how-to block ads
|
|
Uniqs:
68 |
Share Topic
 |
 |
|
|
Rekrul
join:2007-04-21
Milford, CT | ... Get rid of the exclusive franchise laws, allowing real competition and watch prices nose-dive. | |
 pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | said by Rekrul:Get rid of the exclusive franchise laws, allowing real competition and watch prices nose-dive. Doubtful. We've seen more competition in video services with the emergence of TV services provided by Verizon and AT&T, as well as the emergence of satellite-provided TV (Dish and DirecTV).
The problem is that each content company has an effective "monopoly" over its own content. Even if you had 100 cable TV companies, they would still have to pay the price dictated by the content provider.
Only consumers' putting their feet down and starving the beast will have any impact.
--
Romney 2012 - Put an adult in charge. | |
| Unfortunately I'm in a spot where there is only one TV provider (excluding sat services), Time Warner, but, in my same city, south of me, there are three different providers, and Time Warner services are significantly cheaper, about half for TV services, and about 20 to 30% cheaper for faster internet, this is all literally a few blocks from me, with the exact same packages, channel listings, it is the same Time Warner. The two competitors also seem to have better channel selection for what otherwise appears to be competing levels of service.
Competition DOES work.
I've seriously considered moving just because of this, but there's always hope that at least one of these two companies will eventually build out to me.
When the 2nd cable company came along, TW immediately sent a letter to only people in the competitive area announcing cheaper rates. I got a copy of the letter and called them, they wouldn't even talk to me because I wasn't in a competitive area. | |
pnh102Reptiles Are Cuddly And PrettyPremium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | said by ShowMeISP:Competition DOES work.
...
When the 2nd cable company came along, TW immediately sent a letter to only people in the competitive area announcing cheaper rates. I got a copy of the letter and called them, they wouldn't even talk to me because I wasn't in a competitive area. I'm certainly not suggesting that competition in general doesn't work. However, ponder this, even with multiple TV providers, how do your rates compare with what they were 10 years ago, adjusting for inflation?
IMO, Cable TV rates are simply becoming more reflective of what it really is, a luxury product.
--
Romney 2012 - Put an adult in charge. | |
|
