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Post by UsualNoise on Feb 15, 2009 23:10:43 GMT -5
Just checked my February bill and saw the rate increases. I couldn't remember seeing a thread about it so I decided to use this one (I may have missed it of course).
Anyway, my bill is up $10, which blows. I have the "All the Best" service and two converter boxes. So "All the Best" is up $6.05 ($133.90 to $139.95) and each converter box is up $2 (from $6.95 to $8.95). A grand total increase of $10.05 + $0.02 additional taxes.
If I could do anything about it I would, but until there's some (any) competition I have to take up the wazoo.
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Post by Skaggs on Feb 22, 2009 8:06:56 GMT -5
Cable choice costs more
Time Warner Cable increases rates for many services used by 400,000 local customers
By LARRY RULISON, Times Union Business writer, First published: Friday, February 20, 2009 ROTTERDAM — Cable TV bills arriving in the mail this month are in most cases 4 to 6 percent higher, reflecting rate increase for some services. Time Warner Cable, the dominant cable TV provider with 400,000 local customers, raised the monthly rates on most of its TV packages, but its most basic service, which includes about 20 channels, remains unchanged at $9.10 a month. The "basic with standard" service, which offers more than 90 channels such as ESPN, CNN, MTV and Comedy Central, went up this month from $52.95 to $56.45, an increase of $3.50, or 6.6 percent. Time Warner made similar increases in its digital cable packages that offer hundreds of channels. The most basic of those, DigiPic 1000, increased $4 a month to $63.95, a 6 percent increase. Peter Taubkin, vice president of government relations and public affairs for Time Warner's Albany division, noted the increases are smaller than the 10 percent rate increases of Time Warner's satellite TV competitors. Time Warner, which also sells Internet and phone service, said the increases are due in part to pay for the new channels and services it has added, including many new high definition channels. The company is also offering faster Internet speeds. "Like any other business, additions and improvements to our product do result in price changes to some levels of service, while other levels remain unchanged," Taubkin said. Time Warner's rates have been rising consistently for several years now, although not all the packages increase every year. The DigiPic 1000 package cost $55.95 in 2005, so this month's increase represents a 14 percent increase. Time Warner's customers were told of the rate increases back in December in a special marketing piece that also included a special offer to lock in the old rates with a two-year contract. The new rates took effect this month and the new prices are reflected in this month's statements. Many of the packages that bundle TV with Internet and phone service also saw rate increases. Also increased was the Sports Tier, a package of special sports channels such as NBA TV and the NHL Network that previously cost $1.95 a month. The Sports Tier was increased to $3.95 a month with the addition of new channels such as GOL TV, an all-soccer channel, and the Big Ten Network, which broadcasts sports by teams in the Big Ten Conference that includes mainly Midwestern universities such as the University of Michigan and Indiana University. Penn State in central Pennsylvania is the closest school to Albany. "We get requests for all types of programming based on the varied interests of our customer base," Taubkin said of the addition of the Big Ten Network. "We try to accommodate that as best we can by providing as diverse a lineup as possible. We do have transplanted alumni from many schools, including (the) Big Ten." Larry Rulison can be reached at 454-5504 or by e-mail at lrulison@timesunion.com.
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Post by hurnik on Feb 22, 2009 11:32:21 GMT -5
I don't remember receiving any sort of special mailing about locking in rates for 2 years. Of course, given Mr. Rulison's inaccurate reporting in the past, this may not be true.
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Post by Chris Miller on Feb 22, 2009 15:09:17 GMT -5
I never received any mailing for a two year lock in for the rates. I don't think I would have take it the offer, if FiOs TV comes in, I would consider making the jump.
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Post by xzi on Feb 22, 2009 18:56:14 GMT -5
Here we go again claiming satellite raised their rates 10% again. They did that last year too, meanwhile they raised rates 3-4% again-- JUST like last year.
How can they continue to lie and get away with it? I don't get it.
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Post by hurnik on Feb 22, 2009 20:06:46 GMT -5
Probably because Mr Rulison doesn't bother to actually check anything before he writes it.
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Post by Skaggs on Feb 23, 2009 9:03:18 GMT -5
I did get a notice concerning the 2 year lock in, but declined to take it because of the possibility of FIOS TV and their 0x00 CCI byte on all channels.
My parents did take TWC up on the 2 year lock in when they offered to throw in phone & voicemail for only $6 more than what they are paying now for TV & internet. (They had been using Vonage)
The Vonage rate for 500 outgoing minutes and unlimited incoming is stated to be $14.99/ mo. When I first started using Vonage about 4 years ago, my monthly bill was $16 after taxes. My most recent bill was $24. The government regulators have kept adding taxes so that they are now 60% of the $14.99 monthly fee. Geesh.
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Post by Skaggs on Feb 23, 2009 9:22:45 GMT -5
Time Warner, which also sells Internet and phone service, said the increases are due in part to pay for the new channels and services it has added, including many new high definition channels. As hurnik noted in another thread, how can TWC claim to be the home of "FREE HD" when their price increases are due to the cost of adding new HD channels? |
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Post by hurnik on Feb 23, 2009 18:46:11 GMT -5
I did get a notice concerning the 2 year lock in, but declined to take it because of the possibility of FIOS TV and their 0x00 CCI byte on all channels. My parents did take TWC up on the 2 year lock in when they offered to throw in phone & voicemail for only $6 more than what they are paying now for TV & internet. (They had been using Vonage) The Vonage rate for 500 outgoing minutes and unlimited incoming is stated to be $14.99/ mo. When I first started using Vonage about 4 years ago, my monthly bill was $16 after taxes. My most recent bill was $24. The government regulators have kept adding taxes so that they are now 60% of the $14.99 monthly fee. Geesh. Starting in Feb, Vonage increased the rate to $17.99 plus taxes for that plan. Given that New York never met a tax it didn't like, doesn't surprise me that it's $24.99 with taxes and fee fees. |
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Post by addy on Mar 10, 2009 18:52:28 GMT -5
I locked myself in with one of those deals. Some of them are pretty good. The one I got was 119.95 for all the best (Cable, RR, Phone) which had been running me about 150 before the extras. The way I figure it I'm saving about 30 bucks a month. The early termination fee for leaving the plan is only 150 and it rolls down over time so in 5 months I've saved more than the termination fee. The savings vary depending on the package but at least in my case it makes no sense to not take the deal unless I intend to leave them in less than 5 months and we all know FIOS isn't getting here that fast. You don't need to even buy anything. You can just call up and ask to get into their "Price Lock Guarantee" package and they'll bundle you into it with your existing services. If you're leaving them soon then it doesn't make sense but they'll tell you before you lock in exactly how much you'll save and on top of that you have 60 days to back out of it. If you haven't called to at least check the details I'd recommend it.
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Post by UsualNoise on Mar 10, 2009 19:07:13 GMT -5
I would consider a lock in if it saved $20+ a month. So you just call them and ask about it?
Of course, I would also give another company a try (Verizon FIOS, AT&T U-verse) if there were any options. My complaint with TW isn't service (I've rarely had any issues) but with price.
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Post by hurnik on Mar 10, 2009 21:01:14 GMT -5
I locked myself in with one of those deals. Some of them are pretty good. The one I got was 119.95 for all the best (Cable, RR, Phone) which had been running me about 150 before the extras. The way I figure it I'm saving about 30 bucks a month. The early termination fee for leaving the plan is only 150 and it rolls down over time so in 5 months I've saved more than the termination fee. The savings vary depending on the package but at least in my case it makes no sense to not take the deal unless I intend to leave them in less than 5 months and we all know FIOS isn't getting here that fast. You don't need to even buy anything. You can just call up and ask to get into their "Price Lock Guarantee" package and they'll bundle you into it with your existing services. If you're leaving them soon then it doesn't make sense but they'll tell you before you lock in exactly how much you'll save and on top of that you have 60 days to back out of it. If you haven't called to at least check the details I'd recommend it. I've got $40 for cable, $40 for FIOS (granted, at the time, TW was almost 2x slower and more expensive) and $20/month for Vonage (including voicemail and a whole bunch of others that TW doesn't have). So, $100 for all that. I checked out the "all the best" and even the intro rates aren't that cheap. |
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