I've just been thinking about this the past few months, but haven't cable prices seemed to increase over the past few years. Does anybody know what the cause of this is and if there is anything that can bring prices down. Would more competition decrease prices? There's talk of a new system for a la carte television channels. Would that be better. We have the most basic package right now and it will stay that way until we can find a more reasonable deal.
You are correct -- cable prices are high and keep rising. In my town (located in southern California), there is only one cable company (Cox Communications). A little competition would be fine with me! However, it is expensive for a cable company to start up in a new town. Frequently, a city will grant exclusive access to a cable company for a period of time, to make it worthwhile for a company to come to a new area. We pay about $90 a month for basic cable package (no movie channels) and cable computer access. Hopefully, new technology will make it cheaper and easier for competitors to move into your town and give you choices.
I"m in southern Ohio and there is only one cable company and we pay $108 a month including taxes for basic cable (upto #72 no pay channels) and for roadrunner cable.
They charge that much because that is what people are willing to pay.
I don't think the menu-selection will save very much. Sure, we mainly watch a few channels over and over but sometimes watch something on a different channel because it looks or sounds interesting. So if we decide to cut back to the 7 or so channels we like and there is something on another channel, too bad, we miss that. I won't pay for 24/7 access to channels that I only watch once in a while.
I'm in central Ohio. We have 3 cable companies here... Warner, Insight and I forget the third one?
Competition isn't all it's cracked up to be. they all charge the same prices and are set up where you can only get 1 or 2 of the competition or even just one. We pay $67.00 a month with 2 digital boxes. this also covers 2 rooms=2 tv's.
I would rather have the limited choices of just what I want to watch but they'll find a loop to charge more, just as they do now. Ours does it in tiers, you'll get like 20 hokey channels and one prime like ESPN, each I think is like $7.00 and of course rental charges for each box each month, service fees, yada yada yada!
If I had it my way, we wouldn't have cable at all.
Anna
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I have Time Warner/Road Runner for TV, cable Internet and cable phone. It costs us $140. a month for unlimited calls and extended cable channels with HBO ( HBO costs $6.00 a month).
Before we moved, I didnt think that there was a cable company worse than Adelphia but alas, Time Warner and Road Runner have beaten them! My Internet speed is very slow quite often and there are even times when it is completely out. They also block things from getting to me quite often.
I have been thinking of changing phone companies to one of the other cable phone companies that we have talked about here.
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I am also in Ohio NorthEast and we have Cox Cable which runs 63.00 a month. One Digital box, no movie channels!
Getting Dish tv later this week for 20.00 less basicaly the same channels! Decided 20.00 less is worth a try!
Leighann
You are correct -- cable prices are high and keep rising. In my town (located in southern California), there is only one cable company (Cox Communications). A little competition would be fine with me! However, it is expensive for a cable company to start up in a new town. Frequently, a city will grant exclusive access to a cable company for a period of time, to make it worthwhile for a company to come to a new area. We pay about $90 a month for basic cable package (no movie channels) and cable computer access. Hopefully, new technology will make it cheaper and easier for competitors to move into your town and give you choices.
What exactly is the type of new technology that you are talking about? Anthing to add competition will be better for us all around.
I just recently heard about the deal that cities or towns make with the cable providers. I didn't know about that. It's interesting and explains some things, but I still think there is room to explore more options for everyone.
From what I understand, you choose only the channels you want like ESPN, etc. and pay a fee for each channel versus getting a pkg. deal of tiers. I'm sure it's still not going to be a deal, they'll figure out how to charge you so you end up paying the same amount of money.
Anna
__________________ We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
From what I understand, you choose only the channels you want like ESPN, etc. and pay a fee for each channel versus getting a pkg. deal of tiers. I'm sure it's still not going to be a deal, they'll figure out how to charge you so you end up paying the same amount of money.
Anna
Oh, ok. I was aware of the a la carte situation that is in the works, but I thought there was something else goldeagle was talking about in terms of technology. I would be a fan of trying to see if the a la carte situation works. It's definitly worth a shot.
My Internet speed is very slow quite often and there are even times when it is completely out. They also block things from getting to me quite often. 
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