Cable Rates. :(

[AggieDave 6]

Cable rates suck! I can't get DSL out here, but I can get a cable modem, so I'm sorta stuck if I want broad band. Total we're paying about $90 a month for cable (w/o HBO or anything like that) and internet. Luckily that's split between 4 people.

Guess what? The FCC thinks its non-sense.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=televisionNews&storyID=4236394

Quote

Cable Rates Increase Twice as Fast as Inflation
Thu January 29, 2004 03:29 AM ET

By Brooks Boliek
WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - Cable rates have risen more than twice as fast as the rate of inflation during the past decade despite competition from direct-broadcast satellite services, the FCC said Wednesday.

According to the Federal Communications Commission's 10th annual competition report, cable rates increased about 53.1% from 1993-2003, while the consumer price index rose 25.5%. Between June 2002-June 2003, cable prices rose 5.1% compared with a 2.1% increase in the overall CPI, the report said.

While cable costs have risen, the number of video channels and other services that cable operators offer also has increased, the FCC said. Cable operators claim that the rate increases are necessary to cover programming and labor costs.

The total number of subscribers to both cable and noncable multichannel services increased significantly during the past 10 years and continues to increase incrementally each year, the FCC said.

A total of 60.3 million households subscribed to multichannel services as of 1993. As of June, 94.1 million households subscribed to multichannel services, an increase of more than 56% over the past 10 years. Almost 70.5 million people subscribed to cable as of June, up from the 57.2 million cable subscribers at the end of 1993.

While cable subscribership has increased during the past decade, it has been waning over the past several years. The total number of noncable multichannel service subscribers grew from 3.1 million as of the end of 1993 to 23.7 million as of June.

"Ten years ago, cable operators served almost 100% of the nation's subscribers," the FCC said. "Today, cable's share has fallen to approximately 75% of all MVPD (multichannel video program distributor) subscribers. Competitive alternatives to incumbent cable operators have been available during the past 10 years to varying degrees and continue to develop, although not always as envisioned."

Although 10 years ago policymakers envisioned competition to come from the telephone companies, it actually has come from DBS providers.

"Direct-broadcast satellite TV service, which first became commercially available in 1993, has become the most significant national competitor to cable," the FCC said. "Today, most consumers have the additional choice of at least two national DBS providers that provide service similar to that of cable operators, including advanced video and nonvideo services. DBS now serves almost 22% of all MVPD subscribers."

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Nightingale 0]

nope. you're not stuck.

DirecTV offers satellite internet. Check into it. They will bundle it with satellite TV.

The sat internet is usually a bit more expensive than a cable modem, but sat tv is usually cheaper, so it may work to your advantage.

[AggieDave 6]

I already checked into it. It won't really work for me here, especially due to the contract I'd have to be in for a good price.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[kai2k1 0]

You're preaching to the choir here I have just basic cable for the TV, no movie channels and A cable modem. I pay roughly $90 a month fo rthe two of them. I agree, IT SUCKS!!!

There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan

[CrazyIvan 0]

Sat Internet sucks if you're a gamer.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[sdctlc 0]

I have a 1 year old Direcway system with all the stuff, its still on my house. I just went to Cable when it became available in my area.

I was planning on getting it off my house and packaged all together for selling it on E-bay. I have been seeing them go for about $200. If you are intersted PM me and we can work out a deal. It is the complete set up....

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[sdctlc 0]

Ivan is right it would not be the best if you are a hard core gamer. It is WAY faster then dial up and depending on your set up close to the speeds of Cable, not quite as fast but on the main PC we routed it through it was lickety split. Slowed down when running through that computer to the home network. Still, even on networked computers it was at least 10X faster then dialup..

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[flyinghonu 0]

We have Cox Combo package (phone w/ LD, digital cable, and cable modem internet). We pay $152 per month. Seems fair (or I might just not know what the hell I'm talking about).

"Excuse me while I kiss the sky..." - Jimi Hendrix

[sdgregory 0]

They kind of have our sacks in a sling. I have Digital Cable with no premium channels and I have a cable modem and I pay 100 per mo.

But the digital cable is worth it.

Cable prices have been a sore spot with the FCC for years, the problem is the contract areas. It was the same way with the phone company for a while. Most people only have one cable option. They need to open up more cities for competition. Supply and Demand is the issue. Cable co.s are just miny monopolies.