Cable TV rate increase

[elessar78]

Once again, my company is raising its rate an average of $3/month for all customers. You'd be so surprised (or maybe you're not) at the backlash we suffer through for this, at least to me, very tiny increase.

If you do have cable, does this type of increase really bother you that much? Granted this group isn't like the rest of the population. You probably wouldn't have cable if you could comfortably afford it and even if you could, you still might not have it.

In a way, I'm grateful that people extend themselves financially so I can have a paycheck, but throughout the meeting (as in year's past) I keep wondering if America's budgets are that razor tight that this is a problem. I really hope that I would see our cable subscribers passing up their daily mocha latte so they can keep cable tv.

[bjl584]

Call them and threaten to cancel. Tell them that you want the deal that new subscribers get. 95% of the time they will cave and lower your bill.

[MonkeyMama]

Originally Posted by elessar78

You probably wouldn't have cable if you could comfortably afford it.

Why is that? I know plenty of people who can comfortably afford cable and do have it. In the grand scheme of things, it is pretty cheap entertainment.

I think what the frugal crowd has never understood why one has cable if they are broke - because many many people do. When I was broke (in college), I didn't have cable. Seemed like a simple decision, to me.

[MonkeyMama]

Originally Posted by bjl584

Call them and threaten to cancel. Tell them that you want the deal that new subscribers get. 95% of the time they will cave and lower your bill.

He is talking about his employer = he works for a cable company and is fielding these calls.

[elessar78]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

He is talking about his employer = he works for a cable company and is fielding these calls.

Thanks. I was about to clarify that fact. I don't think I communicated that very well. I dont' actually field calls for it, but being in marketing I have to craft the message around helping people stomach it.

Why is that? I know plenty of people who can comfortably afford cable and do have it. In the grand scheme of things, it is pretty cheap entertainment.

Completely, agree that it is cheap form of entertainment. I know a lot of people can comfortably afford it and have it but it seems like there is a segment that is outraged by this. Maybe it is the vocal minority.

[autoxer]

Originally Posted by elessar78

In a way, I'm grateful that people extend themselves financially so I can have a paycheck, but throughout the meeting (as in year's past) I keep wondering if America's budgets are that razor tight that this is a problem. I really hope that I would see our cable subscribers passing up their daily mocha latte so they can keep cable tv.

And the coffee shops will hope that their customers will give up some other area in order to keep their daily mocha...

I guess I'm in the vocal minority, but it isn't because my budget is razor tight. I don't like using the word 'afford' with discretionary spending, because it all depends on what we choose to 'afford.' I don't have cable, because I don't think it is a good value. I've got a big TV and love watching movies and certain TV shows, but getting that entertainment doesn't require a subscription. What's the average cable bill? $100? Then in the past three years, I have saved myself $3,600.00 by not having cable.

Cheap entertainment is the signal that I pick up with my antenna.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by elessar78

If you do have cable, does this type of increase really bother you that much?

Absolutely. $3/month is significant. Would I call and complain about it? Probably not, especially if it was an across the board rate hike, but I sure would grumble about it.

[GREENBACK]

Originally Posted by elessar78

Once again, my company is raising its rate an average of $3/month for all customers. You'd be so surprised (or maybe you're not) at the backlash we suffer through for this, at least to me, very tiny increase.

If you do have cable, does this type of increase really bother you that much? Granted this group isn't like the rest of the population. You probably wouldn't have cable if you could comfortably afford it and even if you could, you still might not have it.

In a way, I'm grateful that people extend themselves financially so I can have a paycheck, but throughout the meeting (as in year's past) I keep wondering if America's budgets are that razor tight that this is a problem. I really hope that I would see our cable subscribers passing up their daily mocha latte so they can keep cable tv.

I usually call and complain because the cycle never ends. Incredibly, every time I call about this crap they lower my rate . Really! guess that rate increase was only for non complainers. I can comfortably afford cable and I enjoy most of what's offered but hate the game.

[bennyhoff]

Its the modern world, everyone loves to complain. Me, I don't stress about it (of course I don't have cable because I would use it so little anyway). Personally I don't think the increase is really the problem. Instead I think the big issue is that you have to pay for everything, or most everything, even when you want only a few channels. Until viewers have the option to pay for only the services they really want, you're going to have people up in arms every time there is a rate increase (because they are paying more for items they don't want). Either you need to get used to that fact or find another job. Sorry, but thats the way this one goes.

[elessar78]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Absolutely. $3/month is significant. Would I call and complain about it? Probably not, especially if it was an across the board rate hike, but I sure would grumble about it.

Grumble is one thing. People become openly hostile to the front line people (installers) who have nothing to do with the rate hike.

[elessar78]

Originally Posted by GREENBACK

I usually call and complain because the cycle never ends. Incredibly, every time I call about this crap they lower my rate . Really! guess that rate increase was only for non complainers. I can comfortably afford cable and I enjoy most of what's offered but hate the game.

This surprises me and it doesn't (depending on who your cable company is). My company is a smaller, regional cable/ISP provider with subscribers in the hundreds of thousands, not like the millions that Comcast or Verizon hold. We don't play the game either, because our costs are our costs. It's not some artificial number so people call and they don't get a cheaper rate.

But companies like the ones I mentioned before are capable of saying "bye-bye" to whole towns of subscribers and they don't even flinch.

I don't want to sound like a shill for the cable industry, because I'm not. I don't feel some divine calling to sell cable tv. I just don't get the outrage, because I feel that on some level people feel entitled to cable tv. Our own studies say that apart from the essentials utilities like electricity, water, heat people feel that cable is now in that group along with cell phones. Many people no longer see it as a luxury.

[Cassius King]

It's not just that the cable bill went up $3. Add that on top of the fact that our utilities have gone up, groceries have gone up, the price of gas, etc.

My family can't go without eating, and I have to get to work, so guess what is the only item I can eliminate? Add to that, the fact that I'm paying $172 a month with the new increase, and yes, I'm about to drop my cable service altogether.

[DeniseNTexas]

Last week I canceled my cable TV and downgraded my cable internet speed from the 'enhanced' version (which really wasn't enhanced and was a rip off) to the 'standard' version. Doing those two things cut my cable bill in half. I also downgraded my Netflix subscription to streaming only. With all the stuff on the net now, who really needs cable TV?

[GREENBACK]

Originally Posted by elessar78

This surprises me and it doesn't (depending on who your cable company is). My company is a smaller, regional cable/ISP provider with subscribers in the hundreds of thousands, not like the millions that Comcast or Verizon hold.

My cable company is Time Warner and they have a monopoly in my area. They will readily negotiate lower prices because they know most people don't call when prices go up. I would be more accepting of price increases if I felt they were legitimate but I know they really are not in this case.

I watch a limited number of channels but pay a premium to do so. I have to pay a lot more than I care to for these channels because they're part of a tier of channels that I mostly don't want. I'll continue to be a pain in their ass as long as they insist on this practice. Any time I threaten to drop them they always give me some kind of rate savings. To me this says that they are making a cozy profit even if they lower the rate. Cable companies (larger ones) bear a striking resemblence to banks

[cooliemae]

I can understand the frustration about a rate increase and in other cases (such as Verizon's crazy $2 idea) I have called to complain about price increases. However, living in a rural area that has a local cable company provide the only options for high speed internet and tv services, I wouldn't really have a problem paying the extra cost. For one thing, I know that my company is continually upgrading services and providing more bang for the buck. Secondly, I know that smaller companies are going to have increased cost because they just can't get the same deals that the bigger ones can.

[bjl584]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

He is talking about his employer = he works for a cable company and is fielding these calls.

Missed that the first time. (Bad day yesterday. I was still hungover from the Steeler's loss. ) Anyway, I haven't had cable in a few years now. I switched to Direct TV due to the cable company's constant rate increases/service cuts. I couldn't justify constantly paying more for less channels. what used to be part of by channel lineup was now only available with the special sports channel package. I grew tired of it. I did have my rates lowered by calling, but in the end, I missed some of the channels that I used to have. So I made the switch.

[marvholly]

A HUGE bumber of people either have NOT gotten any raises for several years, have had their hours cut significantly and/or have taken real pay cuts to keep their jobs.

Add in the REAL cost increases in heal insurance, Rx, food, gasoline, local & state taxes.....

Everybody is hurting in some way. Cable is fine entertainment IF you can afford it on top of everything required to live decently.

[riverwed070707]

I feel for you but I also see the customer perspective. I get frustrated when things are continuously going up. We pay a ridiculous amount for our internet and they still raise costs regularly. On the understanding side, I work for a utility company who hasn't had an electric rate increase in 15 years and when people find out I work for the company they make remarks about rising costs of electricity. The reality is their usage has increase, thus thier bills have gone up and no one even recognizes the company's efforts to maintain some of the lowest rates in the country. Further, once we do seek an increase, people will be up in arms about it despite the fact that our electric service is one of the few things you can buy that still costs the same as it did 15 years ago -- what other product or service can you say the same about?? I almost think its better to have gradual increases to adjust for costs. Customers will be angry either way.

[dojo]

We're not using the TV at all, only our parents. If it was for us, we'd ditch any form of television. If we need to watch some TV shows, there's the internet.

If you're watching TV, maybe it's needed. But, if you're like us, you can always ditch it and save some money.

[hulegu3]

I recently gave up cable and am now only paying for internet. Trying the new trend of watching everything I could possibly want on the internet.