I think now is the time for our legislators to take a serious look into the practices of cable providers and “rein them in.” If my situation is typical, and I believe it is, Comcast is getting away with “next to murder,” especially with our senior citizens.
When my wife passed last year, I discontinued my land phone line, kept Internet and downgraded my TV to digital basic; my bill went from $200.93 to $137.39, with TV at $63.89 including cable box, etc.
After a short while I decided that I wanted to add back the one channel that I missed, Turner Classical Moves (TCM). I have tried five times now; the first two times the reps said I could do it for $9.95 but nothing happened. The third time the rep said I needed to add another expensive package.
The fourth time the rep Victor added TCM for $9.95 and I have enjoyed it for three weeks now. I recently received a letter from Tracy Pitcher from Comcast Greater Boston Region, stating that I had to additionally purchase their “Digital Starter Package.”
On Monday I was told by rep Debra, that under no uncertain terms, if I wanted to see Turner Classic Movies, I need the “Sports Package” at $9.95 plus the “Digital Starter Package” at $69.95. Thus, to see just one channel, TCM, I would have to pay an additional $79.90 per month, a 125 percent increase over what I am now pay for cable TV! This would make my total bill over $217.
Clearly this is the type of predatory pricing has given Comcast great profits, and allowed them to attempt to buy Time Warner cable for $45.2 billion and pay their chief executive, Brian Roberts, $26,465,565 in 2014.
After researching this, I have found there is a way out; magazines like Consumer Reports have excellent articles on how to “cut the cable,” stores like Best Buy can give you sound advice and companies like Costco can offer Direct TV at substantial savings.
I cannot wait for our congressmen, who spend all their time fighting among themselves, to fix the cable industry!
Donald Gaffney
Longmeadow
