Tussle with the cable company

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
At my other house, I just had a DTA converter for the TV. I was able to get Turner Classic Movies and The Science Channel. When I moved, the technician installed a regular cable box, but now those channels aren't available unless I agree to buy an upgrade package which will be an extra $20 a month. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to be able to watch 3 or 4 shows or movies a month on those channels?
It's like holding channels hostage unless you agree to pay a higher fee to get them. Why do they bundle channels this way?
 

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debodun said:
I tried that once. All they said is. "What day do you want the technician to come and remove your equipment?"

They aren't despertate - they have a virtual monoply here.
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Hopefully their support is not outsourced.

I only use internet from my provider. They had been trying to bundle mine with a TV package for years. I kept saying no until they gave me a "personally customized" internet and TV bundle for only $10 more with 6 free months in a one year contract. I accepted it since it would pretty much pay for itself. They tried to raise the price the next year which I'm sure was their goal all along so I canceled the TV package.
 
debodun said:
At my other house, I just had a DTA converter for the TV. I was able to get Turner Classic Movies and The Science Channel. When I moved, the technician installed a regular cable box, but now those channels aren't available unless I agree to buy an upgrade package which will be an extra $20 a month. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to be able to watch 3 or 4 shows or movies a month on those channels?
It's like holding channels hostage unless you agree to pay a higher fee to get them. Why do they bundle channels this way?
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They are bundled like that because some people wouldn't buy some of their channels. For example, why would non religious folks ever want to watch some channel that has preachers 24 hours/day. I never watch sports but I sure like your Turner Classic Movie Channel so they have to force it on me to pay for those miserable sports channels. If it makes you feel better I have heard your compliant on and off over the years. I have also heard, "500 CHANNELS BUT NOTHING TO WATCH." Me, I buy DVDs from Amazon so I don't have your problem and each and every show that I watch I truly enjoy. Best of luck because life just isn't fair!
 
Packerjohn said:
They are bundled like that because some people wouldn't buy some of their channels. For example, why would non religious folks ever want to watch some channel that has preachers 24 hours/day. I never watch sports but I sure like your Turner Classic Movie Channel so they have to force it on me to pay for those miserable sports channels. If it makes you feel better I have heard your compliant on and off over the years. I have also heard, "500 CHANNELS BUT NOTHING TO WATCH." Me, I buy DVDs from Amazon so I don't have your problem and each and every show that I watch I truly enjoy. Best of luck because life just isn't fair!
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Same here. I just prefer physical discs. Movies on cable are edited, with incorrect aspect ratio to fill the screen, some scenes cut/censored. I know buying blurays can cost way more than a monthly cable fee but I get to watch what I want, when I want, the way it's meant to be watched. Sometimes you take a gamble and get doggy poopy movies but I can always sell them and recoup some of the costs.
 
RFW said:
Same here. I just prefer physical discs. Movies on cable are edited, with incorrect aspect ratio to fill the screen, some scenes cut/censored. I know buying blurays can cost way more than a monthly cable fee but I get to watch what I want, when I want, the way it's meant to be watched. Sometimes you take a gamble and get doggy poopy movies but I can always sell them and recoup some of the costs.
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I agree; I get more than a few dvds from an online movie/book/music cd swap site I belong to which helps.
 
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We have a TV, internet and phone "bundle", with fiber optic service, from our rural electric co-op, and their prices are fairly reasonable. We get about 250 TV channels, but probably never watch more than 25. Prior to the co-op offering this service, we were stuck with satellite TV, slow internet, and lousy phone service for about 1/3rd More than we currently pay.
 
debodun said:
I brought my DTA from the other house and connected it to my other TV that didn't have the cable box. It worked until I got a reminder to turn in my equipment. I brought the phone and Internet modem back, but kept the DTA converter. The next day, the service to that was terminated.
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Oh. I figured there probably was some catch to it, but I couldn't remember what it was. Thanks for telling me.

I guess you were correct in your first OP. You'll have to decide if those shows you want, are worth that price to you. They might be. Your enjoyment is worth some money, if you decide to prioritize it over other things.
 
If having those channels is important to you splurge a little and enjoy them.

If they are not important, why bother with cable at all.

Purchasing a new television and an antenna would probably cost less than one month's cable fee.

I don't miss cable, and quite frankly, I don't know where the money I'm saving each month goes, but it doesn't seem to be piling up around the television set.

Do what makes you happy!
 
debodun said:
It's like holding channels hostage unless you agree to pay a higher fee to get them. Why do they bundle channels this way?
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I would add: it is exactly being held hostage. If you have decent internet service available stream the programs you want to see, when you want.
You might be surprised what Youtube has:
Turner Classic Movies
The Science Channel
...there, that should keep you busy for a while. ;)

Netflix , Hulu, Amazon Prime and about a hundred other streaming services that you pay a small subscription price for, are worth doing.

Cable and satellite TV stinks! You pay them $120+++ a month for all kinds of garbage 'bundles', and they STILL want to pepper you with advertising until you lose your mind.
 
Libraries often have free-streaming videos to watch. There is another site as well, but I can't think of it at the moment. I've always streamed movies, free of cost.
 
I may have mentioned this before on this forum......I have Philo. $20 a month. I think it's up to $25 for new members now.
All the channels I watched on Directv..only less $$. I'm pretty sure TCM is on there. They have about 60-65 channels.

Check it out.
 
RadishRose said:
So many people dropped cable and just stream from the Internet.
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If you have good internet that makes a lot of sense. I did it several years back and have only the internet wire coming to the house, no TV cable or phone, and I like it, mostly.

As with any big company it is not without problems. A few months ago they cut our internet off without warning. When I spoke to them they said it was for non-payment. Then they wanted to charge me extra fees, a deposit, a late fee and a returned check fee just to reconnect. To make a long story short it was their problem, they had received our check in plenty of time but had not correctly deposited it. We had plenty of money in the account, but our bank never heard from them. They claimed that they tried to call me when it happened, but my phone says otherwise. It took a long time on the phone with several people but in the end I got the fees removed and an apology...

So everything has its problems. However I think the internet thing has the fewest.
 
debodun said:
At my other house, I just had a DTA converter for the TV. I was able to get Turner Classic Movies and The Science Channel. When I moved, the technician installed a regular cable box, but now those channels aren't available unless I agree to buy an upgrade package which will be an extra $20 a month. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to be able to watch 3 or 4 shows or movies a month on those channels?
It's like holding channels hostage unless you agree to pay a higher fee to get them. Why do they bundle channels this way?
Click to expand...
It's only 20 bucks Deb, you can afford it. If you want to continue watching those channels in your golden years, just do it. You should do some things that make you happy in your old age, while you can still enjoy. You deserve to have some enjoyment, look at the big picture. This should really not be an issue for you, in my opinion.
 
One can be picked up for cheap. I'd go to a goodwill store. But I think you've got to ask yourself if you're the kind of person who likes to channel surf and find something that interests you on a whim or you know what you want to watch with a little bit of research.
 

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