It's Comcast TV Rate Hike Season, Again - Comcast raising rates in PA, VA, and WA
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It's Comcast TV Rate Hike Season, Again
Comcast raising rates in PA, VA, and WA
(old news - 06:09PM Tuesday Oct 16 2007)
tags: prices · competition · business · cable · bundles · Comcast
On the heels of cable TV rate hikes in Houston, Comcast today alerted customers in Lancaster, PA that they'll be raising the price of their standard cable TV package by 6.9 percent and their "bare bones" TV package by 12.5 percent. Premium channels are getting bumped by $1, the price of installation is being bumped by 4.4% percent, and their DVR service is now 16.7% more expensive. It's the second round of rate hikes the region has seen this year -- the company also raised rates by 4.1 percent back in January. According to Comcast, the hikes are being blamed on new support employee hires. Those employee hires are taking place because Comcast continually scores very low in customer satisfaction surveys. "We've added more than 400 new employees in the region since January," Alexander said. "The majority of these new hires are frontline service employees such as call-center personnel and technicians. We plan to hire hundreds of additional employees in the next year." Comcast this week also informed residents of Tacoma and Seattle, Washington that they too would see their second rate hike of the year -- to the tune of 4.2%. Comcast is also raising rates in Virginia by "less than 5%,"; the company telling locals the hikes "reflect the increased value of our services."
Related:- Comcast: 6% Take Triple Play
- RCN Fights FiOS
- Wasn't Competition Supposed To Bring Lower TV Prices?
- Comcast Offers Broadband Price For Life Promotion
- Comcast Installs DOCSIS 3.0 In Two New Markets
- Cost of Cable Continues To Rise Despite Technological Advances
- Comcast Ramping Up Customer Retention Offers
- Comcast Unveils New International VoIP Plans
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en102 @ 16th Oct 06:13PM:
Not surprising...
Gotta pay for that DOCSIS 3.0 and 'powerboost' as well as to subsidize the more competitive markets where FiOS is deployed.
If you don't like it... find another carrier/solution.
--
Canada = Hollywood North
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Titus Pullo @ 16th Oct 06:34PM:
They're pushing it
It's finally here: Basic cable (no box) will hit $60, and guess what? I'm gone. I pay $55 now for Comcast channels 2 to 70, so this price hike will likely have me on the phone to Dish. There's no sense in staying when I know the employee excuse is BS. They can absorb employee training and the hiring of new employees where needed without two rate hikes in one year.
These hikes are about not cutting into rapacious profits to go from half-assed service to quarter-assed service. If I thought for one minute that my service would actually improve -- no snowy picture or downtime with T-storms that take hours to come back up and phone drones (except to pay a bill -- they've got that sh_t down pat), then no problem. But for more of the same crap? No way. I've been down this road too many times. Fool me once, fool me ten times.
I dumped Comcast HSI when they took over Adelphia and I'll dump the TV too. If more people did this they'd lower their f'n rates faster than a powerboosted speedtest AND hire the techs they need for decent support.
--
.sig awaiting self approval
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newview @ 16th Oct 06:35PM:
Boy, this takes the cake . . .
"Our customer service is lousy, so we gotta' raise prices".
Comcast will never run out of excuses for raising prices gouging customers.
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cypherstream @ 16th Oct 06:43PM:
Just got my letter today
Yeah got my letter today. Two months early. Last two years it was a January increase, this year the increase starts November 5th.
Here's some of the pricing scheme in my area:
Standard Cable $56.00
Digital Starter $58.00
Digital Preferred $71.95
Digital Preferred with 1 premium $86.50
Digital Preferred with 2 premiums $98.35
Digital Preferred Plus (HBO, Showtime, Starz) $107.45
Digital Premier (5 premium's) $117.90
The Movie channel is no longer bundled with Showtime at $18.95 a month. Now for a whopping $19.95 a month you can get 2 (count em') 2 SD channels by The Movie Channel! What a deal! :uhh: (Ok Borat, here is where you say NOT)
If you want Showtime and the Movie channel, it's gonna cost you $39.90! If you already subscribe to both you pay $28.95! Better cancel before November 5th, unless you really adore that package!
Additional SD Digital Boxes are $8.90 per outlet.
Additional HD Digital Boxes are $13.90 per outlet.
The first DVR is now $13.95. with each additional costing you $18.90.
Looks like if you have any Digital Preferred service with no DVR, you get 1 SD box free, or 1 HD box for $5.00. After that go by the additional box price I listed above.
No mention of CDV Voice pricing, but HSI is listed and that is unchanged. Most of the installation, troubleshooting, administrative, FCC User fee, franchise fee, etc.. are all increasing by some pocket change.
Luckily I'm in the $159.95 gets you everything promo package. Voice, 8mbps HSI, all 5 premiums and the $5 Sports Tier. I'll see an increase in my DVR fee and the FCC and tax crap.
When my promo pricing is done, I'll have to drop to just HBO and the standard HSI package. There's just no value at the regular price point. Our area is behind in terms of HD, and the on screen guide software plain ol stinks.
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Mike @ 16th Oct 06:45PM:
Re: Just got my letter today
DTV 72 HDTV channels you say...
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jgkolt @ 16th Oct 06:46PM:
or go with
the almost all new ATT Dish Network,well err coming soon?
--
3 free for you/3 free for me: Investing Trades : PM Me
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Chuckles @ 16th Oct 06:48PM:
Common sense nullifier.
The common sense nullifier they have hooked into the phone system that causes customers and representatives alike to behave like three year old cavemen is becoming more costly.
--
kustomerservice.net
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Rick @ 16th Oct 06:57PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Titus Pullo :
There's no sense in staying when I know the employee excuse is BS.
I can't speak for your area not even knowing where it is but can say that here in Ct., they seem to be hiring like mad and advertising for openings every hour on the hour on TV even.
They even opened a new tech call center that I drove by recently.
So, from that perspective, it does appear that they're trying to improve service and add more staffing.
Personally, I've found their values are much better when you add and combine services. If you ask for them, they also have triple play deals for current customers that you can take advantage of. The last one they offered me was digital TV, 2 premiums..phone..hsi for 129.00.
There's certainly a lot more value in that rather than an a la carte standard service for 50 or 60 bucks.
Here's how I look at it. Is 4 bucks and change per day for all that worth it? I sure think so..and that's what it amounts to when you break it down that way.
Where else in this world do you get all that value and entertainment, hsi speeds..phone service..digital tv..premiums..for what amounts to less than half the price of one movie ticket? And..a cheap ticket at that.
Heck..that's not even going to cover the price of a bucket of popcorn anymore going out to a theater.
Honestly, I think people need to rethink this this way and maybe they'll see it's really quite a value after all.
--
The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic!
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DT @ 16th Oct 06:58PM:
great!
wonderfull!
my basic is going from $54.00 to $57.70
digital cable $11.95 to $14.95
1st hd dvr $16.95 to $20.45
2nd hd dvr $21.90 to $25.40
thank god the net isnt going up! staying at $42.95
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Rick @ 16th Oct 07:25PM:
Re: Just got my letter today
They'll most likely renegotiate that 159.00 promo with you when your time is up. When you're taking everything they've got is when they can be the most flexible it appears.
Heck, even the brochure here in Ct. says that at the end of it...call them and they'll give you a "loyalty discount" rather than have it revert to regular pricing.
--
The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic!
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S_engineer @ 16th Oct 07:29PM:
Re: Boy, this takes the cake . . .
Nor will they ever have good service!
I haven't seen this rate increase in Chicago...but it's just a matter of time. Then it will bye bye Comcrap.
This story makes me want to cancel them now!
Soon Comcrap...soon!
--
Burn a tire, but make sure you buy that carbon offset!
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rody_44 @ 16th Oct 07:30PM:
contract price
sure glad i signed my two year contract only about 6 months ago. that leaves me with a solid 129 a month for the triple play with all premiums. still the best deal i have found.
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i1me2ao @ 16th Oct 07:33PM:
this is a rip.
they are not improving anything. just more spanish channels and crap noone wants..
--
»www.thereligionofpeace.com/
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ace1974 @ 16th Oct 07:45PM:
Pathetic!!
I know when I was working for Cox they told us that its a guarantee that every major cable company will raise prices at least once or twice for the next ten years...Now you van only imagine what you will be paying 3-4 years from now just to get basic cable service,,thats not even including adding premiums..
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jay608 @ 16th Oct 07:58PM:
Employee Disc,
How about getting rid of the Employee discount, instead of paying 8 or 10 bucks for ALL of the channels, and 5 or 6 bucks for the Highest speed internet you can get. Start paying at least 80% of what the monthly bill would be.
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CableGuy9564 @ 16th Oct 08:03PM:
Hiring?
We don't have enough work in our area now for all the inhouse and contractors!
(idont know how this got here was supposed to go in a different thread)
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Titus Pullo @ 16th Oct 08:16PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Rick :said by Titus Pullo :
There's no sense in staying when I know the employee excuse is BS.
Personally, I've found their values are much better when you add and combine services. If you ask for them, they also have triple play deals for current customers that you can take advantage of. The last one they offered me was digital TV, 2 premiums..phone..hsi for 129.00.
There's certainly a lot more value in that rather than an a la carte standard service for 50 or 60 bucks.
Honestly, I think people need to rethink this this way and maybe they'll see it's really quite a value after all.
Bundling is how they keep you on the hook: Retention in areas with competition is a lock once they have you with phone, internet and tv through the same company. Once you unhook from one service, it's easy to dump the whole shebang or one at a time. And, yes, the single charge for one service is pure penalty for not buying the bundle. And that's a fact. But the TV rate WAS in line with Dish. Not any more.
I value uptime/reliability. Comcast's uptime and QoS in my area isn't terrible, but it isn't that good either.
By comparison, my DSL service has been down once in a year's time and the landline has never been down. Add my cell to the mix and I don't need Comcast's $100+ bundle for per one year unreliable introductory rip-off service. The TV here is _TERRIBLE_ --Snowy analog and compressed digital (I've seen the latter but don't, and won't, pay for it).
If you're happy then I'm happy for you. But I'm not paying another rate hike to a company to hire the help they should have had to begin with given their rates and profit margins.
--
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anon @ 16th Oct 09:24PM:
Re: Just got my letter today
And to think, when Comcrap took over ATTB in my service area the top tier premium package was $72. By the time Comcast got done with me just 3 years later, the price jumped to $105 and we got less channels. NOw looking at your list it's at nearly $120.
Insane. But in my neck of the woods (now Time Warner) Verizon took increases with both video and HSI.
Even E* has been raising prices and I keep dropping programming and whenever I think about switching to cable I'm shocked by how much they've hiked prices.
Bring on a la carte and force these channels like ESPN to actually COMPETE for business instead of being forced on customers.
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anon @ 16th Oct 08:19PM:
What is more amusing than the yearly 3X inflation increases
are the cable shills who will make excuses for it.
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damox @ 16th Oct 08:23PM:
Re: Employee Disc,
The thing about the employee discount is that perhaps Comcast can get away with paying their employees less by giving them a big discount on Comcast products. I don't think that their discount makes much difference on the price the actual customer pays. Comcast is going to charge what they can get away with!
--
DAMOX Proud to be a member of Team Discovery
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damox @ 16th Oct 08:27PM:
Re: this is a rip.
said by i1me2ao :
they are not improving anything. just more spanish channels and crap noone wants..
Of course, for those who speak Spanish as their first language, more Spanish speaking stations might be a desirable thing. I wonder what percentage of Comcast users speak Spanish as their first language.
--
DAMOX Proud to be a member of Team Discovery
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i1me2ao @ 16th Oct 08:29PM:
Re: this is a rip.
in houston i mean the new old mexico quite a few..
--
»www.thereligionofpeace.com/
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damox @ 16th Oct 08:34PM:
$15 a month!
Well I'm still paying $15 a month. That is the same price I was paying TCI before they were bought out by ATTBI, and I while I only get about 30 channels or so, that suites me just fine. That may end when they no longer offer analogue TV, but it works for me now. When they force me to go digital, then I'll have to look at all my options which will include Direct TV! Too bad we don't have CLICK here.
--
DAMOX Proud to be a member of Team Discovery
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Rick @ 16th Oct 08:41PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Titus Pullo :
But I'm not paying another rate hike to a company to hire the help they should have had to begin with given their rates and profit margins.
--
I'd hardly call a 10.6% profit margin excessive by any means.
»finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=CMCSA
Which I guess means it all boils down to they make 5 or 6 bucks off that 50 to 60.00 tv service they bring you.
Is that a lot?
I sure don't think so.
--
The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic!
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dvd536 @ 16th Oct 08:49PM:
Re: Just got my letter today
said by Mike :
DTV 72 HDTV channels you say...
ehrmmm HD-LITE. *yawn*
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
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dvd536 @ 16th Oct 08:52PM:
Re: great!
said by DT :
wonderfull!
my basic is going from $54.00 to $57.70
digital cable $11.95 to $14.95
1st hd dvr $16.95 to $20.45
2nd hd dvr $21.90 to $25.40
thank god the net isnt going up! staying at $42.95
Well who do you think is subsidizing the HSI? the video people.
--
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth
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JSRoman @ 16th Oct 08:53PM:
Video only
Did anyone notice that cdv and chsi are not increasing? These increases only affect video.
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»www.seabee.navy.mil
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TK Junk Mail @ 16th Oct 08:59PM:
Re: this is a rip.
said by i1me2ao :
they are not improving anything. just more spanish channels and crap noone wants..
They just added Fox Business channel
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TK Junk Mail @ 16th Oct 09:00PM:
Re: Video only
said by JSRoman :
Did anyone notice that cdv and chsi are not increasing.?These increases only affect video.
That is because the content providers keep upping what they charge for content.
--
--
Internet News
My BLOG
My Web Page
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Mike @ 16th Oct 09:02PM:
Re: Just got my letter today
mpeg4 with directv 10 online now.
hd-lite no more
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hottboiinnc @ 16th Oct 09:26PM:
Re: or go with
then wait for the dealth star to really start raising the rates for that everytime they raise either phone or dsl or uverse tv rates or whatever they ask the states to raise.
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amdace @ 16th Oct 09:27PM:
Business as usual for Comcast
This is why la carte makes sense.
Here's an article on how Comcast operates.
»michigan.scout.com/2/687074.html
I called WOW today and will not get hit with the next Comcast gouge increase.
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KoolMoe @ 16th Oct 09:31PM:
Re: They're pushing it
I would take that more as a poorly managed company than a justification to once again raise rates. The huge growth of Comcast over the recent years is supposed to realize efficiencies and economies of scale. If they can't realize this, the maybe they'd do better reverting back to a bunch of more localized independents.
It's great that bundled services can save money. I, however, am not so keen on having all services tied to one line. That one line down, all services down. Not a risk I'm willing to take considering my experience with cable OR telco services.
It would be interesting to see where Comcast rate hikes have happened overlaid where there is competition. Now that FIOS is in my area, I wonder how often cable rates will go up?
And if Comcast does raise rates and VZ follows right behind them, well, I've yet to try Dish or DirecTV here...
KM
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buckingham @ 16th Oct 09:53PM:
Comcast Rate Hikes of Another Ilk...
Comcast recently decided to take away some HD channels from those of us who just subscribe to basic service + Digital Plus + HD...but they'ed be happy to give them back (and more) for only $29.95 a month. That's a substantial increase over the $38.50 I'm paying for my service now and we have no need for all those channels. Sadly, one of the few we actually watch (Discovery Theater HD) is one of the ones that was taken away. So...if I have to spend more it means I get to shop around. Since our township is screwing up the VZ FiOS install...DirectTV may be the winner of this round. And bye-bye Comcast!
I'm also in favor of a la carte...
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anon @ 16th Oct 09:58PM:
Re: Video only
I, for one, will be more than happy to drop those expensive ESPN/MTV channels from my package to keep those TV prices "low".
:D
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Mactron @ 16th Oct 10:07PM:
Why ?..
Why do people put up with this... stuff ?
I kissed off Comcast 10+ years ago. :D
There are alternatives folks.
Move on, even they will get the message if enough of you do.
Just a thought... ;)
--
If only the Verizon CSRs worked this well. ;)
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systems2000 @ 16th Oct 10:10PM:
Re: Not surprising...
I already did!
GOODBYE COMCAST!
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systems2000 @ 16th Oct 10:23PM:
Re: $15 a month!
Here in PA it's now $21.65 for 20 channels and a fourth of those are shopping channels, CN8, and Local Access (which is nothing but Comcast music and advertising their services and openings).
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Rob A @ 16th Oct 10:24PM:
Get used to it...
It's cable.
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hopeflicker @ 16th Oct 10:35PM:
Re: Employee Disc,
Discounts?
When i worked for Charter, we got everything FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!
I miss my free cablez
--
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Titus Pullo @ 16th Oct 10:37PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Rick :said by Titus Pullo :
But I'm not paying another rate hike to a company to hire the help they should have had to begin with given their rates and profit margins.
--
I'd hardly call a 10.6% profit margin excessive by any means.
»
finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=CMCSAIs that a lot?
I sure don't think so.
No? If we're talking net, then your econ and mine aren't from the same book. Here's the first link I found:
"According to Quicken.com, less than one out of four U.S. publicly traded companies can claim a net profit margin north of 7% over the past year. By that measure alone, this Foolish 8 requirement appears to be a fairly good screen for identifying highly profitable companies. If you graph all companies as falling somewhere along a basic bell curve-shaped distribution, those that can manage to report just 7% net profits margins will be found firmly to the right of the statistical mean."
Here are some other data to chew on, which some investors may also find surprising:
Net Profit Margins
Average net profit margin for S&P 500 companies ...... 7.0%
Average net profit margin for all Nasdaq companies ... 3.1%
From:
»www.fool.com/foolish8/2000/fooli···1208.htm
-- end copy --
If 7% is "firmly to the right of the statistical mean," then what is 10? I don't know the STDev, but 'soundly' to the right at 7 is at the very least beyond 'very good' profits at 10.
--
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anon @ 16th Oct 11:35PM:
Re: Get used to it...
well said.
cable is as cable does.
one would have hoped, with the introduction of fios-tv, that price competition would result. no dice. telco has promised "to compete on service" (after saying otherwise when lobbying the legislature for a statewide license).
captive customers (those without satellite options) will be gouged. the city and state will happily collect their franchise fees and utility taxes.
tw calls me routinely to offer me 6-month deals at bargain prices. they always neglect to mention the taxes and fees, or the cost of the box rental. in the end, i just recall the look of the happy people waiting in line at the bill payment office, carrying a stack of motorola decoder boxes and a spiral of cables... and i realize WHY the clerks sit behind bullet-proof glass.
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ExitWound @ 16th Oct 11:15PM:
Almost time to call it quits...
I'm almost to the point where I can no longer afford television. I'm on the analog expanded now for $45, increasing to $48. I work minimum wage trying to get by and cable television will be one of the first bills to go.
Remember when television was a necessity and not a luxury?
--
»www.theexitwound.com
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WizardzWrath @ 16th Oct 11:21PM:
Wish I had an alternative.
I have to sit down and do the math but I believe it would be cheaper to ditch comcast tv and pay the extra for stand alone hsi and switch to DTV or Dish. If I had ANY other broadband solution at this address I would very quickly be telling comcast where to shove their rate hikes.
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en102 @ 16th Oct 11:21PM:
Re: great!
Yup... this is one of the reasons I stated that someone has to pay for Docsis 3.0 and that Powerboost you're getting.
On AT&T it _was_ POTS people. Many got off that government regulated cash cow.
AT&T is now pushing it through Uverse, which will eventually see rate hikes as well.
I'm somewhat glad that I'm on DirecTv:
DirecTv 'plus' package (grandfathered) 3 sets = $61/month, also been given a 6 month discount (making it $51/month) and thrown in Starz/Showtime/Cinemax/etc.
Now all I have to _really_ try and do is get a 'dry' Uverse line (Internet only) and VoIP.
--
Canada = Hollywood North
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stridr69 @ 16th Oct 11:55PM:
Dang!!!
Comcast is making Charter look good! We're getting 6 more HD channels next month for the same $8.00 a month. HD/DVR...$6.95 a month. We will have 12 HD channels total-WooHoo! Granted, we'll have a price increase in Jan 2008, but TWO rate increases in one year??!!
It's Comcrapstic! Jeeze, why don't you Comcast customers just bend over and grab your ankles as tight as you can. Can't wait to hear some friends of mine in Santa Maria squeal like pigs when they get ANOTHER rate increase. AND, my Santa Maria friends have Verizon as their hardline carrier-NO FiOs in their near future...hehe.
Glad my area has Charter-great for TV. SoSo for HSI-overpriced for 5/512, which is why I went with...ATT. 6/768 $35.00 monthly. 'nough said.
:D
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flyingjoey @ 16th Oct 11:56PM:
Boobye comcast
Not only is comcast one of the more expensive providers, and yet they're planning to push up their prices.
As of this thursday, I'm moving to DirecTV. I'm tired of paying 149 dollars for only 3 premium channels, and their internet access, and only getting 14 HD channels.
I want my cartoon network in HD damn it! :)
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anon @ 17th Oct 12:02AM:
Re: Just got my letter today
Sure doesn't appear to be hd-lite to me. Perhaps you should have the service before talking about it.
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rid0617 @ 17th Oct 12:58AM:
Re: Almost time to call it quits...
I'm old enough to remember when television was a benefit of rich people.
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en102 @ 17th Oct 01:02AM:
Re: Just got my letter today
That, like many other services won't come into play until you threaten to leave.
It was nice with DirecTv... I didn't even call them or anything.. they just offered a $10/month discount for 6 months (bringing my 3 tuners of the 'plus' package to $51/month after taxes.
--
Canada = Hollywood North
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en102 @ 17th Oct 01:04AM:
Re: this is a rip.
If you're in California... probably a high percentage.
Sadly, I don't see any Canadian channels here though.
--
Canada = Hollywood North
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capecoddah @ 17th Oct 01:21AM:
Call Center?
Wow many people need to call about problems will cable?
"I can't change channels" Put new batteries in your remote
"My cable is out" A truck had an accident
Accident... |
NoOneButMe @ 17th Oct 01:49AM:
Re: Video only
i agree i hate paying for something i dont use and thay nail comcast for millions
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nursemike @ 17th Oct 06:28AM:
Guess where that money goes
I wonder if their compensation has ONLY gone up 10%
KEY EXECUTIVES
Pay Exercised
Mr. Brian L. Roberts , 47
Chairman, Chief Exec. Officer $ 13.90M$ 19.92M
Mr. Ralph J. Roberts , 87
Founder, Director $ 4.45M$ 2.75M
Mr. John R. Alchin , 58
Co-Chief Financial Officer, $ 2.62M $ 2.83M
Mr. Stephen B. Burke , 48
Chief Operating Officer, $ 8.72M $ 19.04M
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ebubman @ 17th Oct 06:47AM:
Re: Guess where that money goes
this is called "the golden rule"----put differently, those with the gold, rule. they raise the rates simply because they can raise the rates. there is a point where many of us will say "wow---let's check that fios thing for isp and let's check dishnetwork for tv". the dumbest thing any company in any industry can do is to act like they are indispensable. while many of us rely on comcast, life indeed could go on quite well if we did verizon & dishnetwork. bub
said by nursemike :
I wonder if their compensation has ONLY gone up 10%
KEY EXECUTIVES
Pay Exercised
Mr. Brian L. Roberts , 47
Chairman, Chief Exec. Officer $ 13.90M$ 19.92M
Mr. Ralph J. Roberts , 87
Founder, Director $ 4.45M$ 2.75M
Mr. John R. Alchin , 58
Co-Chief Financial Officer, $ 2.62M $ 2.83M
Mr. Stephen B. Burke , 48
Chief Operating Officer, $ 8.72M $ 19.04M
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tmc8080 @ 17th Oct 07:59AM:
What needs to be said.
If YOU have Comcast Cable TV as a STAND-ALONE service.
CANCEL THE ACCOUNT. Move to an alternative provider who doesn't gouge you (satellite, or maybe to spite comcast... at&t).
Still, a basic triple play shouldn't cost over $110-120 for three entry level services, unless you get second, third, etc cable box.
Somebody's gotta pay for that smashed up keyboard, computer and monitor. Don't even dare send that lady a rate increase bill! ;-)
Cablevision will still be offering $29.95/ea triple play deals locked in for two years with no early termination fee.
Make sure you start asking for your yearly 10-15% yearly cost of living increases at your jobs to pay the cable bills!
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six9 @ 17th Oct 08:41AM:
Re: Wish I had an alternative.
Well, let's see. I have yet to do the math so I will now.
I have DirecTV, Vonage and Comcast HSI. Is my setup cheaper than Comcast? Some of you will have to help me with that question.
DirecTV - TotalChoice Local w/TiVo (not DTV DVR) - $48.99
Vonage - 30.62 (after taxes and such)
Comcast HSI Gold: $70.95 ($15 penalty for no TV) Go figure to get the lowest video tier to get rid of the penalty is $16 plus all the taxes and fees associated with video.
Total: $150.56
Maybe it just seems cheaper for me to have it that way. Or maybe I like my NFLST too much to ditch DirecTV. I might be completely off base here because of bundling. I'm comparing "regular menu pricing" as opposed to the limited time coupons.
I actually looked at Comcast when I moved and it was a big turnoff for me to be charged $12.95 per month for a DVR. It was also a big turn off to have to get the digital package just to get the same channels I have now. I think when I priced it, the total for just TV was somewhere around the $95 range. At my other prices, that would put me at around $180.
Once I saw the outrageous price for the non-TiVo DVR, I decided that it was not worth it and kept it the way it is. I never looked into the bundles because I don't want something that I'm going to have to renegotiate in 6 months. Now, maybe when Vonage bites the dust, I will look again, but for now I just can't see joining that rate hike every 6 months.
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flashcore @ 17th Oct 08:50AM:
Re: Just got my letter today
Its funny... when I left Crapcast in April my bill was $167.90 a month (Digital Prefered Plus, 2 DVR's, 1 STB and HSI). And I had Verizon phone service for $40 a month. Then Crapcast tried to hit me with there invisible cap BS and jack my internet up to almost $500 saying I used 1200GB in the month of December when the modem and computer was not turned on while I was out of town.
It was actually a sad thing that Crapcast had to try to pull this on me. At the same time they were doing this Verizon was putting the finishing touches on the Fiber cables on my street and the county i am in had just approved the TV franchise agreement. Now I know at least 30 people in my area who have told Comcrap where they can shove there service and I know there is more people that I do not know who have made the switch. I constantly see Verizon employees installing FiOS around my area (At least Verizon hires employees to do there installs and not half-assed contractors).
Since Verizon FiOS came into my area in April my bill has gone from $167.90 (Comcast TV, HSI) and $40 (Verizon Phone Service) to $170 a month for FiOS TV with the basic programing package that includes MORE channels then Crapcast did, the movie package (Stars, Encore, TMC) as well as HBO along with 1 Multi Room DVR (Hay Comcast have you ever heard of this product), 1 HD DVR and 4 STB's along with FiOS phone service and of course 15M/2M no cap internet.
I don't know how Comcast can think that jacking up their prices even more can be good for their business. Perhapses if they would concentrate on just providing TV, Internet and Phone and got out of the other crap they are in (Comcast Sportsnet? Who the hell needs that) they could stop wasting money and provide a decent product and customer service at a reasonable price.
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icp1 @ 17th Oct 09:04AM:
Re: great!
said by DT :
wonderfull!
my basic is going from $54.00 to $57.70
digital cable $11.95 to $14.95
1st hd dvr $16.95 to $20.45
2nd hd dvr $21.90 to $25.40
thank god the net isnt going up! staying at $42.95
Wow that's expensive.
I pay (Charter)
$12 Super Basic cable (15 channels or whatever)
$13 Tivo 1
$6 Tivo 2
$18 Netflix :)
so like $50 for all the TV and movies my family can watch, but missing some good channels (ESPN, etc), and you are paying more than $130 a month? ouch
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ExitWound @ 17th Oct 10:44AM:
Re: Almost time to call it quits...
So it goes from being a luxury, to being a necessity, to being a luxury again. Shouldn't technology become more accessible to the masses as it grows?
--
»www.theexitwound.com
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anon @ 17th Oct 12:45PM:
Re: They're pushing it
youre such a kiss ass for the Company Rick .. Im sick tired that you brag about it even though you know they are the worst .. then you blast att uverse .. appreciate the fact the u-verse does have the potential to compete comacast based on price.. :mad: :mad:
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moonpuppy @ 17th Oct 11:29AM:
Re: Video only
said by TK Junk Mail :said by JSRoman :
Did anyone notice that cdv and chsi are not increasing.?These increases only affect video.
That is because the content providers keep upping what they charge for content.
And there is the main reason people want ala carte pricing. ;)
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Rick @ 17th Oct 12:01PM:
Re: They're pushing it
So, I guess what you're saying is they should lower their service by a buck and make 4 or 5 bucks off your TV service instead of 5 to 6? After all, that's what would them bring them in line with what you're suggesting is more the norm.
Sorry, but that buck doesn't make a world of difference to me..and hopefully..not to you either.
You're acting here as if that 50 to 60 per month service can be cut to 30.00 or 40.00 a month instead.
And, it simply can't to allow the company to remain profitable.
As you can hopefully now see, the profit margin in dollar terms is very low and break even is only a few dollars from what they sell the service for.
--
The Coyote captured the RR! Roadrunner Rick is now Comcastic!
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N3OGH @ 17th Oct 12:22PM:
Re: What needs to be said.
Another bill that went up 3X faster than my rate of pay...
I don't think Comcast gets it, and it's going to bite them in the ass sooner than later.
I'm one of those aforementioned people that's going to look elsewhere. I was waiting for Fios TV, but the deployment is going a little slow. The trenches have been dug, and the conduit is coiled up on the pole, but no Fios yet (my wires come in from a pole, not under ground).
Now, do I wait for Verizon to get me TV, or do I jump to DirecTV until Verizon comes...
Decisions decisions.
6% increase, fucking ridiculous..
--
Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power…
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KoolMoe @ 17th Oct 12:48PM:
Re: They're pushing it
When the FedGov has big expenses, do you advocate raising taxes? Or would you prefer cutting spending and managing what they do have more efficiently?
I certainly prefer the latter. I have no way of knowing, but I suspect there's an awful lot of mismanagement and waste going on here.
Of course, it's easier just to raise rates twice a year instead of bringing costs under tighter control...especially when there's little competition to worry about.
KM
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Titus Pullo @ 17th Oct 01:39PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Rick :
So, I guess what you're saying is they should lower their service by a buck and make 4 or 5 bucks off your TV service instead of 5 to 6? After all, that's what would them bring them in line with what you're suggesting is more the norm.
Sorry, but that buck doesn't make a world of difference to me..and hopefully..not to you either.
You're acting here as if that 50 to 60 per month service can be cut to 30.00 or 40.00 a month instead.
And, it simply can't to allow the company to remain profitable.
As you can hopefully now see, the profit margin in dollar terms is very low and break even is only a few dollars from what they sell the service for.
Your arguments (and logic) are beginning to resemble a dog chasing its tail :uhh: Now you're putting words in my mouth. I never said what they should make or charge, I was addressing the fact that their profits continue to go up but rather than finance improved service FROM those profits, they're passing along every cent it costs them to implement this, uh, 'improved service' to the customer while their profits continue to rise. If you're going to argue a point do it with what I write, not with what you'd like me to write to justify your position. Sheesh!
You're at the bottom because this one is too simple: take that $5 and multiply it by the number of paying customers and what do you get? That's a lot of duckets, and a lot of bull that they need to raise rates twice in a year to provide us with better service when they're enjoying some of the highest profit margins in industry at present. Again, in case you didn't read, it's all about keeping the bottom line fat as hell and damn the customers because Comcast already has churn figured into the equation; they're probably within a 3 point margin of how many customers they'll lose with this rate hike and that amount of lost revenue is covered BY the rate hike. Who the F do you think you're kidding?
But, I guess yourself, since you address each argument with a non-sequitur, and then find yourself left with the "you don't want the company to make money" thing. I guess I'll "hate the troops" next. No one wants a company to fail, but given the fact that the customer doesn't have much choice anymore, guess who's losing and who's winning? But that's OK, you'll figure out soon enough that your rates are keeping a fat bottom line as people start to bail out - first on the premium stuff and then on cable altogether. Only at that point will prices come down for real. Not more of this incentivizing BS to bait, hook and reel you in.
But until then, sure, add another couple of bucks here and there and over yonder because we had to actually train the people we hire (good excuse) or hire enough people to service the areas we've taken over. But guess what? We're not going to lower our bottom line one penny because you're going to pay for it all while our CEOs and managers make boo-coo bucks and our stock price looks good on paper because our net is nearly 11%.
I've read some fanboy logic in my time, but yikes.
--
.sig under review by Comcast GoonSquad®
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DT @ 17th Oct 01:41PM:
Re: great!
try $147.75 and $161.45 when the prices go up before taxes
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myosh @ 17th Oct 02:30PM:
Re: Not surprising...
said by en102 :
Gotta pay for that DOCSIS 3.0 and 'powerboost' as well as to subsidize the more competitive markets where FiOS is deployed.
If you don't like it... find another carrier/solution.
IIRC, DOCSIS and Powerboost are for the cable modem service right? If that's the case, raise the HSI rates and leave the TV rates alone! Why should someone receiving only TV service like me (I have DSL for internet access) be forced to subsidize the HSI users?
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myosh @ 17th Oct 02:44PM:
Add the S.F. Bay Area to the list!
Just read in the San Francisco Chronicle that Comcast is jacking up our cable rates another 5% next month. :mad:
Link: »www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c···R22H.DTL
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Rick @ 17th Oct 02:48PM:
Re: They're pushing it
Try as I might, I can find no logic in your argument at all.
As I've clearly demonstrated, their "profit" off you as a cable tv customer amounts to something like 5 to 6 dollars per month.
But yet..you'd now like them to use that profit to "hire the techs they need for decent support"..and..apparently..on top of that..to lower their rates for you as well.
You are attempting to cite industry statistics that supposedly say they "should" be making 7% instead. I'm in no way agreeing with that statement because I think there's plenty of goods and services out there that cost 60.00 a month where the company is making a whole helluva lot more markup than that.
But, lets say that they did that.
Now, we're talking about what..a dollar less per month from you? Or..a dollar that they're directing instead to paying for these increases themselves instead of raising your rates?
Can anyone say..big whoop? The dollar is meaningless in the whole big picture..and I'd daresay that if your service was 59.00 a month instead of 60.00..it wouldn't make a world of difference to you..because you'd still be rambling on about it costing too much.
The fact of the matter is..there is VERY little markup in these products. And, you and I are paying very close to what it costs this company to deliver it.
Anything less and the company would become a non profit organization..and they're certainly not going to be doing that.
I also have to strongly disagree with you on the points you make about them not adding to their tech workforce.
Again..here in this state..I see a new center going up..and their advertising for hundreds of new support reps.
That is where our money is going...and..I highly doubt it's us that are footing the whole bill for it.
If you hadn't prematurely cancelled your HSI..you'd also be seeing all the exciting things they've been passing along to we customers. All at no cost.
Higher speeds..and even speeds with powerboost now that exceed 20Mb.
All for just over a dollar a day.
Is that too much for you too?
I get the sense you want everything for nothing..but too bad it just doesn't work that way.
I also think you need to look at the bigger picture..and what this industry and company is now offering customers.
I don't know about YOU..but I used to pay hundreds per month for the slowest dialup service you could imagine years ago.
Today..for just a fraction of that..I get speeds like this.
Sorry, but I simply don't see this as being expensive. I think we get a great value from Comcast..for all they deliver.
Like I suggested..if you were to bundle all your services together..for what amounts to about 4 to 5.00 per day..you could have everything they offer. From digital tv..to all the premiums..to HSI..to phone.
What on earth do you get that offers that kind of value..besides all this? That amount would barely cover a happy meal at Mcd's these days. But yet..you see it as too expensive for ALL these services combined.
It's you who are choosing to go the more expensive route..via ala carte.
And, if that makes you happy..then fine.
But don't try to present this service in the false light you are.
Because it is one very good value..day in ..day out..
and many of us feel that way.
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chomps @ 17th Oct 03:45PM:
Comcast rates and the industry
While it is true there are other providers and varying rates we need to look at several points. The first point being that The content providers--providing the feeds to Comcast have been raising their rates to companies such as Comcast, Dish Network, and Directv. I used to work for Directv and they had at least a yearly fee increase, if not more. Also, here is something else to add into the mix. These companies do have their own call centers, however they also outsource many of their calls to outside vendors such as Convergys. When the outside vendors experience increasing calls compared to the year previous, they also demand a price increase. Plus on top of that let's add inflation which nobody can deny happens. Utility companies raise their rates which increases the bottom cost lines of Comcast and the others to provide service. Then lets ad the fact that the FCC requires all TV stations to be digital. That also increases costs as these companies have to obtain new equipment to provide digital signal. For those with analog TV you will have to get a digital converter as the analog signal is going to be gone soon. Many companies have to hire private contractors due to a increased workload, ie installers. They do the basic install nothing else. Now if you have problems with the services then they send a actual employee of the company to fix the problem. These specialists are more highly trained than the private contractors thereby increasing the bottom line costs. Now I will agree that sometimes customer service can be crappy as it has happened to me. But when this has happened I have noticed most times I am not talking direct to Comcast or Directv or others, but the 3rd party companies. These people get basic training and uses scripts to troubleshoot your problems. They are also the least paid of anyone yet the main company, ie Convergys maintains these high earning. So Comcast and the others are not the only ones to blame for the high costs. Comcast, Directv, Dish network and others like it are luxuries. Let's get that fact straight here. If you want a luxury then you are going to pay for it. How many of you are complaining about the increasing prices of TV's or other related items?? Not one of you I am sure. And how many of these items are no longer being manufactured in the good ol USA?? Much of it is being built overseas where these places make it cheaper and sell it to us for a higher prices. All of this adds to the cost of operating the company. Most people don't realize that grocery stores have a average markup on their items of between 15% to 40%. So who is gouging who? Yes, rates need to start coming down I will agree. And as more and more companies enter into a market this will happen. But in the meantime if you want the goodies be expected to pay for it. If you experience problems with your service and the initial tech call doesn't resolve the issue--then get the tech supervisor name and number and call them. I had to do that with a problem I have with my HSI. Original techs didn't get it fixed but once I start calling the supervisor on a daily basis--guess what? Another tech came out and was instructed to start testing the line at the pedestals. And guess what--there is a problem in the feed going to it. They are now fixing the problem.
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Titus Pullo @ 17th Oct 04:53PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Rick :
Try as I might, I can find no logic in your argument at all.
Let me help you by making it as succinct as possible.
* Two rate increases in one year to improve customer service
* I already pay, in effect, a penalty for NOT buying more than one service from Comcast. If you think that a price structure that penalizes someone that might not be able to afford $120 or $150 a month for bundled services from one company, or perhaps doesn't want all their eggs in one basket, is somehow illogical, well ... that's your prerogative.
* Their profit margins could be 20% for all I care -- more power to them and their stockholders. What I'm saying is that in my mind I know what type of company I'm dealing with when I get hit with not one but two rate hikes in one year while the company is enjoying wonderful financial health for a reason that is nebulously intangible at best (I can't see with my own eyes whether their service is better because they've raised my rates again to that end).
So, in summary: I'm not advocating what Comcast should be making (7% or 70%). I know, as do we all, that corporations are in business to make money for stockholders. However, whether you realize it or not, Comcast is squandering something worth a lot more than you think, and that's called goodwill. As I stated, if I thought I would receive better customer service and QoS with these constant rate hikes I might 'swallow' it a bit easier. Sad to say, that's not the history with the cable industry, and those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it. As in rates that rise many times the rate of inflation.
Three years ago, I paid $83 for HSI and Expanded Basic w/box/HBO. Comcast wants to raise my _current_rate_ UP to $60 for analog cable service that is notoriously fuzzy while they enjoy record profits. I'm not asking for a lower rate, I'm asking them to quit making me pay, pay, pay, more, more, more, when their profits tell me that they could absorb the cost to improve their CS without raising my rates AGAIN. Never mind the fact that they have no way of proving to me that their tech support has improved. For whom? Another state? It's nonsense to charge me more for what amounts to lousy service when they're raking in record profits.
If you can't understand a consumer saying "enough" when the reasons are as clear as a spring sky, I can't help you.
--
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Rick @ 17th Oct 05:23PM:
Re: They're pushing it
I think this fully rationalizes their price increase..which, for some, isn't even an increase at all.
Really, I think it all boils down to your choice to stick with what you have, rather than realize greater savings by bundling.
»seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/···s16.html
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ExitWound @ 17th Oct 09:28PM:
Re: What needs to be said.
I am already looking elsewhere. If i can get a satellite package for less, I will. We have no hopes of Fios ever coming here and no other cable packages either. There's also the idea that direcTVs beams are on MY property. What I do with them should be my own business :-P
--
»www.theexitwound.com
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damox @ 17th Oct 09:31PM:
Re: this is a rip.
said by en102 :
If you're in California... probably a high percentage.
Sadly, I don't see any Canadian channels here though.
Well that's too bad . . . it used to be with satellite that you could get stations from all over the world. I don't think it's that way now (because I never had satellite, but things have obviously changed and Comcast should offer programming from other countries.
As far as Spanish speaking programming, the percentage of those who speak Spanish as their primary language, was about 35 Millions in the year 2000. I would think that by now, there could be around 50 million who speak Spanish as their primary language, but the point is, there are a good percentage.
--
DAMOX Proud to be a member of Team Discovery
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mglunt @ 18th Oct 08:17AM:
Re: Not surprising...
LOL
Yes, Comcast... the key to competing against Verizon in Va, where FIOS is spreading fast is to raise prices... lmao
morons.
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anon @ 18th Oct 10:11AM:
Re: They're pushing it
Maybe I just watch 10 channels and they need to adjust their packages? A la carte perhaps?
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anon @ 18th Oct 11:02AM:
There are alternatives to the cable-tv monopoly
Plenty of TV streams are available over the internet these days so, the necessity of being a cable-tv subscriber are slowly falling by the wayside. Movie / TV show dvd rentals as well as online subscriptions are becoming more mainstream than you might think.. Once people figure out a way to conveniently program a TIVO with IMOVIE/IVIDEO through their broadband connection-- cable-tv's days are NUMBERED. Rate increases won't be so easy to get past savvy computer literate broadband enabled internet subscribers. They'll get their tv, just not with a paid subscription.
What P2P did for music, will do the same or WORSE to a multi-billion dollar cable industry, sooner or later. Don't forget, the cable industry only controls ONE pipe into the home, the other is controlled by a telco, who is quite pissed off they lost phone subscribers over the past decade. Bring on those symmetric streaming rates, TELCO!
Woo-Hoo!
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Toropop @ 19th Oct 11:57AM:
Re: Just got my letter today
I'm usually not a complainer, but I had to laugh after getting my letter today...
"We're pleased to announce our enhanced services available to you on October 31, 2007."
They are adding:
The NFL Network HD
Golf Channel HD
History Channel HD
Food TV HD
Taking away:
HBO Comedy
HBO Family
HBO Latino
Starz! Edge
Sho Too
Sho Too East
More Max
Universal HD
HDNet
Comcast Northwest
Comcast Portland
More Max East
Increasing:
HD DVR from $11.99 to $13.99
HD Package Access from $9.99 to $13.99
Offering HD Plus (to get the new NFL Network HD, etc.) by tacking on $4.99
TiVo Cable Card Package from $0.00 to $6.99 per card (you need two for Series3 or TiVoHD since they don't offer the new M Cards here yet).
Oh, and did I mention that Digital Platinum Plus is going from $129.99 to $149.99.
Am I missing something here? Adding bullshit HD channels, taking away a buttload of premium and HD channels, and having two TiVo cards is REALLY that much of a financial burden for them to jackup my cable bill almost $50.00 a month?
The Comcastic feeling I'm supposed be having needs a little more lube to make it easier to take.
Gosh, I hope I won't be too much of a burden to DirecTV when I call later today to switch.
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cowsgonemadd @ 20th Oct 11:25PM:
lol
Do what we do,stick a antenna on the outside of the house and get FREE tv. Watch your favorite season shows on dvd by either buying them or renting them from netflix or blockbuster online. Movies too through netflix.
Saves lots of money.....You just have to wait for the new shows to get on dvd....
Or do the next best thing "watch at a friends house"
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lexy @ 21st Oct 06:57PM:
Re: They're pushing it
said by Titus Pullo :
It's finally here: Basic cable (no box) will hit $60, and guess what? I'm gone. I pay $55 now for Comcast channels 2 to 70, so this price hike will likely have me on the phone to Dish. There's no sense in staying when I know the employee excuse is BS. They can absorb employee training and the hiring of new employees where needed without two rate hikes in one year.
These hikes are about not cutting into rapacious profits to go from half-assed service to quarter-assed service. If I thought for one minute that my service would actually improve -- no snowy picture or downtime with T-storms that take hours to come back up and phone drones (except to pay a bill -- they've got that sh_t down pat), then no problem. But for more of the same crap? No way. I've been down this road too many times. Fool me once, fool me ten times.
I dumped Comcast HSI when they took over Adelphia and I'll dump the TV too. If more people did this they'd lower their f'n rates faster than a powerboosted speedtest AND hire the techs they need for decent support.
--
.sig awaiting self approval
OHH REAL SMART! so you sign with the dish which advertises prices you will never see on your bill,pay a activation fee of at least 50$ since the install is free!then they require a phone line to each receiver (unlike comcast) or pay 5$ a box extra.Also pay 5 $ for local channels and if you have a problem with your set up ,plan on paying a minumum of 99.00$!Not to mention a contract or atleast a year! you cant get out of ! no thanks I wont switch just to end up paying more to prove a bad point.And atleast the tech. fixed my comcast problem for free. Lex
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sava700 @ 27th Oct 10:35PM:
Re: lol
Well I'm really pissed off.. 59.95 is what i'm paying for 8/768 and now I'll be paying 67.95 for the same damn speed!!!! If your going to jack my bill up at least give me 10/1meg or something. If FIOS was here I'd jump on it in a heart beat! WE have dsl in the area but its worse than Comcast for stable connection not to mention price is a little higher. I just can't understand how they can jack prices up like that without someone doing something to limit how much like states limit electric rates.
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dwfull @ 1st Nov 04:09PM:
comcast rates hikes
comcast has to raise its rates again to pay for its 60 story new hq in philly plus they are getting a ten year tax abatement for moving into this new facility
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