When Will Cable Be Forced To Lower Broadband Prices?Soon, insists research firm, citing largely non-existent market pressure... ( old news - 10:09AM Thursday Oct 18 2007) tags: prices · competition · business · bandwidth · cableThe cable industry has long believed that their product's faster speeds meant that they didn't need to lower cable broadband prices in order to compete with DSL. Given they're still doing quite well, obviously they're right. When AT&T and Verizon released slower, cheaper DSL tiers, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts responded by suggesting that cable broadband service was a BMW, and DSL service was a Hyundai. When AT&T started offering a 1.5Mbps DSL/Wireless phone bundle for $60, Comcast stayed pat, insisting that $58 for 4Mbps standalone cable broadband was "competitive."A new report from Pike and Fisher suggests that cable's ability to dodge cable broadband price reductions isn't going to last much longer. However, much of their optimism comes from FiOS, which is still only available in a fraction of Comcast's footprint. They also cite Qwest's 7Mbps service, though they omit the fact Qwest hasn't formally announced a next-gen network upgrade plan. Still, the firm insists a change on the wind: "As broadband growth comes to rely increasingly on penetrating price-conscious market segments -- and especially if the nation enters a serious and prolonged housing slowdown and/or a recession -- the market could begin to see more significant downward pressure on prices," Shapiro says. How long can the cable industry engage in non-price competition? Probably as long as the majority of telcos are only offering speeds as fast as 6-7Mbps. Though, if the market is truly a duopoly, will faster telco speeds really drive cable broadband prices downward?
Related:- Vonage Slams Shaw $10 VoIP Fee
- RCN Fights FiOS
- ZDNET: The Evil EFF's Quest For Metered Bandwidth
- Mediacom to offer 20Mbps by End Of June
- Comcast Installs DOCSIS 3.0 In Two New Markets
- DSL Takes A Beating
- Network Neutrality Debate Was, Still Is, About Greed
- RCN Offers Less For More
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| No Why would any cable company have to lower prices when they are not losing customers at the current price?
Even Verizon is raising rates for FIOS and isn't losing customers.
All of these companies will charge the highest price the market will bear for their services. If that's $100 a month, then they will charge that.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. | |
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telcolackey
The Truth? You can't handle the truth
join:2007-04-06
Death Valley, CA | Re: No Where do people see prices dropping in other services, utilities, goods, etc? What makes this happen and what are the expectations? | |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Re: No said by telcolackey  :Where do people see prices dropping in other services, utilities, goods, etc? What makes this happen and what are the expectations? I don't see product or service I use getting cheaper. Even in a competitive market, if people have more money to spend on things, prices will still go up.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. | |
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hopeflicker
They all belong in the trash
Premium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA
| said by telcolackey :Where do people see prices dropping in other services, utilities, goods, etc? What makes this happen and what are the expectations? Let's reword that:
Where do people see other services (i.e. water, electric, trash, gas) price increases twice or more a year?
When was the last time your electric bill or water/trash bill went up more than twice a year?
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People pray to God because they're told to. | |
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hamburglar_
join:2002-04-29
Columbus, OH
·WOW Internet and C..
| Re: No said by hopeflicker :When was the last time your electric bill or water/trash bill went up more than twice a year? Wow. Twice or more a year? You must be getting the shaft. My cable/phone/internet bill has been the same for 3 years. All I have to do is call a month before my 12 month discounts expire and request them again. | |
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hopeflicker
They all belong in the trash
Premium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA
| Re: No said by hamburglar_ :said by hopeflicker :When was the last time your electric bill or water/trash bill went up more than twice a year? Wow. Twice or more a year? You must be getting the shaft. My cable/phone/internet bill has been the same for 3 years. All I have to do is call a month before my 12 month discounts expire and request them again. Well, i just go my first one this year, but read here:
»It's Comcast TV Rate Hike Season, Again
Shows people are getting 2 increases a year.
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People pray to God because they're told to. | |
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telcolackey
The Truth? You can't handle the truth
join:2007-04-06
Death Valley, CA | Re: No I think we are talking about HSD in this thread, not TV (which as many other financial issues around it) | |
| | | | LeftOfSanity
join:2005-11-06
Felton, DE
| said by hopeflicker :said by telcolackey :Where do people see prices dropping in other services, utilities, goods, etc? What makes this happen and what are the expectations? Let's reword that: Where do people see other services (i.e. water, electric, trash, gas) price increases twice or more a year? When was the last time your electric bill or water/trash bill went up more than twice a year? My electric bill went up 59%. There was a freeze for a few years before that, but as soon as that was gone they made up for it, and then some. And you all wanna bitch about a monopoly and 5% increases?
My electric bill was more than my rent. | |
| | | 
A P CC
Premium
join:2003-07-26
..
 ·AT&T Southwest
| said by telcolackey :Where do people see prices dropping in other services, utilities, goods, etc? many of us see prices dropping every day,
we see our paychecks dropping,we see our pension checks dropping,we see our Social Security cks dropping,we see our bonus cks dropping,we see our allowance's dropping. want more?
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Some people do not like nice & courteous people on the internet,simply because THEY ARE NOT ONE THEMSELVES
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| | | | garmst
join:2000-09-17
New York, NY
| Re: No I see my paychecks going up!
Soc Security has to rise by law. Faster than inflation to boot!
I wish I got the allowances kids are getting these days.
The prices I paid for my LCD TV and laptops went WAY down!
The prices in taxes are going up relentlessly, other than Bush's tax cuts. | |
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N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
·Verizon Online DSL
| Shit, nowadays, just sitting still your pay drops. I got a 1% raise this year. And I'm not a shitty employee, that's the same raise EVERYONE got. The cost of everything has gone up more than 5% in the past year. Heat, gas, electric. Shit, Wawa wants $1.50 for a damn 16 once Pepsi anymore.
Get ready for some belt tightening kiddies, things have been too good for too long...
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Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power… | |
| | | | | eljay001
join:2004-03-17
South Portland, ME | Re: No A one percent raise? I'd be insulted if my employer gave me that. I worked for a bank and even those tightwads went for 3% annual raises. | |
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telcolackey
The Truth? You can't handle the truth
join:2007-04-06
Death Valley, CA | Your talking about income, not services or goods that you are paying for. Income is a reflection of many things including your employer and your performance. | |
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N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: No Any raise I receive is set by the legislature. Everyone in the state system receives the same raise regardless.
Performance has nothing to do with it. I haven't had a performance eval in 4 years. Why? They don't mean anything. Everyone gets the same raise, period.
I believe I did mention goods and services. Electricity, gasoline, fuel oil and a Pepsi all qualify as goods and or services, last time I checked...
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Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power… | |
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telcolackey
The Truth? You can't handle the truth
join:2007-04-06
Death Valley, CA | Re: No my reply was to garmst, not yours | |
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N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs | Re: No The please, accept my humble apology | |
| | | | | rebus9
join:2002-03-26
Tampa Bay
·RoadRunner Cable
| said by telcolackey :Your talking about income, not services or goods that you are paying for. Income is a reflection of many things including your employer and your performance. Take a look at the 10's of thousands of jobs being lost in mergers and downsizing-- and I'm not talking about Bob's ISP Service, I'm talking about AT&T and other major national and global companies. The tech job market may be good in places like NYC, but in other areas of the country it's just plain frightening. And forget about pay raises.
My wife just finished her annual review with a glowing evaluation of her performance, and was therefore awarded the highest of 2 possible merit increases-- 1/2 of one percent. The other options were 0% and 1/4%. Add in the 2.5% cost of living adjustment, and her paycheck went up by all of 3%.
In my own job, no employees got a raise because (allegedly) costs (power, commercial office space, datacenter/colo fees, insurance) are going up faster than revenue. Our colo costs alone nearly doubled from 2006 to 2007, not because we added more racks, but because the colo raised its prices substantially.
At home, our power bill has gone up more than 100% in the past 6 years.
Our homeowners insurance jumped 623% in 2 years, from $520 in 2005 to a shocking $3,241 this year because our previous insurer (of 20+ years) is abandoning the state. (Nationwide IS NOT "on your side".)
Health insurance, up more than 30% in 1 year, or a total of 53% over 2 years.
Oil prices (affecting gas, home heating oil, ...) hitting new record highs every day, and up more than TRIPLE in the past couple years.
Grocery prices... up significantly, for numerous factors, none the least of which is transportation costs. For example, last year a gallon of milk was $2.79 and today it is $4.19.
Folks, I'm taking this information right out of my checkbook register. These are actual cost increases my wife and I have had to deal with, in real dollars, by a real family.
Home prices... trending down slightly, but in this area up more than DOUBLE in the past 4 years.
So I don't give a crap how good your performance is-- very few people have seen their paychecks go up enough to offset the costs of the stuff we buy everyday.
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| | | | | | | nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast
| said by telcolackey :Where do people see prices dropping in other services, utilities, goods, etc? What makes this happen and what are the expectations? consumer electronics prices not only go down, you get more capability for cheaper - because it's a very competitive market.
prices won't come down for any telecom/cable service until there is real competition. the U.S. is years away (if ever) from a competitive market. | |
| | | | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA
| Re: No quote:
prices won't come down for any telecom/cable service until there is real competition. the U.S. is years away (if ever) from a competitive market.
No they won't. Look at gasoline prices, the price of groceries, etc. Most are very very close in price at all locations.
Competition only makes you feel good about paying the price. Doesn't make them cheaper. | |
| | | 
AnonymousPerson
@verizon.net | Nuclear power makes prices drop as far as electricity is concerned. Typically it is a major advance that makes prices drop, such as nuclear power for electricity and fiber for broadband. | |
| | SilverSurfer
join:2007-08-19
| said by pnh102 :All of these companies will charge the highest price the market will bear for their services. If that's $100 a month, then they will charge that. Particularly since an appeals court just ensured that U.S. broadband will essentially remain a duopoly with consumer choice far below what is available outside the U.S. | |
| jammmin
join:2000-12-14
Upper Marlboro, MD
| They never will All they will do is just offer promotions and teezers just like the telephone companies.
Now they are all trying to lock people into 2 year contracts because they are both afraid of each other poaching off their customers.
Those $99 triple play packages are great because you will save money. Its hell though if you are stuck in a contract and you don’t like the service. | |
| | 
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: They never will I agree... only way cable companies will be offering any 'deals' will be for contract term or 'new' customers. Typically, installation fees eat up any benefit of jumping ship.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
| 
MrMoody
Under the black helicopters
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC
·Embarq
| DSL cheap? Most DSL isn't as cheap as it looks by the time you add the mandatory POTS service and bogus fees. Prices are pretty much at parity IMO. In fact the minimum cable internet is cheaper bottom line than the minimum DSL here. At most you might see cablecos offering discount lower-speed tiers; many do already.
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"It is a future in which globalization really does work ... and everybody winds up getting to be part of the third world." - William Gibson | |
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N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: DSL cheap? I'm doing pretty well with my DSL service.
I was paying Comcast $10 more a month for their 6 MB down service best I could get on their overloaded node was 1.5 down, and Sunday mornings? Fughettaboutit. Dead hault
I'm getting DSL and a basic POTS line from Verizon for about the same price I would pay Comcast for HSI. The phone line is just a bonus in my eyes.
Now, I didn't leave Comcast to save money, I left Comcast due to the fact that despite having great modem stats and proper internal wiring, my speeds sucked azz. I'm getting a rock sold 3 MB down from Verizon, and getting it cheaper.
Fios is coming through, and I'll be rolling with the 15 down package.
I'm willing to pay, but I just expect to get what I pay for.
If Comcast wants to call themselves the BMW, and DSL the Huyandi that's fine. It kinda fits, since the 2006 BMW 7 series was listed by Consumer Reports as one of the "least reliable" Luxury cars.
»money.cnn.com/popups/2006/autos/···e/4.html
And, Hyundai is cited as having quality "on par" with Honda..
»www.usatoday.com/money/autos/200···ks_x.htm
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Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power… | |
| | 
Nightfall
My Goal Is To Deny Yours
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
clubs: | The price you get and the service you get is all area dependent. In your area, it might be cheaper for DSL. In others, it might be more expensive. Same with the service/speeds you get. Let your wallet do the talking. | |
| | BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| said by MrMoody :Most DSL isn't as cheap as it looks by the time you add the mandatory POTS service and bogus fees. Prices are pretty much at parity IMO. In fact the minimum cable internet is cheaper bottom line than the minimum DSL here. At most you might see cablecos offering discount lower-speed tiers; many do already. First of all cable charges more if you don't have thier TV service. In my area if you have DirectTV and want Charter internet, Charter will charge you $10 a month more than they do cable customers.
Also in many areas you can get naked DSL for $5 more. Also most people still use POTS line so having the have a POTS line to get DSL is not an extra fee to most people.
In my area somene without POTS can get naked DSL for $48 a month for 6 meg. Someone without Charter cable who wants Charter 5 Meg pays $60 a month. No contest. | |
| | 
dnoyeB
Ferrous Phallus
join:2000-10-09
Southfield, MI
| DSL adds their hidden cost, so does cable. With DSL its typically the price of POTS, with cable its the TV bundling discount. Has the same effect.
I am leaving Comcast. They have been rock solid for over 10 years and my BW has done nothing but gone up up up. But i dont need all that BW. And I am paying more more more for stuff that I do not need.
I am going to DSL because their prices are significantly lower than they were 3-4 years ago. Its Dry DSL to boot. Ill save $20 per month, and its a first step. After this move it will be much easier to dump the cable TV...
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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
| |
| tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY
| lower prices, no... raise speeds, yes. DSL will not remain a slower speed service forever. Eventually those speed improvements will come at a cheaper price, THEN cable will have to be concerned with their "STAND ALONE PRODUCT PRICING". The old DSL from 10 years ago properly provisioned can do 7.1mbits down, 1.5mits up. Which cable will have to answer by 10 down 2 up. After that, the gloves come off with FIBER hubs / vdsl & FTTH. The only thing this means is the telcos are coming to reclaim customer base back from cable-cos. As to just how competitive it can get, you only have to look to the northeast market. This is years in the future for our west coast and southern states in not too many years into the future now.. before it was a decade or more away.. now, not so far away. | |
| 
Packeteers
Premium
join:2005-06-18
Forest Hills, NY | price will fall competition always brings pricing pressure.
I live where Time Warner has a monopoly on
access to apartment buildings, so the rates
are highest in NYC for that reason alone. | |
| | SilverSurfer
join:2007-08-19
| Re: price will fall said by Packeteers :competition always brings pricing pressure. I live where Time Warner has a monopoly on access to apartment buildings, so the rates are highest in NYC for that reason alone. And in a country where the equivalent to the FCC does not ensure mono/duopolies in any given market, that maxim is true. In the U.S., not so much. Consumer choice where broadband is involved is dismal and behind what the rest of the developed world has available. We pay the highest prices for the slowest service. | |
|
A P CC
Premium
join:2003-07-26
..
·AT&T Southwest
| so how fast does a home consumer need, good morning all,I HAVE tried (20060 cabel R.R. vs SBC/ATT dsl pro, (now i have elite) and what this so called CEO is bragging about it very little,but cable price will sure cost you more
as i explained it when side by side speed testing was done on here,running dsl pro at the time,
say the speed are in your car ok ?
dsl pro, your running a corvette ok ? 150 mph.
R.R (at the time) you were running same corvette with
100% alcohol in it,
but NOW Att has come out with the Elite package DSL
and to this CEO/castrate-i mean comcast- i say eat your heart out
your cable (RR) is the same corvette running withalcohol,
but NOW
I'am in my corvette & i've poured half a bottle of that alcohol in the corvette,and i have taken 1/2 of it in me,
you can see some of their HIGH prices compared to others companies,here »Comcast switches some cable positions
and someone is wrong,Castrate,(i mean comcast) is loosing more & more disgusted customers every time they change their programing or prices.
jazzy
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Some people do not like nice & courteous people on the internet,simply because THEY ARE NOT ONE THEMSELVES
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See 6 replies to this post | |
jammmin
join:2000-12-14
Upper Marlboro, MD
| rollout The only reason why the Northeast is so competitive is that Cablevision(unlike Timewarner and Comcast) decided a long time ago to be competitive and offer comparable speeds with FIOS.
In my part of the county(Comcrap land), Comcast only offers 6 and 8 megabit service. FIOS instead offers 5, 15, 30 megabit service. So only if Comcrap decides to offer more speed to its offering, FIOS will be king in the future if it can speed up its fiber rollout. | |
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A P CC
Premium
join:2003-07-26
.. | Re: rollout thats te good thing about a contract EVERY YEAR or 2 yrs.,is that you can negotiate it,
jazzy | |
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A P CC
Premium
join:2003-07-26
..
·AT&T Southwest
| said by jammmin :The only reason why the Northeast is so competitive is that Cablevision(unlike Timewarner and Comcast) decided a long time ago to be competitive and offer comparable speeds with FIOS. In my part of the county(Comcrap land), Comcast only offers 6 and 8 megabit service. FIOS instead offers 5, 15, 30 megabit service. So only if Comcrap decides to offer more speed to its offering, FIOS will be king in the future if it can speed up its fiber rollout. then IF YOU want to gobble up all the speed,then don't complain because your going to have to pay for it if your using more then average,to play your games, or watch & download movies from a computer, then you should pay more then someone using the computer just for Informational use.
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Some people do not like nice & courteous people on the internet,simply because THEY ARE NOT ONE THEMSELVES
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
| Nope There's evidence that the Telcos are going to offer good prices on their TV packages to get customers away from Cable... But, if the Telcos offer the higher internet speed packages, it's looking like they'll bring their prices UP to match those in line with cable.
Basically, expect some cheaper "Bundled" type pricing for several years as IPTV and so on is rolled out... however once those services are mature, I'll expect you'll see a lot of price non-competition in broadband.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
| 
Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs:
| I for one think that Comcasts and other cable operators HSI prices are right where they should be.
The bottom line is that I and others are paying somewhat higher prices because we're getting better speeds.
A 6000/384k tier with powerboost that gives me 20,000/1600k speeds now is well worth 42.95/month compared to anything the telco industry can throw at it.
Telco's dsl offerings are no bargain. They're lower speed offerings that..when tied to a phone line requirement..are REALLY on the expensive side compared to what you're getting.
The closest comparison really to cable that telco dsl has is the 6Mb tier that's really 5.5Mb in disguise. And, at 35.00 month + a phone line..It's more than cable HSI is pricewise..and you get a lot less in terms of speed.
How is that a bargain..or anything that Comcast and others should fear?
Some around this website are too fixated on PRICE..while not considering that you are getting what you pay for.
And, IMHO..when you get down into the 1.5Mb to 3Mb dsl offerings..you are REALLY getting ripped off for the most part.
How in the world is those speeds, which amount to maybe 1/5th to one TENTH the speeds of what I see on comcast..
worth 24/month + a phone line?
that combination is MORE than I pay each month..
And your cost per MB is outrageously expensive compared to what I and others pay.
Has it ever occurred to those who like to debate this point that MAYBE people stick with cable and pay the higher price because they UNDERSTAND this math?
And they understand that the real value is in Cable HSI overall when you consider everything that should be considered?
I fully understand all the variables to this...those who get poor service from whatever provider..and those who have a phone line anyway and maybe just want 768k service to surf around the net and check email with.
And, more power to them. I hope it serves you well.
But your service is not the value package. It's not the speed package that people like most cable customers want and expect these days.
And the argument that cable is somehow more expensive really should end right here with the realization that we are getting what we pay for.
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The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic! | |
| | ChicagoCPA
join:2001-12-02
Mokena, IL
| Re: I for one think that Comcasts Your price calculation really depends on whether or not you are going to have a POTS line or have cable television.
To add the price of the POTS line when you subscribe to DSL does not apply for most of us, just like we do not estimate High Speed internet at the non-subscriber rate. | |
| | | 
insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs:
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: I for one think that Comcasts But it's starting to apply more.
I know many people in their 20s who are just starting out in their first apartments, not making much money, do not have a POTS line or cable TV, but want Internet access at home. A lot of them are non-techies who don't care about the speed.
Until now, their best option was Comcast at $57.95/month ($60.95/month with a rented modem). Now that AT&T has started offering 1.5Mbps naked DSL in Chicagoland for $19.99/month or $23.99 if you're not a wireless customer, I think there will be a lot of young people defecting from Comcast when the word gets out a little more.
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If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. | |
| 
HotRodFoto
Premium
join:2003-04-19
Denver, CO
| If forced to compete they will If they are forced to compete with an inferior product they will, case in point, Qwest and Comcast both having to do battle with Utopia.
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Capturing the images of Colorado
»jdebordphoto.com | |
| | jammmin
join:2000-12-14
Upper Marlboro, MD | comcrap Comcast overcharges customers who don't subscribe to their cable tV service. I currently pay $59 a month because I don't subscribe to their TV service. | |
| ChicagoCPA
join:2001-12-02
Mokena, IL
| Comcast has price itself out of my market ATT is offering 34.99 6 meg up with a modem, and Comcast is charging me $47.99 with a modem for the same service. On Monday I ordered 1.5 meg service from ATT at 19.99 per month with a net savings of $28 per month.
The Dish network is next my monthly cable cost is $95 and my monthly Dish Network cost with more channels (but no On Demand, which I do not use) is going to be $80 and $60 for the first six months.
Comcast has lost me, my monthly cost is going down $63 immediately and $43 long term and I will not be subject to Comcast routine rate increases on cable. | |
| |
Rick
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-06
Waterbury, CT
clubs:
edit:
October 18th, @12:15PM
| Re: Comcast has price itself out of my market said by ChicagoCPA :ATT is offering 34.99 6 meg up with a modem, and Comcast is charging me $47.99 with a modem for the same service. On Monday I ordered 1.5 meg service from ATT at 19.99 per month with a net savings of $28 per month. The Dish network is next my monthly cable cost is $95 and my monthly Dish Network cost with more channels (but no On Demand, which I do not use) is going to be $80 and $60 for the first six months. Comcast has lost me, my monthly cost is going down $63 immediately and $43 long term and I will not be subject to Comcast routine rate increases on cable. What you're doing though in order to get your lower price is to cut your service.
1.5Mb that WILL be 1.2Mb dsl service is NOT up to 20Mb and more powerboosted Comcast Cable HSI.
And, your dish service will not offer the convenience of cable..nor the on demand features as you say.
We all have to make choices everyday about what we want..can get..and can afford.
And, if this is it for you..then I'm happy for you.
But it's not fair to comcast nor it's customers to present their service as being expensive. Because it's not.
What folks are getting is more for their money. Because that's what we want. And can afford.
I also can't help but to wonder whether you've fully considered your options to stay with Comcast?
Here in this area..they are offering current customers digital tv..on demand..2 premiums..digital telephone..and hsi for 129.00.
How would that compare with your choice of satellite..phone service (which obviously is a landline to get the 1.5Mb dsl)..and DSL?
Let's do some rough math.
Take your 80.00 figure for satellite.
Add in the 20.00 for that VERY slow Dsl line.
And add in JUST your local landline phone cost.
Guess what? I bet you come VERY close to that same figure.
Except with comcast..on a triple play package..you'd be getting on demand..MUCH faster internet...premium channels..
and unlimited local and long distance.
Comcast is not the expensive option.
Not at all.
Anyone that thinks that 42.95/month for this..which is my last speedtest I ran..is too much..just isn't thinking right IMHO!
Last Result:
Download Speed: 30820 kbps (3852.5 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 1937 kbps (242.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Jeesh folks. Don't deprive yourself of the great things in life. Get Comcastic if you can!  | |
| | | 
bmfan
Premium
join:2005-03-15
Saint Helen, MI | Re: Comcast has price itself out of my market lol do you work for comcast or something ? | |
| | | |
hopeflicker
They all belong in the trash
Premium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA
edit:
October 18th, @12:43PM
| Re: Comcast has price itself out of my market said by bmfan :lol do you work for comcast or something ? Sure sounds like it. Ohhh, and what were the profits again for Comcast this year? and last year?
My philosophy is, charge high price for service = HUGE profits 
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People pray to God because they're told to. | |
| | | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA
| quote:
Here in this area..they are offering current customers digital tv..on demand..2 premiums..digital telephone..and hsi for 129.00.
In this area they are not - I just went through this with them 2 weeks ago about our high (and increasing) bill.
$99 for the basic triple play, phone, dig cable, internet. Add $16 for HD-DVR
$149 + $16 for HD-DVR for 2 premiums on the triple play.
So I just canned HBO and am still @ $129/mo for Digital + Internet + HD-DVR.
I was also flipping through On Demand last night - I realized why I don't go there - nothing I want to watch. And they are lacking in HD with DTV's new additions. I have a big screen and HDTV is what I'm interested in.
The net is about the best thing about Comcast - however I never speedtest at my 6 meg I'm supposed to get. Close - 5-5.9, but have not seen 6.
Going back to DirecTV + DSL is looking more and more attractive, both financially and visually. | |
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DHRacer
Fire Survivor
join:2000-10-10
Lake Arrowhead, CA
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Charter Pipeline
edit:
October 18th, @04:46PM
| Comcast Rick: Then explain to me this:
I was paying about $120 a month for Satellite TV with HD package, the fastest DSL I could get (3/768) and basic phone with limited long distance. Does all I needed. Satellite was not through the phone company, only the DSL was, so you could say I was bundling two services. I was also on a full year contract for the DSL to knock about $10 off the monthly bill for phone+dsl.
Moved to a Cable served area with no DSL service avaialble. I reconstituted the services I had above as close as I could get them, and pay about $180 by bundling cable TV (with HD), HSI, and Cable Telephone. It would be more still without the "bundling".
I do not use "added features" that you think is more value (more for the money). So whether they are there or not, I don't use them. So why should I pay for those services I don't use (and don't want) to be there? More Value? My ass.
So hotshot, cable is not the expensive option? You're getting the employee discount aren't you? The Pirates called, they want their parrot back.
ETA: Clarification on who this reply is meant for... | |
| pfsmith
join:2006-11-16
Lafayette, IN
edit:
October 18th, @11:34AM
| They can't lower prices... ... because their business model is all wrong.
Until the ISPs figure out how to bill according to usage they must keep their prices artifically high in order to avoid an economic collapse of their "oversubscription" business model.
And, the real problem here is that we, the consumers, put up with it.
Once the ISPs bill according to usage, they can focus their resources on providing the bandwidth that is actually demanded at a given price point, and then begin to experience sustainable (and predictable) profits. As it stands right now, they must plow most of their profits into infrastructure because they cannot tell what the bandwidth demand will actually be for their customers - because they are "free" to grab as much as they want whenever they want without economic consequences. The ISPs aren't sending the economic signal to the user that this costs money, and the user has no economic incentive to use the resource in any kind of ecnomically rational manner.
This means the profits are fleeting and completely unsustainable over the long term. Lowering prices isn't even a pipe dream for the ISP. They can only hope to stay one step ahead of the ever increasing (artificially high) demand.
BTW: I can't wait until our Health Care system is revamped to use this business model (it's gonna happen "real soon now") The equivilent of "not enough bandwidth" in this arena means government rationing of medical services. That will be LOADS OF FUN, WON'T IT?! | |
| raye
Premium
join:2000-08-14
Orange, CA | Improve customer service If the price increases improve customer service than I am all for it. Low prices are fine but saving $5-20/month does not motivate me to switch. Sleeping techs on couches do. | |
| attrep417
join:2007-07-19
Springfield, MO
edit:
October 18th, @01:01PM
| Is the premise even correct on this? I'm not sure why people still think cable broadband is faster than high speed by telco's--fact is I've had 3 differ |
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