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Sunday, December 27, 2015

Happy New Year: Dish, DirecTV/AT&T, Time Warner Cable All Raising Rates In January Because They Can

For a bunch of the big cable and satellite companies, it does indeed look like a very merry Christmas and a happy new year are on the horizon — but consumers can be forgiven for feeling a lot more grinchy about it. That’s because all the new nickels, dimes, and dollars that are going to line businesses’ big virtual pockets are coming directly from subscribers in the form of unasked-for price hikes. 

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

ditch CATV - go ROKU

Anonymous said...

I ditched cable last summer when Comcast raised my rates yet again! They even started charging me for the mini cable boxes I had on my other two tv's even though they were hdtv cable ready tv's!!!! I now have just Internet, and use ROKU for my streaming service. I still have comcast, for the internet, but I am starting to shop around to alternatives.

There are some cellular based services out there with unlimited use for 40 to 50 per month with up to 10 devices you can attach to it.

I have a prepaid hotspot device I use when I am on vacation from AT&T. It works great and I have a better connection and speed than with Comcast. I believe it is because I am not sharing bandwidth with everyone on my road.
I'm hoping with more and more competition, even internet rates will start to go down. I get everything I need right now with ROKU.

Anonymous said...

Comcast isn't listed as one of the companies raising prices at least.

Pw8697 said...

Very seriously considering leaving Comcast because again, they have raised their rates. I too use a Roku almost exclusively and of course, need the internet for that and the PC's. Cable has always been a pain in the a$$. Checking out some of the local options for cell based services as well.

Anonymous said...

7:49 I am no advocate for Comcast however, you are full of it for saying that your prepaid is a better connection than Comcast. Either your lying or you have some serious issues in your home.

Anonymous said...

Roku sucks, Amazon fire!

Anonymous said...

7:49
No I am not full of it, and I am not kidding. I live out in the country, in what Comcast considers a "fringe area" I've had them out to my house more than once for speed issues. I have even purchased the latest and greatest Cable Modem to see if that would help.
Basically it depends on the time of day and when usage is the lowest.
If I get on right after work or at lunchtime, the speed is fine, but in the evenings when most users are home, the speed is very slow. I have been in the I.T. field for more than 25 years, so I am not full of it!!!! You must work for Comcast! Bandwidth is the issue, and if you are sharing the same line with other neighbors, yes your connection can be affected. So when this happens, my Wifi Hotspot will load a webpage much faster because I am not sharing Bandwidth. It's not always speed, but connection.

Anonymous said...

pay attention 10:27
amazon is trying to be a monopoly

Anonymous said...

12:52
I love how everyone should believe you now because you have been in the "I.T." field. I don't work for Comcast or am I an advocate for them as I stated in the earlier post. Obviously being in the "I.T." field doesn't require reading comprehension. Anyway, you live in the country which has nothing to do with your speeds as you stated and yes bandwidth is a problem but I highly doubt that you or any of your neighbors are over using it. I mean you must have a group of neighbors and yourself included that are running multiple servers and everyone must on there Xbox lives and just downloading and streaming everything they can imagine or you are full of it like I stated earlier. Stating that you work in the I.T. field was a waste of time, you probably think that monster wires with the gold tips will give you better reception too or wrapping the cat5 cable with another cat5 will give you better speeds. I live in a highly utilized node with over 1000 devices and with kids who have multiple game consoles and I can get download speeds of 65Mbps and uploads of 10Mbps and thats on WiFi. So you either have a tech who came out and didn't know what he was doing or you gave the tech your I.T. bs and he treated you as such and you still have your problem. And being in the I.T. field you would think that you wouldn't refer to your modem as the latest and greatest and just state that you have a DOCSIS 3.0 but you already knew that. Oh and Comcast wouldn't say you live in a fringe area so stop the lying and just tell us your a bs artist. If you want to bad mouth a company then badmouth them for there bad customer and not your lack of knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Pay attention 12:53 Amazon fire don't say I didn't tell you now go back to your ROKU and the money your spending to stream.

Anonymous said...

Comcast is raising rates in Jan 2016 its in the new bill

Anonymous said...

1:38
This was stated to me by the comcast service technician.
And bandwidth does have an effect on speed.
As for your so called knowledge, you are the one who is full of S**T!!!
As I said, you must work for Comcast because you don't know what the hell you are talking about. I work in the field. I guess you think you do!
I.T. want to be!!!!

Anonymous said...

1:52
Do you know how to comprehend? Go back and read what I said. Yes bandwidth is a problem but your da"" isn't using it or your neighbors. As I said, I don't work for Comcast, it's just stupid people who complain and say things that are not true. I have know doubt that some tech came out there and fed your da"" a line but you being a I.T. Tech as you stated would have known a correct response to his bs but you clearly didn't so you came on here with some foolishness about your prepaid hotspot was faster which is lies. If a tech came to my house and said I was living in a fringe area I would be on the phone to corperate but I think you are full of sh:-t and make things up. The truth is you stay at home and your house is a mess and you didn't want a tech to come in and see how filthy you are and you sent him on his way. What do you do in the field I.T guy? Stop with the lies it's Christmas

Anonymous said...

1:54
I am trying to come up with something in my head that you might do as a self proclaimed IT tech and the only thing I can come up with is installing new software or oh oh maybe hooking up a peripheral device like a keyboard or maybe even a mouse. Yeah I am a want to be. I think you meant wanna be. How old are you anyway? Might want to go back to wor wic I think they have elderly classes

Anonymous said...

2:49
I am a network administrator. I also run cabling and fix and repair laptops, desktops, and printers as well as setup new user accounts on the network.
I have Microsoft and Novell certifications as well as A+
I also run a business on the side fixing others peoples issues with both software and hardware issues.
I deal with I.T. want to be's all the time. Keeps me in business when people like your F up!!!
My question to you, is what are your credentials hotshot?

Anonymous said...

Uhh the lies. Now you have Linux and Microsoft certs and you mention A+ really? Why would a professional like yourself even mention A+ it's almost laughable. Again how old are you network admin and do you really want to go down the Linux road with me? Some things you will not be able to google;) And we know how your internet connection is

Anonymous said...

3:21
All this knowledge and you say I run cabling and fix and repair laptops? Let me ask you this I have a business and I'm looking at servers which OS would you recommend and why?

Anonymous said...

3:21
Dang it I need a professional I am trying to back up some of my Dir's using TAR but cannot remember the command could you help me out please,please unless your internet speeds are down and you cannot use google. Hey maybe you can get on the hotspot, hotshot!

Anonymous said...

3:21
Hotspot down too? Look your a professional so call Comcast and tell them to give you the modem levels up,down and especially the up and down on the SNR and then ask how many devices are in your node. They are going to give you just modem count but dont forget that set top boxes are devices too. Now ask them what is the utilization in your node at say 9a.m 12p.m and 8 p.m and see what it is. Now tell the ignorant person on the phone that you are having speed issues during prime times and you want to know your upstream SNR at those times. Now after he or she gives you the bad news tell them you want them to come out and fix the noise issue in your area. The fringe area is bs because you have fiber running to a node in your area and then the HFC network goes out from there. Now you might be combined with some other nodes in the headend but I seriously doubt it. Anyway hope this helps and good luck fixing those laptops and assigning new user accounts on the network:)

Anonymous said...

Most people blame their provider for their own under performing equipment.

Anonymous said...

If you have Time Warner Cable internet service, go out and buy your own modem. You'll save on the $8 to $10 modem lease fee. The highly recommended modem - http://bit.ly/motorola-sb6141 - is only $70 on Amazon. You'll start saving after 7 months!!

Anonymous said...

6:20
Thank you that's all I've been trying to say and you didn't have to tell anyone that your an I.T/engineer/network admin/bullshi:)ter

Anonymous said...

3:21 is studying to be a Managerrrr

Anonymous said...

Free from the air with antenna and go Roku, Amazon Prime and Netflix. Something for everyone and the savings is substantial!

Anonymous said...

All this back and forth. All you tech experts, tell me how I can save. I hate DirecTV, Comcast and currently with centurylink. How do customers STOP being ripped off by these companies? How? Can y'all these us that.

Anonymous said...

Watch free tv over the air simple-free.

Anonymous said...

Go on ebay and buy a fire tv stick that has kodi downloaded on it. Watch any movie,tv show,ppv event you want for free. You are welcome

Anonymous said...

Try reading some books. They are free from the library.

Anonymous said...

FYI. I read lots of books. I love reading books. I read alot of James Patterson.

Anonymous said...

Or go buy one at staples or Best Buy and sideload it yourself

Anonymous said...

Alot easier to buy one than to do it yourself lol alot faster to

Anonymous said...

Well for lazy uneducated people I guess you would be right

Anonymous said...

You meant too, right?

Anonymous said...

Let me see, hmmm go to staples buy it for 40 go home take 15 minutes to sideload or go on eBay buy for 90-120 and pay for shipping which is about 5-10. You do the math oh lol

Bush'man said...

That is why I cut the cable 4 years ago.
I pay for internet..period...