Fuck Comcast

[KC Scott]

After a year of procrastination I finally ordered Direct TV today.

Comcast doubled their rate - I had the upper tier, one box and HBO for $42 and overnight it went to $73 + Tax.

I was gonna change last year when they went to requiring a digital box for HBO, but they kept the price within reason by doing this 4 month promo bullshit.

At same price for cable now I've got 4 room set up, TIVO, a free Portable DVD player and $150 credit.

I'll prolly buck up and get the NFL package too.

Dish was a couple bucks cheaper but couldn't deliver the NFL.

I have a feeling KC area will be getting real busy with Direct TV or Dish installs in the next couple months.

Who the fuck cares?

Sin,

Sir Findafold

[jiminphilly]

Comcast has the Philly area by their collective nuts because they own the tv rights for most of the Phillies and Flyers games which they air on their own comcast channel. That channel is part of their basic cable service and is available if you get the Dish but you pay an outlandish price for it.

So in order to get Phillies or Flyers games along with the rest of your cable channels at a relative affordable price you have to order comcast's basic service.. their digital cable another $30 or so a month which includes the NFL network etc..


Verizon has cable tv available in some regions of the US and is trying to expand that in this market but Comcast is trying to block it (nothing like a monopoly getting exclusive rights in the region).

[KC Scott]

Like most everyone else, I only watch a few channels:

HBO, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, ESPN, FX, Spike and the local broadcast networks are the main ones.

It pisses me off that you can't just buy the channels you want.

Comcast is spending big lobby bucks trying to block the ala-carte method in Missouri.

I think it is available in TX now, and maybe a couple other states:

Cable TV bill about choices
Legislation aims to allow viewers to pay for the channels they really watch.
By Deb Kollars -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Monday, June 19, 2006
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee

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Print | E-Mail | Comments (13)

In most homes with cable television, the number of channels that people pay for can run as high as 60, 100, even double or triple that count.
Typically, most watch only about 17 or so.


If those same consumers went to a restaurant, they wouldn't have to order the entire menu to get a burger and fries. If they wanted to subscribe to Time magazine, they wouldn't also have to order GQ and Bon Appétit.
According to a growing collection of consumer advocates and politicians, including a prominent U.S. senator, cable television should be the same.

Earlier this month, Sen. John McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona with presidential aspirations, introduced a bill in Washington aimed at making cable channels available on an "a la carte" basis to subscribers.

The nation's cable industry says no way, channel-by-channel ordering would not pencil out financially.

But mention the idea to cable watchers, and they're likely to pop up in their recliners with delight.

"Most of the channels I get, I don't even watch," said Linda Bentley, an insurance agent from Carmichael who spends about $54 a month for cable television service from Comcast. "I'd love to be able to pick my channels."

On her list of favorites: The Discovery Channel. The History Channel. Sci-Fi. The Food Network. The major networks. And the Home Shopping Network.

"Pretty much that's it," Bentley said of her dozen or so channel preferences, adding she also watches E! and Fox News at times.

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, believes people like Bentley should to be able to pick and choose their cable stations.

"Being able to buy channels a la carte is so intuitive for consumers," said Jeannine Kenney, a senior policy analyst with Consumers Union. "By and large, most people do not watch the big bundles."

McCain made the same point when he introduced his bill, the Consumers Having Options in Cable Entertainment Act, or CHOICE, on June 7.

His proposed legislation would not force companies to go a la carte but rather would offer reduced franchise fees and other incentives to encourage them to give consumers the ability to choose before buying.

The bill comes amid an intense legislative battle at the state and federal levels between telephone and cable companies over franchise fees.

In most places, cable firms have negotiated exclusive franchise fees with local governments to offer cable service. (Sacramento is one of the few places with competition among companies serving television customers.)

Now, two big phone companies -- AT&T and Verizon -- are leading an aggressive campaign to allow them to acquire state or even national franchises that would override the authorizing process at the local level.

The telephone companies want to compete directly with established cable and satellite companies by running television programming over phone lines. Cable companies believe the nonlocal franchising process will create an unfair market and are fighting to assure a "level playing field."

Against this competitive backdrop, McCain hopes to insert another layer of consumer options and competition through his a la carte legislation. In a news release, he said the a la carte approach could bring savings to consumers, noting that cable rates have risen at double the rate of inflation or more in recent years.

The senator's bill would not apply directly to satellite companies because they do not have to acquire franchises to use public rights of way. But certain provisions could encourage satellite firms to also engage in a la carte pricing, Kenney said.

The average consumer watches just 17 channels on a regular basis, according to the federal General Accountability Office.

A Federal Communications Commission study released in February found that under an a la carte scenario, consumers could receive up to 20 channels, including six broadcast stations, without their monthly bills going up. Consumers who purchased fewer stations could see their cable bills go down, the study said.

"Many consumers could be better off under an a la carte model," the FCC report noted.

The cable industry disagrees.

If a la carte pricing took effect, subscriber bills would likely go up in many cases, said Marc Burgat, director of governmental affairs for the California Cable and Telecommunications Association, a Sacramento trade group.

"Some channels cost us $2 to $2.25 per subscriber per month," Burgat said. "Plus, there are all the taxes and fees we must pay."

Burgat and others explained that networks and companies selling programming to cable and satellite firms use a bundling system with financial incentives. For a cable firm to get the best rate on a popular channel such as Disney, for example, it must agree to sell to consumers a package of several other channels as well.

A big force behind the system is advertising. The more households that receive a channel, even if it doesn't get watched, the more the networks and channel providers can charge advertisers. For this reason, consumers are offered bundles rather than individual channels, said Rob Stoddard, senior vice president for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association in Washington, D.C.

"If you didn't have this, you'd pay more for the individual pieces," said Jimmy Schaeffler, senior analyst with the Carmel Group, a Carmel-by-the-Sea telecommunications consulting firm.

Such a scenario came quickly to mind for Mary Ann Overton, a retired education consultant from the Pocket area who subscribes to Comcast for cable service.

"Like a cafeteria? Sounds good to me. But wait a minute," she said after hearing about McCain's bill. "What would the prices be? If it's $5 a channel, that would add up fast. I might be better off with a package deal."

In an a la carte market, there would be another price to pay, according to cable officials: Many of the smaller niche channels would not draw enough individual subscribers to survive.

"Food TV. Outdoor Life. MSNBC. The Cartoon Network. None of those would make it in an a la carte world," said Burgat, who likened cable to the insurance industry, where everyone pays to help keep prices down and services available for all.

The closest thing consumers may see to the McCain ideal is some sort of "quasi a la carte," Schaeffler said. For example, viewers might be offered a basic package in the $35 range that must include ESPN and a number of other channels but also lets people select a handful of their channels from a prescribed list of choices.

Roseville-based SureWest Communications, which has been competing in the Sacramento area for cable subscribers, has looked into a la carte pricing and found it to be unworkable financially, said Haavard Sterri, director of marketing and product management.

However, he said, SureWest is considering creating new packages of similarly themed channels that subscribers could add for several extra dollars a month.

High on the list of possibilities: A new package anchored by SoapNet, which SureWest customers have been asking for in their lineups.

"People want to be able to watch what they want," Sterri said.

It wasn't that long ago, said Robert Thompson, a professor of media and pop culture at Syracuse University in New York, when such an array of choices would have been unheard of.

"Cable has given us this delicious banquet of choices," he said.

But it also has taken away a cultural gift from the days when television was free and channels were few: The collective kinship that was shared across the country when millions of viewers would gather round their sets, all watching the very same thing, be it the State of the Union Address or the latest "All in the Family" episode.

There is no such thing any more, Thompson said.

[Shoalzie]

I'd love the idea of a la carte channels. I could probably go down to about 15 channels plus any sports package and I'd be fine. I get my cable and internet through Comcast. The internet connection is great...a little pricy but I'm happy with it. I'd like to be able to customize TV package more...especially being a single guy on a single income. I don't want to spend $80-100 on a bunch of channels I don't need.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

After a year of procrastination I finally ordered Direct TV today.

Did you order the Total Choice Package? Beware of the first 3 months of free HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax they say you'll get. You will receive this, but when your 3 free months are up, they're going to start billing you for them at an ungodly rate, despite these premium stations are not supposed to come with the Total Choice Package.

Fuck that shit. I'll pay Netflix $50 less a month and watch a bunch of movies I actually want to see.

[KC Scott]

Total Choice and HBO was all I ordered. They tried to get me to take the total choice plus ($5.00 more per month, but the only channel on that I'd watch is the Military channel)

[War Wagon]

I'll prolly buck up and get the NFL package too.

Does it include the NFL Network? That would be cool, as newbie JFFL commishes need all the info they can get.

I have a feeling KC area will be getting real busy with Direct TV or Dish installs in the next couple months.

Or Time Warner cable for that matter, especially if/when they get the NFL network included in the package. I'm fairly satisfied with the digital cable as well as the high speed roadrunner internet service. Been very reliable, but it ain't cheap by any stretch.

But if they don't get the NFL Network by November, I'm dropping 'em like a two dollar crack whore on Independence Avenue.

You gots TWC in Blue Springs, Scotty?

[lk_pick1]

Scott, one of the blessings of living in Staley Farms is Time Warner.

We have everything in one package - phone, cable, internet.

We've had a few brief problems, but they were corrected, as was our bill, which kinda rocked.

If we had to have Comcrap, I'm sure we'd be on your page as well.

[smackaholic]

just ditched comcast this past month. between their ever creeping rates and the package that sbc or att or whoever the fuck they are's dsl/phone/dish network package, I finally jumped. fukk cable. they had it good, but they tried milking us just a little too hard. i am seeing dishes everyfukking where. i think cable is done.

[War Wagon]

Scott, one of the blessings of doing maid work in Staley Farms...

FTFY

[KC Scott]

Does it include the NFL Network? That would be cool, as newbie JFFL commishes need all the info they can get.

I've got the NFL network with comcast, and will have it with the Direct TV satellite.

What I'm also going to buy is the Sunday NFL ticket. It costs $229 and with it I can watch Any game being broadcast instead of being stuck with whatever Fox 4 or CBS 5 serves up as the second game of the double header.

War not seeing Rams vs. 49ers

You gots TWC in Blue Springs, Scotty?

No - the only choice for cable is comcast. Just like I'm sure your only choice for cable is Time Warner.

That's part of my complaint - there is no competition for the cable companies - you only have one provider per area and your stuck with whatever packages, tiers and pricing they offer.

Look at the difference in broadband internet and how much price has dropped on that. I get SBC DSL for $15 per month - fucking comcast wants $40 for cable broadband.

Smackaholic - I looked at Dish also, they have a decent package, but no Sunday NFL ticket - prices were real close to direct TV

[KC Scott]

Spam that made it through the filter this morning promised to increase my ejaculate by 500%.

500% more jizz?

Unless your planning to go into porn, or become a daily donor at your local sperm bank, I'm wondering what the enormous benefit of squirting 5 tablespoons of Yogurt is compared to one.

I mentioned this to the wifey and also told her we'd need to invest in plastic sheets.

I could tell right away, she's not down with the program.

[War Wagon]

What I'm also going to buy is the Sunday NFL ticket. It costs $229 and with it I can watch Any game being broadcast instead of being stuck with whatever Fox 4 or CBS 5 serves up as the second game of the double header.

Damnit, I'm fucking drooling over here. I also want...no, I fucking demand that this be provided.

No excuses, TWC. I already pay through the nose, and I'm getting seriously pissed off.

No - the only choice for cable is comcast. Just like I'm sure your only choice for cable is Time Warner.

That's part of my complaint - there is no competition for the cable companies - you only have one provider per area and your stuck with whatever packages, tiers and pricing they offer.

I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. I'm calling my Congressman. That's bound to get some action, sure.

[Qbert]

Spam that made it through the filter this morning promised to increase my ejaculate by 500%.

500% more jizz?

Unless your planning to go into porn, or become a daily donor at your local sperm bank, I'm wondering what the enormous benefit of squirting 5 tablespoons of Yogurt is compared to one.

I mentioned this to the wifey and also told her we'd need to invest in plastic sheets.

I could tell right away, she's not down with the program.

WAR YAHOOoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

unWAR wife inflicted DSB-->deadly sperm build-up.

SBC/Yahoo e-mail filter isn't the Best EVAH'....so, just click "delete All" and be done with it.

back to the IMPORTANT STUFF!!!!!

when are you coming back to Toledo Scott?

[KC Scott]

"Scott, what does spam about jizz increasement have to do with cable TV vs. Sat dish?"

Un war hitting post reply instead of new topic.


--------------------

Toledo - Still waiting for the Pharm owners to sign their contract.

Hopefully this happens sooner than later Q.

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Fucking Comcast called yesterday and offered me my old price ($40) again for 6 more Months. I told them that I had called twice asking for it and that after I had been told No twice I moved to direct TV.
Dude appologizes 12 times and I decide I'm just dealing with a brain dead company.

I'll go ahead and pay the $73 per month and take my chances for a couple years, rather than go through this bullshit every 6 moths

[lk_pick1]

Are you getting a dvr thing with it?

[KC Scott]

Yea, it includes a TiVo. The set up will let me watch it in two rooms