Comcast and Time Warner Merger - Tomshardware

RadiclDreamer

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2004
8,622
40
91
It will affect the consumer as soon as it is approved. And thats when not if as far as im concerned.

It will result in even less competition, higher prices, lower speeds and lower caps.

We are getting back to the monopoly days and nobody seems to care.
 

88keys

Golden Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,854
12
81
The cable companies know that subscript TV is falling out of favor due to higher prices for crappy programming and the fact that so many people are getting good reception with HD antennas for local channels (for sports) and cheaper, better service via Netflix and Hulu.

Their solution to this is to take control of the internet and make it like subscriber TV which means you'll be paying extra to stream videos, download content, online games etc.


Mark my words...

I dropped my cable a few years ago because I refuse to pay that much money to watch a bunch of stupid reality shows.
 

XiandreX

Golden Member
Jan 14, 2011
1,172
16
81
The cable companies know that subscript TV is falling out of favor due to higher prices for crappy programming and the fact that so many people are getting good reception with HD antennas for local channels (for sports) and cheaper, better service via Netflix and Hulu.

Their solution to this is to take control of the internet and make it like subscriber TV which means you'll be paying extra to stream videos, download content, online games etc.


Mark my words...

I dropped my cable a few years ago because I refuse to pay that much money to watch a bunch of stupid reality shows.

Yeah Cable prices are silly given what the quality is of the shows they broadcast. Streaming services are far cheaper and decent. Again I didn't say great. Lets hope in time the streaming services improve their libraries.
 

Mushkins

Golden Member
Feb 11, 2013
1,631
0
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Yeah Cable prices are silly given what the quality is of the shows they broadcast. Streaming services are far cheaper and decent. Again I didn't say great. Lets hope in time the streaming services improve their libraries.

And right there is the ultimate point. You dont like XYZ shows, Bob doesnt like ABC shows, I don't like DEF shows. Wouldn't it be great if we could just pay for the channels that we want?!

Cable TV is in a transition period, similar to the transition period the recording industry is in. Their old business model flat out doesn't work anymore, and they are struggling to keep up with new technology.

In the next few years, more and more content providers are going to offer subscription streaming. We've already got things like HBO Go, Amazon Instant, Crunchyroll, Hulu, ect. Boot up a Roku and there are *hundreds* of streaming channels you can subscribe to. Some are free, some are paid, but the content is more targeted. Cut the cord and just pay for what you want! Sounds great, right?

Until you're subscribed to two different sports channels, HBO, Showtime, Cartoon Network for the kids, your two favorite news outlets, etc. Now you're paying $8-10 per service, for a dozen different services, and... you're still paying that $120 a month you were scoffing at from the cable company but split up into a dozen different bills you have to keep track of and pay.

Then it hits you. You know what would take all the hassle out of managing all those services? If a company made deals with all those services and acted as a centralized service, where you could pay for just the content you wanted, on one bill, with one point of contact for customer support. They might even offer discounts and packages for bundling service and content together!

And five years down the road, we're all right back to paying the cable company $120 a month for a bunch of crappy shows we leave on for background noise, except now it's all on-demand streaming instead of scheduled programming.
 

saratoga172

Golden Member
Nov 10, 2009
1,564
1
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The only reason I kept cable/sat for so long was for ESPN/sports packages and some of the cable networks (FX, TNT, TBS) that had good programming I watched. When I moved a few months ago I didn't set it up and just bought an HD antennae for my TV. Missed some things but overall I just don't watch as much TV which has allowed me to do other things (like read and study).

Once networks go to a pay per use model cable companies will be in a world of hurt. If ESPN switched to a standalone pay service that would also have a huge impact. I would gladly pay $5-10/mo for ESPN and be able to stream it on my PC or mobile device. They aren't to the point of it being more profitable but we are getting there. They would need an app like Netflix for set top boxes or TV's for it to really take effect.

I could piece together the programming I really watch for probably $20/mo if they were all between $2-5 monthly.

As to the merger I dislike it a lot. Each company already has a monopoly in a lot of the places they operate in and will now be even larger. Hopefully someone else can come in and at least offer internet services as that is the way a lot of things are going. That's where the real battle will be over the next 15-20 years.
 

bfolks05

Junior Member
Feb 17, 2014
1
0
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What about the employee? Has anyone worked or currently worked for Comcast as a NE? Wanted to know if Comcast has all there network engineers centralized or are they dispersed throughout the market? What to expect? Any insight would be appreciated.
 

jpiniero

Lifer
Oct 1, 2010
15,163
5,695
136
What about the employee?

There's definitely going to be job cuts. Probably substantial too. That's a big reason why they are doing this deal, to cut costs. I imagine it'll be awhile before we hear anything substantial on that front though.
 

PliotronX

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 1999
8,883
107
106
Wasn't there a market cap "line in the sand" before antitrust starts being thrown around? Holy hell why do we have to depend on such shoddy companies :colbert: