Cable, Sat, Fios, Uverse all going up 2010

[shiner]

Read a book

 

[tfinch2]

What is this cable TV you speak of?

 

[Miramonti]

Early termination for fios internet service?...wtf, they made people commit to contracts??

 

[mb]

Early termination for fios internet service?...wtf, they made people commit to contracts??

No, they don't force anyone into a contract, but they offer better monthly rates if you sign one.

Local rates for internet only:

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah... nothing new year.

It's amazing how much inflation can bite you in the ass. Hell... I remember working at a grocery store when I was a kid about 12 years ago, and seeing prices for frozen dinners at 79 cents and bananas being on sale for 25 cents a pound. I didn't pay the cable bill, but I'll bet that it was only $40 a month back then.

Now those same frozen dinners are $1.49, and the bananas are 49 cents a pound on sale. Almost 80% inflation in 12 years? Insane.

 

[rudeguy]

Unfortunately the TV companies are just demanding higher prices or they will pull their channels from the providers. The providers basically have no power at all.

Time Warner has this site up that addresses it:
http://rolloverorgettough.com/

I am not speaking as an employee or representative of any cable company.

This sucks so bad for consumers AND the providers. Customers don't believe me when I tell them that we are basically being forced to raise rates, make more channels digital...etc. But the fact is that if we want to stay in business, we have to. You think we like taking away your Gramma's EWTN and putting it on the digital side? Fuck no!

Cable companies are working to provide more and better services for your money though. It wasn't that long ago that you had to pay Ma Bell $40/month just to have a phone and another $50+/month for long distance. Now we can give you unlimited calling to anywhere for $20. It was even more recent that I was paying @home $50/month for less than 1meg internet. Now you can get 5-6 meg for $30.

So if you look at it like that....a lot of the price have came down AND you get more for your money. But TV...the networks need to make their money to pay for the shitty TV shows that soccer moms like to watch. The providers have to buy packages of channels just like customers. Until the providers and consumers can order channels ala carte, everyone will continue to pay for channels that they will never watch.

Once again...I am not speaking as an employee or representative of any cable company.

 

[Squisher]

$3 to $5 seems kinda meaningless when it seems the price you pay to cable is dependent on how hard you threaten to terminate.

 

[HopJokey]

Yeah... nothing new year.

It's amazing how much inflation can bite you in the ass. Hell... I remember working at a grocery store when I was a kid about 12 years ago, and seeing prices for frozen dinners at 79 cents and bananas being on sale for 25 cents a pound. I didn't pay the cable bill, but I'll bet that it was only $40 a month back then.

Now those same frozen dinners are $1.49, and the bananas are 49 cents a pound on sale. Almost 80% inflation in 12 years? Insane.

What about electronics and computers? What was 4 GB of RAM 12 years ago? What is it today? How much does it cost to call someone halfway around the world? How much does it cost to own and operate a cell phone? Etc. Etc.

The price of these items have dropped dramatically (way over 200%) due to technological advances and have improved the quality of life in my opinion a lot. Remember 12 years ago how much it cost for basic dial up Internet?

In my opinion Inflation affects certain basic goods like food/gas since the technology there hasn't advanced quite as fast, but in other areas like communication and technology it has advanced exponentially and overall the quality of life for everyone as a whole continues to get better.

Now whether or not people are more or less happy is a different story (I am).

 

[dullard]

this is a repost from 2009
this is a repost from 2008
this is a repost from 2007
this is a repost from 2006
this is a repost from 2005
this is a repost from 2004
this is a repost from 2003
this is a repost from 2002
this is a repost from 2001

My cable bill increases vs general inflation increase:
1999-2000: Cable 5.1%, Inflation 2.7%
2000-2001: Cable 4.9%, Inflation 3.7%
2001-2002: Cable 10.7%, Inflation 1.1%
2002-2003: Cable 8.0%, Inflation 2.6%
2003-2004: Cable 5.9%, Inflation 1.9%
2004-2005: Cable 4.1%, Inflation 3.0%
2005-2006: Cable 5.2%, Inflation 4.0%
2006-2007: Cable 6.2%, Inflation 2.1%
2007-2008: Cable don't know I got frustrated and dropped it, Inflation 4.3%
2008-2009: Cable don't know I got frustrated and dropped it, Inflation 0.0%
2009-2010: Cable don't know I got frustrated and dropped it, Inflation data isn't in yet, but looks like 1.8% so far.

The key is that yes, prices go up yearly but they go up FAR more than inflation yearly. From Jan 1999 to Jan 2007, my cable went up 62.6% total while general inflation went up only 23.2% total. That is roughly tripple the rate of inflation for essentially the exact same list of channels and the exact same list of services.

I voted with my dollars. Hopefully others will vote with their dollars and drop cable with this increase.

 

[slag]

so.. where in the story does it say what dish is raising their rates to?

Nowhere online doing a quick "dish rate increase 2010" search on google did it show me that dish is raising its rates or what its raising its rates to.

The sky is falling, chicken little.

 

[SunnyD]

And then you call in, complain, threaten to switch, and magically you're back at your original discounted rate.

 

[ultimatebob]

What about electronics and computers? What was 4 GB of RAM 12 years ago? What is it today? How much does it cost to call someone halfway around the world? How much does it cost to own and operate a cell phone? Etc. Etc.

The price of these items have dropped dramatically (way over 200%) due to technological advances and have improved the quality of life in my opinion a lot. Remember 12 years ago how much it cost for basic dial up Internet?

In my opinion Inflation affects certain basic goods like food/gas since the technology there hasn't advanced quite as fast, but in other areas like communication and technology it has advanced exponentially and overall the quality of life for everyone as a whole continues to get better.

Now whether or not people are more or less happy is a different story (I am).

I don't know about you, but I spend a lot more on food than I do on computer parts every year. This being ATOT, though... maybe I'm in the minority 🙂

Besides, my cell phone bill doubled when I got an iPhone thanks to the data plan. That said, I use my cell phone a hell of lot more now.

 

[Kelemvor]

I pay for my Internet connection but I refuseed to pay for cable any more. The prices keep going up and the channels don't. Sure I can get 500 channels. Thsi breaks down to 10 I'll ever watch and 490 I have no use for. Paying $100/mo for that is just retarded.

 

[Svnla]

It was even more recent that I was paying @home $50/month for less than 1meg internet. Now you can get 5-6 meg for $30.

Maybe you live in a big city or something but there is no way you can get 5-6 Mb for $30 around here. 6 Mb (top speed around here) is about $43 plus cost of land line, at least another $10. You want only DSL and nothing else? Pay at least $5 on top of the fee ==> $43 + $5 = $48 minimum.

http://www.bellsouth.com/consumer/inetsrvcs/index.html

Cable is as expensive or more and you have to pay for installation cost/fee.

 

[rudeguy]

Maybe you live in a big city or something but there is no way you can get 5-6 Mb for $30 around here. 6 Mb (top speed around here) is about $43 plus cost of land line, at least another $10. You want only DSL and nothing else? Pay at least $5 on top of the fee ==> $43 + $5 = $48 minimum.

http://www.bellsouth.com/consumer/inetsrvcs/index.html

Cable is as expensive or more and you have to pay for installation cost/fee.

Comcast and Charter both offer $29.99 HSI. Comcast is 6 and Charter is 5 and installation is max of $49.

 

[mb]

Comcast and Charter both offer $29.99 HSI. Comcast is 6 and Charter is 5 and installation is max of $49.

Not everywhere.

• Performance

Get download speeds up to 12 Mbps and uploads up to 2 Mbps with PowerBoost® for only $19.99 a month for 6 months!
$19.99
for the first 6 months
$42.95 per month thereafter

• Blast!®

Get download speeds up to 20 Mbps and uploads up to 4 Mbps with PowerBoost® for only $29.99 a month for 6 months!

$29.99
for the first 6 months
$52.95 per month thereafter

• Economy Internet Service

Way faster than dial-up with downloads up to 1 Mbps and uploads up to 384 Kbps.
$24.95 per month

And that's for signing a contract. No 6 month promo rates if you do month to month.

 

[SunSamurai]

• Economy Internet Service

Way faster than dial-up with downloads up to 1 Mbps and uploads up to 384 Kbps.
$24.95 per month




ILL TAKE IT

 

[rudeguy]

Not everywhere.




And that's for signing a contract. No 6 month promo rates if you do month to month.

What city is that? That's redonkulous!

 

[mb]

What city is that? That's redonkulous!

Richmond, VA

That economy plan doesn't sound too bad though. If I had to I'd switch to it. Thankfully I can afford my 25/15 fios plan 😀

 

[Svnla]

Comcast and Charter both offer $29.99 HSI. Comcast is 6 and Charter is 5 and installation is max of $49.

Like mb said, not everywhere. We don't have Charter and our local Comcast prices are similar as mb has. See below (note that the prices are for people who already have Comcast cable service or others, you can't just get these prices for broadband internet alone).


Performance

• Get download speeds up to 12 Mbps and uploads up to 2 Mbps with PowerBoost® for only $19.99 a month for 6 months!
  • The perfect upgrade from DSL so you can download music, upload photos and chat with friends faster than ever before.
  • Comprehensive Security Suite.
  • SmartZone® Communications Center with 7 e-mail accounts, each with 10GB of storage.
  • ESPN360.com on Comcast.net.
  This special price is for customers who currently subscribe to Comcast Cable or Comcast Digital Voice® service.
  
  
  
  
  Minimum System Requirements
  Terms and Conditions
  Learn More

Special Comcast.com Price!
$19.99
for the first 6 months
$42.95 per month thereafter

Economy Internet Service

• Way faster than dial-up with downloads up to 1 Mbps and uploads up to 384 Kbps.
  • No dialing in required and no tying up the phone line.
  • Download speeds that are way faster than dial-up.
  • Comprehensive Security Suite.
  • The SmartZone® Communications Center, which combines e-mail, Comcast voice mail and contacts into one convenient place online.
  • Seven e-mail accounts, each with 10GB of storage.
  • Access to Comcast.net to share photos, check e-mail and more.
  This starting price is for customers who currently subscribe to Comcast Cable and/or Comcast Digital Voice service.
  
  
  Minimum System Requirements
  Terms and Conditions
  Learn More

$24.95 per month

Performance

• Downloads up to 12Mbps, uploads up to 2Mbps with PowerBoost®
  • The perfect upgrade from DSL.
  • Surf the net, download music, upload photos and chat with friends faster than ever before.
  • Comprehensive security tools.
  • SmartZone® Communications Center.
  • Access to Comcast.net.
  • 7 e-mail accounts, each with 10GB of storage.
  This starting price is for customers that currently subscribe to Comcast Cable or Comcast Digital Voice service.
  
  Minimum System Requirements
  Terms and Conditions
  Learn More

$42.95 per month

Performance PLUS

• Downloads up to 16Mbps, uploads up to 2Mbps with PowerBoost®.
  • Blazing fast speeds for the whole family.
  • Comprehensive security tools.
  • SmartZone® Communications Center.
  • Access to Comcast.net
  • 7 e-mail accounts, each with 10GB of storage.
  This starting price is for customers that currently subscribe to Comcast Cable or Comcast Digital Voice service.
  
  Minimum System Requirements
  Terms and Conditions
  Learn More

$52.95 per

 

[uhohs]

there's been no speed increases to my ATT dsl "elite" plan in the last 6+ years. ffffffffffffff screw you ATT. :/