mig288
Premium
join:2002-07-13
Merchantville, NJ
|  Well
"Comcast isn't forcing customers to take both products or nothing at all, they're not violating anti-trust guidelines."
Well ..They aren't forcing BUT..Aren't they the only ones that the people can turn to in MOST cases?!? I hope comcast truly goes under i can't stand them! |
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mattmhk
join:2003-02-06
Eugene, OR
| "conditioning of the sale of one product on the buyer's purchase of another product". Their "conditioning"(ex. $40 for Internet w/ Cable TV or $55 w/o Cable TV) put on their Internet service really does all depend on whether or not you have cable TV or not, which many people choose not to for various reasons. I'm under the Comcast umbrella, and I'm sure a lot of people such as myself dont watch TV and have no need for digital cable or directv. Is it fair to charge someone $15 a month more because they do not wish to watch TV? |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN | Maybe 5 years ago
In the begining if they had charge 60 a month for internet then they would be justified in charging it now, but instead the price increase is just a penalty for not subscribing to cable. It just doesn't make sense that the price keeps going up. |
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comcasttech0
join:2002-03-06
Edmonton, AB
| reply to mattmhk
Re: Well
How can you say that comcast isn't forcing their customers to take the bundled packages???
Lets look at the math... if you have cable TV services with comcast, your monthly HSD service will be from $42.95-45.95/mo, not bad
Now if we get rid of their TV services, then that goes up a whopping $57.95-60.95???
What do you do now?? Essentially they're making the customers take the bundled package... and get them to spend more of their money... but it makes the consumer think they're saving a bundle for internet services...
It's a total joke!
anyways, that's my rant!
cheers,
cctech0 |
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thegoldwater
Thegoldwater
join:2002-03-10
Parkton, MD
| Don't Like Comcast-- Blame the RBOCs
If Comcast is your only choice for Broadband, it's not their fault. In many areas, the RBOCS openly refuse to provide DSL service. And most competitive cable companies don't have the resources to build out a secondary cable plant to compete against Comcast.
If Comcast is the only broadband choice, it's because the assumed the risk to build the business. |
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vic102482
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Upper Marlboro, MD
| COMCAST SUXORS
ANGRY FACE ANDGRY FACE GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!
Comcast sucks I gotta pat 59 99 for BS CRAPPY CABLE!!! Just because I have DISH I have topay your MORE  :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
Too fustrated to sound mature!!!!
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I tie a rope around my penis and jump from a tree, don't you wanna grow up to be just like me!!!! |
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Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs: | reply to insomniac84
Re: Maybe 5 years ago
Yes, my roadrunner used to be $40 a month, but they raised it to $45. There is also an extra $10 a month charge if you don't have cable TV access. |
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stet
Volitar Prime
join:2002-03-08
Warren, MI | They are forcing people to pay for both.
Even if they aren't forcing people to subscribe to both services if they want internet service, they are forcing internet subscribers to pay for both services regardless if they get both or not.
--
Hey everyone! I'm a WEB HOG! |
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TheMadSwede
Premium
join:2001-01-30
Holland, MI
 ·Charter Pipeline
| reply to mattmhk
Re: Well
said by mattmhk  :
Is it fair to charge someone $15 a month more because they do not wish to watch TV?
I agree with you 100% (because I'm in the same situation), but fair and legal are 2 different things -- whether they should be or not (unfortunately). Since it is legal, the only thing that folks in our situation can hope for is that since the fairness of this practice looks questionable, it will be a bad PR move, which will drive change at Comast.
But speaking of PR, we have to remember that high speed internet, while becoming more and more popular, still doesn't exactly have a huge voice in American society. And when the voice is occasionally loud enough to be heard, it's generally only complaining and whining. I'm not saying the complaining and whining are not justified, just that broadband users can seem like a pretty tough bunch to please.
If you owned a cable co and had to make a choice to annoy your TV people or your HSI people, you'd choose the internet ones because there are fewer of them and even fewer within that group that have no TV, just internet.
I love BBR, but us users do often suffer from groupthink in regards to broadband and many of the issues around it. Just because we wear our broadband hearts on our broadband sleeves around here, doesn't mean that the "general public" does the same...or even knows or cares what's going on.
All in all, I guess we can only speak our minds, then wait and see how it pans out.
--
Welp -- finally trying this cable thing out. |
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IAmTheEvilest
There Is Nothing Like A Restart
join:2001-01-03
Santa Barbara, CA
clubs:
| Small, competitive providers do bundling too!
Bundling is an attempt at cable companies to make them your one-stop shop for your entertainment and communication needs. Look, in some areas, they are offering phone, telephone, and television services.
Look at the Bells, they are doing the same thing. SBC is doing their "Total Connections" thing where they sell a variety of different services, from phone to internet to cellular services. In some areas, they have teamed up with Dish Network to provide TV.
Everyone is doing the bundling now. And you are just bawking at the cable monopolies. A small cable company in my area, Starstream Communications also charges more for cable internet if you don't have cable TV. Everyone is doing it now. Probably a sign of the future 
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The two biggest things: the universe & human stupidity --Albert Einstein |
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thegoldwater
Thegoldwater
join:2002-03-10
Parkton, MD | reply to stet
Re: They are forcing people to pay for both.
Actually, they aren't "forcing" you to do ANYTHING. If you don't like their pricing, you are free not to purchase it. |
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stet
Volitar Prime
join:2002-03-08
Warren, MI | Which is the choice I made. But if you want to subscribe to their internet service, they are forcing you to pay for both it and the TV service even if you don't get the TV service.
--
Hey everyone! I'm a WEB HOG! |
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nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast
| they are a monopoly to me
"....while leading the race to provide broadband Internet access, they by no means enjoy a monopoly in that business, either."
Comcast is sure as hell a monopoly in my area - they are my ONLY choice for broadband. If I had a choice of broadband providers, I would let comcast know what I felt of this practice by taking my business elsewhere. In my area and in many others across the country, comcast is abusing their monopoly power to extort another $15 or so out of their HSI customers that don't want comcast's TV service. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to thegoldwater
Re: They are forcing people to pay for both.
said by thegoldwater :
If you don't like their pricing, you are free not to purchase it.
Yea... unless Comcast is holding loaded guns to peoples' heads and threatening to pull the trigger if they don't cough up the cash, then they aren't forcing anyone to buy anything at all. You make more of a statement of disapproval towards Comcast if you refuse to part with any of your money for their services. They don't give a rat's ass if you complain, all they care about is their monthly check. By continuing to pay for their service when you don't like it, you don't encourage them to make changes to their policies.
--
Pissed off at traitorous, ungrateful musicians? Don't just boycott them! Trade their MP3s and really screw them over!
[text was edited by author 2003-04-17 15:09:44] |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to IAmTheEvilest
Re: Small, competitive providers do bundling too!
said by IAmTheEvilest :
Everyone is doing the bundling now.
At least Comcast isn't reclassifying residential customers as business customers and charging more, like this company does.
--
Pissed off at traitorous, ungrateful musicians? Don't just boycott them! Trade their MP3s and really screw them over! |
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Kaltes
Premium
join:2002-12-04
Los Angeles, CA
| Stupid
(fake example :P)
Ok folks, you can download and install "Windows NewPee 2005 OS" for $100 if you also install "MS-can-violate-my-privacy spyware manager 2005"!
However!
Buying just NewPee 2005 alone will cost you ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
THIS IS NOT ANTI-TRUST TYING FOLKS, BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL BUY THE NEW WINDOWS WITHOUT THE BUNDLED ELEMENT. The fact that buying it alone will cost you one million dollars, even though this effectively forces you to take the other product, is TECHNICALLY perfectly ok! So lets get off of Comcasts back guys, because it is totally legal for them to do this, after all their lawyers said so! (sarcasm)
Form over substance, people. Letter of the law over spirit of the law. The fact is that Comcasts new pricing arrangement has the effect of forcing customers to take something they do not want, or they must pay a substantial penalty. If Comcast gets away with this, a MASSIVE loophole will open in anti-trust law, allowing companies to engage in tying routinely through coercive pricing schemes instead of outright forcing you to take 2 products. |
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thegoldwater
Thegoldwater
join:2002-03-10
Parkton, MD
| reply to stet
Re: They are forcing people to pay for both.
No, they aren't forcing you to do anything. You have a choice
You can purchase Internet service separately from TV.
They are simply rewarding what they consider loyal customers. THIS IS THE WAY CAPITALISM WORKS. Perhaps you should focus on eating more "brain" food, and less granola, and you would understand this. |
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thegoldwater
Thegoldwater
join:2002-03-10
Parkton, MD
| reply to Kaltes
Re: Stupid
No, you are wrong, and you are stupid. Your absurd example is patently stupid. I see you live in California, so I don't need to belabor the point.
Anti-trust law does not exist to give you the price you want for a product. It exists to ensure market access and market availability of products. Bundling products together is as old as Moses, my friend.
Every heard of the Happy Meal? Value meal? "The Special"? How about "Blue Plate Special" for you diner lovers out there...
Businesses -- just like individuals -- are entitle to sell their products at the price the market will bear, and with the features they choose. If they decide to reward their "loyal customers" who buy more of their services (and hence, lower the cost of their doing business, believe it or not) that is their choice. They are making decisions based on economy of scale, which is their right.
If you don't like, don't buy their product. |
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thegoldwater
Thegoldwater
join:2002-03-10
Parkton, MD | reply to pnh102
Re: Small, competitive providers do bundling too!
You should read the entire thread... that was a mistake that Vonage made on one customer.
Facts please, Rummy would not be pleased with you. |
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thegoldwater
Thegoldwater
join:2002-03-10
Parkton, MD | reply to nasadude
Re: they are a monopoly to me
They are only a monopoly because their potential competitors refuse to compete. This isn't US Steel or Standard Oil here, folks.
You can't hold Comcast liable for being the only company willing to undertake the business risk in an area. |
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