Total Noob
join:2009-10-30
Portland, OR |  Comcast raises prices for the second time in a year!
Got my Comcast bill today. They're raising prices in January 2010. Last increase was March 2009. |
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Pullo
join:2009-06-18
Reading, PA
| We just got the new rates effective Nov 1,for the most part no increases on the low end and some on the high end plans.
»i991.photobucket.com/albums/af32···mage.jpg |
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ak3883
join:2005-08-20
Bensalem, PA
| No significant increases this year for us in Southeast PA. A couple things were changed, like the HD rental fee from 4.70 to 4.35, standard install down 48 cents, things like that.
A couple years ago they raised in Jan and then again in Nov, twice in less than 12 months. |
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castsucks
@sbcglobal.net
| reply to Pullo
wow not only is comcast digital preferred more then direct tv hd dvr.
THE DVR box, HD BOX, and outlet fees are way over the top.
$20 for a DVR, $10 for a HD outlets at $10 makeing cable cards cost about the same as HD DVR box that can VOD and PPV?
what a rip. Direct will yet add boxes for $5/m any one. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| reply to Total Noob
This months bill my eMTA rental fee went from $3 to $5 a month. They cite 'rising equipment costs'. Really? I've had the same DOCSIS 2.0 eMTA since CDV was first offered in my area...
Now surely I would understand the rental going up if they came out and installed a new DOCSIS 3.0 eMTA this month. That is a new equipment. The D2 eMTA I have now should be paid off at this point. |
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Total Noob
join:2009-10-30
Portland, OR | reply to Total Noob
It shows a new fee : "HD Technology Fee (w/Qualifying Digital Package)" ... $6.50. What does that mean? |
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j jefferson3
@comcast.net
| reply to ak3883
Well that nothing, back when we used to be independent to Time Warner, then ATT Broadband before becoming Comcast, we used to be March too, but then we became January, then November, so 1 year give and take, 2 months either forward or back means as much as 14 months to at least 10 months for annual prices increases, it is pretty much the new normal, we all ready used to it, here in our area of the country!! by the way in the Oregon and Washington Areas that all ready had their Migration completed, they actually had their bill go up in October 2009, it is because you were in the middle of the migration that your area was delayed until January 2010, and if your area, the price just stayed the same in October 2009 then your bill will go up in March 2010!! so no matter what way you look at it you lose!!! |
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Elevatorguy4
join:2007-12-29
| reply to cypherstream
said by cypherstream  :This months bill my eMTA rental fee went from $3 to $5 a month. They cite 'rising equipment costs'. Really? I've had the same DOCSIS 2.0 eMTA since CDV was first offered in my area... Now surely I would understand the rental going up if they came out and installed a new DOCSIS 3.0 eMTA this month. That is a new equipment. The D2 eMTA I have now should be paid off at this point. I agree. These equipment rental fees should be on some kind of scale where the longer you keep them, the lower the monthly fee to rent them. |
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Elevatorguy4
join:2007-12-29 | reply to cypherstream
By the way. Can they increase your rental fee if you are in a year long price package guarantee? Last year the HD DVR rental fee went up and this year it is the eMTA. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| said by Elevatorguy4 :By the way. Can they increase your rental fee if you are in a year long price package guarantee? Last year the HD DVR rental fee went up and this year it is the eMTA. Yeah because equipment is separate. For example, my voice service is still $33 a month.
It wouldn't be a big deal to me if I could just buy my own eMTA. Lucky data only customers can do that with their modems. In protest I would usually go to another provider. Although for the same voice features Verizon tacks on a lot of additional taxes, surcharges and fees. Plus you loose out to Caller ID on screen functionality. So either way it's a LOOSE-LOOSE situation for the customer. |
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Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL
| reply to Total Noob
said by Total Noob :It shows a new fee : "HD Technology Fee (w/Qualifying Digital Package)" ... $6.50. What does that mean? sounds like the cable card HD fee that some systems have. |
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jwhite4
join:2002-03-21
Philadelphia, PA
| reply to Elevatorguy4
Part of the problem could be is since you are effectively leasing the modem, if there are any issues with it, at any time it could be replaced, which (I guess by their admission) is with a box that costs more.
I don't know enough to call it "a scam", but you'd think for as long as cable hardware (STB, DVR, cable modem, MTA) has been out, and the general advances in computer technology, that the costs would be going down.
Jeff |
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DrunkenLegen
join:2006-06-15
El Cerrito, CA
| reply to Total Noob
This is pretty stupid to be real honest. You're paying a monthly fee for every TV you own, then you have to pay a monthly fee for an eMTA --which is basically a cablem modem-- even if you own your own modem.
$7.50 for a STB over in Northern CA, 5 bucks for an eMTA, so all in all most people are paying at least $20 (2 STB and an eMTA) on equipment rental a month. |
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rody_44
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA
 ·Comcast
1 edit | reply to Total Noob
Yea its also stupid that my brotherinlaw has a escalade, corvette and Mustang at over 140,000 dollars. Of course if he didnt like the price of any of it he could just do without or buy another that he is satisfied with. just like nobody forced him to buy those cars nobody is forcing anyone to get what they consider to pricey of equipment. Dont like it dont buy it. |
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Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL
| reply to DrunkenLegen
said by DrunkenLegen :This is pretty stupid to be real honest. You're paying a monthly fee for every TV you own, then you have to pay a monthly fee for an eMTA --which is basically a cablem modem-- even if you own your own modem. $7.50 for a STB over in Northern CA, 5 bucks for an eMTA, so all in all most people are paying at least $20 (2 STB and an eMTA) on equipment rental a month. The even bigger joke is with DSL you get free modems and you own them.
also direct tv is able to let you rent any box $5/m even hd dvr's. |
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rody_44
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA
·Comcast
| Technically you buy the box from direct tv and than pay the 5 dollars a month. Sure sometimes you can get it free if you sign a contract or reup your existing one. Thats not free tho as the price is built into the length of the contract. As for the free dsl modem good luck with that as you wont be catching me use slow ass dsl no matter how free anything associated with it gets. |
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jeffscott
join:2008-08-19
Atlanta, GA | reply to Total Noob
You can expect an annual rate increase from Comcast every February in the Atlanta market..as far as increased service options, FORGET IT!..they tend to drag their feet in that department! |
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nerdburg
Premium
join:2009-08-20
| reply to Total Noob
Death, Taxes and Comcast rate increases.
They had a $944 million dollar profit in the third quarter of 2009, a $177 million increase over last year. ("tough economic times" indeed)
They don't only screw their customers... they don't give their employees cost of living increases and this year they cut their employees 401K matching and increased employee contribution to insurance.
Greedy bastards.
--
[Insert Comcast employee disclaimer here.] |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| There shooting for $1 billion dollar profit next year. Economy isn't going to get them there, but raising rates might! Money comes from somewhere!
One has to think, eventually with all of this money they are sitting on, something big is going to happen. A big purchase, or some huge project, etc... |
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Pullo
join:2009-06-18
Reading, PA
2 edits | said by cypherstream :One has to think, eventually with all of this money they are sitting on, something big is going to happen. A big purchase, or some huge project, etc... Stock buybacks to boost the share price and the potential NBC/Universal deal,otherwise they have been spending less and less on Cap EX, both growth and maintenance capital spending has been down 3 years in a row the biggest expense being Customer Premise Equipment.
Page 3:
»files.shareholder.com/downloads/···3%29.pdf
From most recent 8-K filing:
Share Repurchase
In the third quarter of 2009, Comcast repurchased 16.1 million of its common shares for $250 million. Year-to-date, Comcast has repurchased 31.6 million of its common shares for $465 million. As of September 30, 2009, Comcast had approximately $3.6 billion of availability remaining under its share repurchase authorization, and may repurchase stock from time to time subject to market conditions. |
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