4 ms·

What Comcast doesn't mention is that when you get a TV bundle to save on internet costs the fees they tack on for TV increase the monthly bill by around 40% of

by sykh 8y ago

What Comcast doesn't mention is that when you get a TV bundle to save on internet costs the fees they tack on for TV increase the monthly bill by around 40% of the advertised rate. Bundling TV is actually more expensive when you look at the total bill but people buy according to the advertised rate vs. the actual bill.

adrr 8y ago
They all do it. "Add cable to your internet connection plan for $10." Then at checkout they tell you about the $9 sports fee, the $15 local channel fee and the $5 news fee. Deception pricing is becoming all too common. Hotels with resort fees, cable with channel fees, mobile providers with number portability fees. All never included in advertised priced
rconti 8y ago
There's no way that's true unless you live in a really messed up market, taxation-wise. Here in the SF bay area I have gigabit internet through comcast and allow them to shove their "basic" cable TV service in my general direction (it's not even hooked up) because it 'saves' me $5 or $10 or whatever per month on my internet charges. (All I know is the total bill is $144 which is less than the advertised rate of $169 for Gigabit, but I've been through this excercise many times in the past 5 years, where I try to get JUST internet, and they offer me tv+internet for $5 or $10/mo cheaper; last time I didn't even ask for the full numbers) Fees: Broadcast TV Fee $8 FCC Regulatory Fee: $0.08 Franchise Fee: $2.01 PEG Access Support: $0.55 Local Utility User Tax: $1.55 State Sales Tax: $0.23 So, $12.42 in taxes and fees, only $8 of which is clearly related to broadcast TV (and here I'm assuming I don't pay that fee just by being a subscriber to a cable company, even if I get internet-only). I plan on calling sometime soon to clarify, but I've done it many times, and it never saves me a penny.
- sykh 8y ago
  I looked at my bill. I pay $140 per month for cable and internet. Actual bill is $181. So more like 30%.
- rconti 8y ago
  Somewhat unrelated, just reduced my internet speed from gigabit to 250Mbps; upload down from 35Mbps to 10Mbps and it's $96.95 'before taxes' .. hopefully, at least, I won't have that $8 broadcast fee, but I'm pretty mixed about this whole thing. I only got gigabit because I could, but I might miss that upload, just a little bit. And it's only $40 per month that I'm saving. Maybe $45 tops. Still, interested to see how it pans out. And finally I get to return the damn cable box they won't let me return as long as I have TV service. And -1 subscriber count, almost worth it for me just for that alone. They tried to throw a 2 year $99 gigabit offer at me, but I keep hoping SOME day I'll get FTTH.. I know, don't hold your breath.
- scarface74 8y ago
  There is also the $10 "HD Technology Fee". If you have multiple TVs it's $10 for each additional set top box per month. I know our 6 TVs is a little extreme but that by itself would be an extra $50 a month.
  - rconti 8y ago
    Ah. I have no idea what kind of box they gave us, it just sits in the attic. I've got 3 TVs; 1x 4k and 2x 1080p but they're all hanging off the TiVo Bolt and TiVo Minis. We're definitely not getting charged an extra tenner for an HD box.
josefresco 8y ago
40% is not accurate.

by sykh 8y ago

adrr 8y ago

They all do it. "Add cable to your internet connection plan for $10." Then at checkout they tell you about the $9 sports fee, the $15 local channel fee and the $5 news fee. Deception pricing is becoming all too common. Hotels with resort fees, cable with channel fees, mobile providers with number portability fees. All never included in advertised priced

rconti 8y ago

There's no way that's true unless you live in a really messed up market, taxation-wise. Here in the SF bay area I have gigabit internet through comcast and allow them to shove their "basic" cable TV service in my general direction (it's not even hooked up) because it 'saves' me $5 or $10 or whatever per month on my internet charges. (All I know is the total bill is $144 which is less than the advertised rate of $169 for Gigabit, but I've been through this excercise many times in the past 5 years, where I try to get JUST internet, and they offer me tv+internet for $5 or $10/mo cheaper; last time I didn't even ask for the full numbers) Fees: Broadcast TV Fee $8 FCC Regulatory Fee: $0.08 Franchise Fee: $2.01 PEG Access Support: $0.55 Local Utility User Tax: $1.55 State Sales Tax: $0.23 So, $12.42 in taxes and fees, only $8 of which is clearly related to broadcast TV (and here I'm assuming I don't pay that fee just by being a subscriber to a cable company, even if I get internet-only). I plan on calling sometime soon to clarify, but I've done it many times, and it never saves me a penny.

sykh 8y ago
I looked at my bill. I pay $140 per month for cable and internet. Actual bill is $181. So more like 30%.
rconti 8y ago
Somewhat unrelated, just reduced my internet speed from gigabit to 250Mbps; upload down from 35Mbps to 10Mbps and it's $96.95 'before taxes' .. hopefully, at least, I won't have that $8 broadcast fee, but I'm pretty mixed about this whole thing. I only got gigabit because I could, but I might miss that upload, just a little bit. And it's only $40 per month that I'm saving. Maybe $45 tops. Still, interested to see how it pans out. And finally I get to return the damn cable box they won't let me return as long as I have TV service. And -1 subscriber count, almost worth it for me just for that alone. They tried to throw a 2 year $99 gigabit offer at me, but I keep hoping SOME day I'll get FTTH.. I know, don't hold your breath.
scarface74 8y ago
There is also the $10 "HD Technology Fee". If you have multiple TVs it's $10 for each additional set top box per month. I know our 6 TVs is a little extreme but that by itself would be an extra $50 a month.
- rconti 8y ago
  Ah. I have no idea what kind of box they gave us, it just sits in the attic. I've got 3 TVs; 1x 4k and 2x 1080p but they're all hanging off the TiVo Bolt and TiVo Minis. We're definitely not getting charged an extra tenner for an HD box.

josefresco 8y ago

40% is not accurate.