounts. I've got to say that I'm tempted too. (Also tempted to just cut the cord, but I don't think we're quite ready to do that just yet.)
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-Jason Levine | |
| |  Fir_Na_TineGiggity GiggityPremium
join:2001-01-03
Clementon, NJ | Re: New customer pricing Sometimes just threating to leave will cause them to throw a deal to you. I've done it with Comcast and gotten some special deals.
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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
-Jimi Hendrix | |
| | |  Morac
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
kudos:1
·Comcast
| Re: New customer pricing Lately I've been getting relatively good deals without threatening to leave. I used to have Comcast's Triple Play, but I dropped their phone service for a much cheaper VOIP. That actually caused my rates to go up (what kind of logic is that?).
Anyway, when I complained I managed to get a lower rate for 12 months. I guess we'll see what happens when that expires in April. The only good thing, is that while Comcast has no cable competition in my area, I'm able to get broadcast stations via antenna. That combined with things like Hulu Plus and Amazon means I have alternatives.
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The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired. | |
| | | |  OmegaDisplaced OhioanPremium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY | Re: New customer pricing said by Morac:Lately I've been getting relatively good deals without threatening to leave. I used to have Comcast's Triple Play, but I dropped their phone service for a much cheaper VOIP. That actually caused my rates to go up (what kind of logic is that?).
Anyway, when I complained I managed to get a lower rate for 12 months. I guess we'll see what happens when that expires in April. The only good thing, is that while Comcast has no cable competition in my area, I'm able to get broadcast stations via antenna. That combined with things like Hulu Plus and Amazon means I have alternatives.
I added phone service to my cable to save $20/month. When the year special ends this summer, I will threaten to cancel the triple play. Hopefully this will cause them to retain my current rate. If not, I will drop the phone service. I hardly use it.
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What smells like blue? | |
| | | | | Morac
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Comcast
| Re: New customer pricing said by Omega:I added phone service to my cable to save $20/month. When the year special ends this summer, I will threaten to cancel the triple play. Hopefully this will cause them to retain my current rate. If not, I will drop the phone service. I hardly use it.
That's actually the problem I had. When my triple play special ended and my rates shot up, I dropped phone service and then my rates went up on top of that instead of down. I was told that's because even without a special, the triple play package is discounted. I had to specifically switch to a double play package (not just drop phone service) to get lower rates.
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The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired. | |
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det427Premium
join:2004-01-31
Santa Rosa, CA | Not the only one! Just got an email that DIRECTV is going up in February too! | |
| | etaadmin
join:2002-01-17
Dallas, TX
kudos:1 | Re: Not the only one! said by det427:Just got an email that DIRECTV is going up in February too!
Those news won't make the front page at BBR only TWC price hikes are news. Did you see this »U-Verse Price Increases at BBR's front page? | |
| | |  dvd536as Mr. Pink as they comePremium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:4 | Re: Not the only one! said by etaadmin:said by det427:Just got an email that DIRECTV is going up in February too!
Those news won't make the front page at BBR only TWC price hikes are news. They will if you tip them
»/submitlocal1
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Oh YES! let me drop everything i'm doing regardless of who it affects to deal with your petty little problem! | |
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| dvd536as Mr. Pink as they comePremium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:4 | said by det427:Just got an email that DIRECTV is going up in February too!
'tis the season for the first of the bi-annual rate hikes.
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Oh YES! let me drop everything i'm doing regardless of who it affects to deal with your petty little problem! | |
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| | | | Re: Entertainment industry overvalued? Entertainment might be the next bubble to pop. | |
| | | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: Entertainment industry overvalued? Unlikely, as people have shown they want entertainment at virtually any cost (ala welfare familes with full movie packages cable TV, for example.)
If prices get too high more people will turn to piracy, but they are as you know going all out to destroy the internet to prevent that.
It really does need to burst.
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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 maartenaElmoPremium
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA
kudos:1
·AT&T U-Verse
 ·DIRECTV
| And then what? DirecTV is increasing their prices in February 2012.
AT&T U-Verse is increasing their prices in February 2012.
Dish Network increased in 2011, but said not to increase in 2012. But be assured, you probably will see an increase again in 2013.
Bottom line: everyone is increasing prices. The main reason: TV broadcasters and network operators asking for insanely high increases for their transmission, to offset the loss of advertising revenue due to the economy.
You can vote with your wallet by SWITCHING, but you'll eventually pay the same money once your trial pricing is done.
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"I reject your reality and substitute my own!" | |
| | dvd536as Mr. Pink as they comePremium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
kudos:4 | Re: And then what? said by maartena:You can vote with your wallet by SWITCHING, but you'll eventually pay the same money once your trial pricing is done.
the beauty of that is the company you just left, you become a new user again once you've been gone 90 days. lather rinse repeat*
* however with DTV they want to lock you into a long term contract with steep ETF!
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Oh YES! let me drop everything i'm doing regardless of who it affects to deal with your petty little problem! | |
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 gigahurtzPremium
join:2001-10-20
Palm Coast, FL | Vote with your wallet by CANCELLING! As others have mentioned, all providers are raising their rates. The only way we can send a message is if we cancel services without switching to another provider. The problem is, this will never happen as we have too many things we enjoy watching on our TVs using our providers (and they know this). It takes a lot to cancel your TV service all together, and for that reason alone providers will continue to get away with this. | |
| | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK Reviews:
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: Vote with your wallet by CANCELLING! This is why the caps and overage model is coming into play on Internet services... because people ARE cutting the cord.... so they intend to take that cut cord and wrap it back around the consumer's throat and start tightening it until they hand over their wallet.
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"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
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| | | gigahurtzPremium
join:2001-10-20
Palm Coast, FL | Re: Vote with your wallet by CANCELLING! So you're saying to just stay a hostage of the entertainment industry and keeping paying, regardless of the pay hikes? | |
| | | | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | Re: Vote with your wallet by CANCELLING! No. I haven't had PayTV for 4 years now. OTA Antenna and Internet/DVD's from Netflix. | |
| | | | | gigahurtzPremium
join:2001-10-20
Palm Coast, FL | Re: Vote with your wallet by CANCELLING! So you simply have to pick the lesser of two evils. Luckily, my current Internet provider does not have any caps in place. | |
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| | Verizon and AT&T gave up in competing. This is no surprise that cable companies continue to hike rates.
What's the alternative? Nothing!
Thank the free market and the invisible hand. | |
|  mech1164I'll Be Back
join:2001-11-19
Lodi, NJ
·Optimum Online
| Problem is... I one of thoses that can't jump even though I desperately want to. Where I live I'm only a few miles from NYC and the stations should come in fine. Thing is at my location I'm behind a ridge line. In a garden apt complex. So no sat dishes allowed or outside antennas. Before any one says they can't stop you from doing that. You are wrong and have seen people evicted for it. We got FIOS in my town years ago, we were one of the first towns in NJ to get it. That being said they didn't wire our complex and MDU installs are stalled last I heard. So if I want to watch anything it's cablevision or nuthin.
Ok now I'm depressed again. | |
| |  Xioden
join:2008-06-10
Monticello, NY | Re: Problem is... FCC regulations do allow landlords to place limitations on installations of satellite dishes and antennas, they are not able to just outright say you can not install them. Placing one in an area exclusively within your use (balcony, patio, porch, etc.) falls within areas they can not restrict installation unless the physical installation could cause damage to the premises.
Worst case, 5 gallon bucket filled with cement and a pole sticking out of it on a balcony/patio/porch to mount a dish to. They can't do anything about it. If you have a south/east facing window and want to get creative you could always just keep the window open and point the dish out the window and make a little box/case to place around the dish and effectively close off the open window. | |
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| | There is no law... I think this is going to get me allot of flames, but here it goes. I do not know of any legislation stating that one must watch television, and I know of no natural law that states that television is absolutely required for life to continue. If, for example, one goes without television for four days, one does not usually die. Also, if one does not watch video content for a year, he is not usually thrown into a dirty jail cell where rats gnaw on his toes and outraged guards come into the cell every twenty minutes to kick him in the ribs. Finally, I know of no religion which demands that people ought to watch television, and no moral code I have heard of says that television is a must for the good life. I would have a good deal more sympathy for people who had their prices raised if we were talking about food, but we're talking about, basically, entertainment. If one can't afford to be entertained, then perhaps one may want to provide the entertainment for himself? I can guarantee you that, if people provided their own entertainment, the prices for cable would simply plunge. | |
| | mech1164I'll Be Back
join:2001-11-19
Lodi, NJ | Re: There is no law... :FLAME: 
Ok you are to level headed and reasoned to be in this forum. How'd they let you in?  | |
| | | | | Re: There is no law... Indeed. We quit watching TV almost entirely here, cutting the cord was only making it official.
Think about it this way when you quit paying for TV; rather than listing the three things you cant watch and want to, list all the stuff the system makes you watch that you don't want to see. Such as crappy programming/channels you hate, mindless propaganda sold as "news", endless advertisements for stupid products you would never buy/scum of the universe politicians/prescription drugs/ambulance chasing lawyers/etc... Think of all the time you save by not having to wait for all that crap to be over. | |
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| | | some of us use it for local news, and storm alerts. but have you priced basic tv service? here at least basic (and i mean 1 - 22 here) is still $30, and no, i cant use an antenna since that stupid transition.
now sure your right, its not required to live, but being disabled, it helps to know if theres something goin on with the bus system, or a new rate hike on the bus's, or some bad weather coming etc.
sidenote, food price ARE going up, it happens every year on the 1st because stores know folks on ssi got a pay raise (a whopping 3% to cover 6% inflation, amazing increase huh? so $698 instead of $674 a month for those born disabled.) | |
| | | | | Re: There is no law... I am disabled myself and find it at least difficult, though not, I may say, impossible, to get out of the house. I certainly get out less than I want to.
As for local news, my local newspaper is on the internet, my local radio stations all stream, and they also put up text articles. This is leaving aside the radio itself, which I keep around for emergencies, and reception from which is free. The only thing I pay for into the house is internet service, and most of that is a luxury, I could cut down to $15 a month if I needed to, I am just fortunate enough not to and to be able to pay $50 for internet service. I get storm alerts, as well as news, from the local media and the weather services on the web.
I agree with you about basic cable, what is charged for it and what one gets takes it past the depressing stage and makes it into something almost funny. | |
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| | | | Re: Multi Play Monopoly! said by Mr Matt:  First we have the monopoly created by the copyright laws that allows the Movie/Music Industry to charge whatever the traffic will bear.
*Psst!* Did you know McDonalds has a MONOPOLY on the food the sell? No, one should be able to go to Burger King and get a McRib. And their prices! People paying the asking price instead of what they really would if asked. The nerve.
Really we have a revolution right under our noses. The equipment to create entertainment is overall cheaper. The technology to distribute is cheaper. Talent is uneven and going to always be the bigger expense. But right now you (generic you) can create your own copyrighted content and distribute it to a global audience. Getting paid? Well now that's a problem all creators face. Creating something the majority wants? A romp through Youtube shows the pool everyone's drawing from. | |
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 newviewEx .. Ex .. ExactlyPremium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD
kudos:1
·Vonage
·DIRECTV
| Consumers have no other choice quote:
Cable providers continue to pay empty lip service to ideas like a la carte pricing or economy service tiers, but at the end of the day continue their relentless price hikes -- in large part because the majority of their customers continue to pay them.
The reason most customers stay is simply because they really have no other viable choice, either because there is no competition in the area to switch to in the first place ... or, in the case of more than one provider in the area, the provider's cost and content offerings are so close that it's not worth the hassle to switch. A difference of a few dollars a month is not competition. So many providers are so close in cost, it's beginning to look like price fixing. | |
| | | | Re: Consumers have no other choice You write
"The reason most customers stay is simply because they really have no other viable choice, either because there is no competition in the area to switch to in the first place ... or, in the case of more than one provider in the area, the provider's cost and content offerings are so close that it's not worth the hassle to switch."
Respectfully, the consumer does have another choice, he can tell the company/companies in question he no longer wants the service, he will be doing something else with his time. The problem for a consumer isn't that there is no choice, it is that most consumers, when presented with the choice between, on the one hand, paying the price which I think we can all agree is not justified for what is being provided, even making room for a reasonable profit or, on the other hand, simply deciding not to buy the service, choose to pay the unreasonable price. The consumer is making a choice, perhaps even a reasonable choice. It's not the choice he'd like to make, I suppose, but it isn't accurate to say he has no choice.
I would agree that the prices offered do not represent any kind of reasonable competition in most cases. That doesn't, of course, take away from the consumer's initial choice of whether to buy the service or not. | |
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| | Haven't been shafted by anyone in years I cut the cord 4 years ago and have never regretted it. I have OTA TV, a free to air system and Netflix DVDs. A lot more money in my pocket for my effort. | |
| | | | Re: Haven't been shafted by anyone in years But no rangers hockey... | |
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| | Let the customer choose! TWC should ala-carte the offenders! Rather than punish the end user, TWC should start segregating the soaring media providers from their bundles. Turns out ESPN is the worst offender charging the highest per-household subscription fee of any cable channel, monthly per-subscriber fees for the flagship channel have risen 42% to $4.69 since 2006. The average cable channel fee rose 24% over that same period to 26 cents a month. ESPNs programming expenses soon will soar even more. In two years, ESPN will begin paying the National Football League $1.9 billion a year for professional football; a 72 percent increase over the networks current fee. These cable hikes have been driven largely by ESPN gambling by staggeringly outbidding other networks for sports coverage, then passing the cost over to the cable company who in turn passes it to the consumer. Its about time someone stands up to these guys and lets it stand or fall on its on merit, rather than bundling it with other program material. | |
|  Boomer86never say roadkillPremium
join:2002-10-18
Walden, NY | I WISH I could dump TWC Our only wireline broadband alternative is Frontier DSL, which tops out @ 3 Mbps down (and in reality is probably closer to 1 MB). Tried it, couldn't deal with the weak backhaul issues, two year contract, mandatory modem rental and other B$ fees.
We're already down to basic cable on TWC, Road Runner basic and using Netflix (which works surprisingly well in standard def on 1.5 MB down). Can't cut much else. Satellite TV packages don't work for us.
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I turned on my computer for this? | |
|  UnbundledBut When ? ?Premium
join:2010-09-13
Irving, TX | Basic Cable subscribers, bend over please :) So what else is new ? ? ? ?
My (old) bank started raising prices for stuff this year, and at the same time started reducing. and, then eliminating bonus features.
I told them to take a hike !!
I happily switched banks to one that was not shuffling and re-shuffling their check plans every 6 months.
I've said it before, but TW shamelessly passes on increases to their basic cable subscribers, the ones that can least afford these ridiculous hikes. Grandma doesn't have an ipad and doesn't want to fund it's deployment ! She just wants all her local channels coming in clear, so she can also watch severe weather coverage.
Just Basic stuff like that. But, they keep raising the Basic prices....
AMAZING !!!
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A La Carte Cable Choice is the ONLY Choice I'm Interested in ! ! ! | |
| | | | Re: Basic Cable subscribers, bend over please :) exactly, thats all i need is basic locals for bad weather and local bulletons. but that basic tv is $30/month down here. and while most folks consider that pocket change, some of us dont, i get $674 a month in ssi (oh right $698 starting next year) so $30 is a lot for just tv. i would gladly switch to an antenna except i cant GET locals via OTA with out a mast mount antenna, i doubt my landloard would have an issue with that but id need to have it pro installed. now if i had the $300+ for that sure id do it. but i dont.
basic is over priced, its mostly religious and shopping channels any way. | |
| | | UnbundledBut When ? ?Premium
join:2010-09-13
Irving, TX | Re: Basic Cable subscribers, bend over please :) said by thedragonmas:exactly, that's all i need is basic locals for bad weather and local bulletins. but that basic tv is $30/month down here. and while most folks consider that pocket change, some of us don't, i get $674 a month in ssi (oh right $698 starting next year) so $30 is a lot for just tv.
basic is over priced, its mostly religious and shopping channels any way.
Basic basic cable in my area was for y-e-a-r-s around $10/month.
But after the Comcast/TimeWarner territory switch, my TW basic basic bill began to steadily rise, AND, the "basic weather channel" that Comcast had provided was taken away.
So now, Basic basic cable has almost DOUBLED to $19.99 since TW took over. Basically the same number of basic channles for double the price !! Has the price for "Standard Cable Channel Package" doubled since then --- NO, it has not. Screwing people at the bottom is a TW specialty!! | |
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| elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA Reviews:
·SONIC.NET
·RoadRunner Cable
| said by Unbundled:I've said it before, but TW shamelessly passes on increases to their basic cable subscribers, the ones that can least afford these ridiculous hikes. Grandma doesn't have an ipad and doesn't want to fund it's deployment ! She just wants all her local channels coming in clear, so she can also watch severe weather coverage.
Just Basic stuff like that. But, they keep raising the Basic prices....
AMAZING !!!
No one needs, nor should depend on, a TV, for severe weather forecasts.
That's what a Weather Radio is for. Battery powered, programmed to turn itself on when alerted, and no fees.
Grandma doesn't "need" basic cable. | |
| | | | | Re: Basic Cable subscribers, bend over please :) said by elray:said by Unbundled:I've said it before, but TW shamelessly passes on increases to their basic cable subscribers, the ones that can least afford these ridiculous hikes. Grandma doesn't have an ipad and doesn't want to fund it's deployment ! She just wants all her local channels coming in clear, so she can also watch severe weather coverage.
Just Basic stuff like that. But, they keep raising the Basic prices....
AMAZING !!!
No one needs, nor should depend on, a TV, for severe weather forecasts. That's what a Weather Radio is for. Battery powered, programmed to turn itself on when alerted, and no fees. Grandma doesn't "need" basic cable. oh yeah? try getting one to work in my home. sure when its clear outside i can pick up a very staticy signale, when bad weather comes its nothing but static, no matter where in the home its located.
NOAA does NOT have 100% coverage. so if your going to go that route, maybe we should spend a few billion in tax money to upgrade the WX system so its 100% signale to 100% area 24/7. then you would have a valid point. | |
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| | Rate Hikes. Here comes the "when I was a kid" when there was nothing on the TV I went and found somrthing else to do, I had hobbies, friends, reading or just spent time doing something I had no cable tv, internet, xbox or anything like that. If you want to change something go and do it don't just bitch about it. You have the power in YOUR hands, PUT UP OR SHUT UP! | |
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See 9 replies to this post | |
 antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
kudos:2 | Caps? I am OK with the increases for Internet as long as we don't get its caps. TWC still wants to do it.  | |
| | VanPremium
join:2009-07-08
New Orleans, LA | Re: Caps? said by antdude:I am OK with the increases for Internet as long as we don't get its caps. TWC still wants to do it.
They are coming for everyone. It will be applied across the board in a year or two, imo | |
| | | antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
kudos:2 Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: Caps? said by Van:said by antdude:I am OK with the increases for Internet as long as we don't get its caps. TWC still wants to do it.
They are coming for everyone. It will be applied across the board in a year or two, imo Where did you see that? | |
| | | | VanPremium
join:2009-07-08
New Orleans, LA | Re: Caps? said by antdude:said by Van:said by antdude:I am OK with the increases for Internet as long as we don't get its caps. TWC still wants to do it.
They are coming for everyone. It will be applied across the board in a year or two, imo Where did you see that? Just my 2 cents. With more and more adding caps the last 2-3 years...including several major ISP's...and caps across just about every wireless company....it is common sense, imo, that caps will cover wired internet quite soon across the board | |
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 kilrathi
join:2005-04-22
Rockaway Park, NY | lol I am on $100 a month wideband 50/5, I only hope at that price I am safe from price hikes.... cause I would say I am overpaying anyways. | |
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Entertainment industry overvalued?
Multi Play Monopoly!