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Post by Clipper on Nov 13, 2019 8:10:45 GMT -5
wibx950.com/brindisi-announces-plan-to-target-spectrums-rising-rates/It would be interesting to read the contents of the legislation. It is not a CNY or NY State problem alone. Cable and internet providers have held customers hostage for years with constantly increasing prices for their services and a lack of alternative choices in many or most places. We are fortunate here in our area to have a choice of two companies for cable tv, but it is time to impose some controls on companies that have a monopoly on the services in areas where they are the only provider. Wasn't Spectrum fined and threatened with the possibility that they would be forbidden from doing business in NY State? We change over to our local electric utility's cable service a year or so ago. It provides a faster internet, and crisper picture due to the fact that it is an entirely fiber optic system, but that cable system also has drawbacks. The major bone of contention for me personally is their on-screen program guide. It is a slow rolling listing that shows only what programs are available, and only for one hour ahead. There is no means to see a description of the program. I use an online program guide that allows a person to see the entire days viewing choices and provides a description of the program. It works for us but I have to keep my Ipad by my chair in order to check the programing and description. Cable tv in the Utica area has always a bit sketchy. I remember when Harron Cable was the provider. More than once we had to wait over 24 hours for a service tech come to correct a problem. The best programming and service I ever had when I lived up there was the Prime Star dish rental service that we subscribed to when we lived up North. the only problem we ever had with that service was that on occasion I would have to go out and clear the snow from the dish. There is little more frustrating than doing battle with Spectrum over technical problems or over rates and billing. We bailed when our monthly bill reached almost $200. We have faster internet, more channels, and a better picture for over 60 bucks a month lower in cost with the local utility's services. I would like nothing better than to see the FCC put more controls on those companies that hold customers captive for an ever increasing ransom.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 9:52:40 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 9:56:40 GMT -5
I'd like to see more competition in the area. I am sure if they offered some great tax breaks and few other things they could lure another Company or two to set up shop in NYS so we can have a say in the cable/internet service we want other than Direct TV or companies that require a dish etc on the building because many places do not want them on their buildings. I know a lady on the Bus was complaining that she anted Direct TV but her landlord does not want that ugly dish on the house. I don't blame them. Some houses around here have three or four dishes on the roof.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 9:57:24 GMT -5
Maybe Martin, Harding and Mazzotti could do something.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Nov 13, 2019 10:46:24 GMT -5
He has introduced a bill which has the support of one other congressman, what do the contents of the bill matter? I doubt that he will get any support from the House leadership after his grand-standing votefor someone who wasn't even a member of Congress for Speaker.
New York has put some serious disincentives in place for any company to take over Spectrum. Things like build faster in unprofitable areas and keep all of Spectrum's employees at their current seniorities. There is only one other cable company in the country large enough to take over Spectrum and I have not seen anything to indicate they have any interest.
Perhaps we could operate it as public utility. I'm sure it would be as efficient and well run as the DMV or the NY Transit Authority.
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Post by Clipper on Nov 13, 2019 11:52:51 GMT -5
At least the DMV is a "department." When we lived in NY, the term "authority" was questionable when it came to the Thruway Authority. I always thought that an "authority" seems to have more freedom to dictate their own rules and price increases than the average state government department. I always thought it wrong for the state to have shifted responsibility for the canal system to the Thruway Authority. I resented paying higher toll to support the canal. It hasn't seen any significant amount of commercial traffic in years. I feel that those that use it should pay for it through permits or locking fees. I am not that well versed on the subject, but would it not be better to see federal regulation to control and govern pricing and services than local or state governments? Should this area of concern not be better controlled and governed under the federal antitrust laws, and the Sherman act in particular? Do you really think an "authority" should be classified as a utility and does anyone want their cable and internet managed by an "authority?"
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Post by clarencebunsen on Nov 13, 2019 13:17:38 GMT -5
Personally I think all decisions in Albany are made by 3 guys from NYC and they are all from one party now so however I vote doesn't matter. The canal is subsidized by the Thruway tolls which means I pay but don't benefit.
Spectrum offers the YES channel for no additional cost because the Yankees have enough muscle to require that. Once again I pay but don't benefit. Sherman doesn't apply because state and local governments have granted them exclusive territories and "regulate" them. The same applies to electric and natural gas suppliers.
The Spectrum guy came and went. It was a single component failure. We have a powered splitter outside the house since we have marginal signal strength to power 4 TVs and the internet. I believe that splitter was installed about 18 months ago.
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Post by Clipper on Nov 13, 2019 13:33:52 GMT -5
We have a similar device left over from when we had Spectrum, but ours is inside on the bedroom wall where the cable entered the house. It amplified the signal to the tv's and also controlled the signal to the landline phone I guess. It is still there but not connected or plugged in any more. When we discontinued service with them all they required was for me to return the boxes and the remotes to their local office. At some point in time we may want to go back to them if the discount to re-subscribe is enough of an incentive to make it worth our while.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Nov 13, 2019 14:40:01 GMT -5
If at some point you decide to switch I thought the internet service from Verizon was terrible. "Unlimited" service but when Barb watched something on her phone one day it "Thottled" our service for the rest on the month, we could barely used the internet. I went in to see if I could get a better plan. all they could offer were ways we could change our usage to fit their plan. We fired them at the first opportunity.
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Post by Clipper on Nov 13, 2019 16:20:51 GMT -5
I had Verizon for years. I started out with Cellular One on the truck route in NY Mills. They turned into Alltel, and later into Verizon. The first cellular phone I had was a bag phone with corded handset, and a bag with a lead acid battery in it that weighed about 5 lbs. I may change internet and cable providers but my cell phone will remain with AT&T seeing as how my son gave me my iPhone and has me on his unlimited employee plan. Unlimited data, voice, text, and internet for about ten bucks a month. He has me and his brothers as well as several other family members on his plan. He can have up to 10 phones on the plan.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 20:21:50 GMT -5
I still say we should be allowed to pick our TV viewing package. Charge a basic rate for local coverage then charge a subscription rate for each channel above that. Get rid of on demand and premium channels just include it all with what a person can choose. For some the subscription might be high for others it might be low.
I only watch Channels WKTV, CBS, ABC, NBC, TNT, PBS, CREATE TV, Hallmark, TBS, EWTN, Food Network, TV Land. I have no use for any other. Give the weather channel as part of basic local coverage.
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Post by BHU on Nov 13, 2019 20:32:38 GMT -5
The NYS canal system is now under the control of the NY Power Authority, not the Thruway. According to a study released in 2014, NY's canal system supports 26,000 jobs accross NYS generating $1.6 billion dollars in personal income & generates $700 million dollars in tax revenue for the state. The benefits far outweigh the cost of keeping the canal open which has been a part of NY history in one form or another since the 1800's.
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Post by BHU on Nov 13, 2019 20:46:25 GMT -5
I'd like to see more competition in the area. I am sure if they offered some great tax breaks and few other things they could lure another Company or two to set up shop in NYS so we can have a say in the cable/internet service we want other than Direct TV or companies that require a dish etc on the building because many places do not want them on their buildings. I know a lady on the Bus was complaining that she anted Direct TV but her landlord does not want that ugly dish on the house. I don't blame them. Some houses around here have three or four dishes on the roof. I considered having Dish or DirecTV installed here. But I'm a bit wary of having one of those dished fastened to my roof or the siding of our house. If there's a leak, who's responsible?
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Post by clarencebunsen on Nov 14, 2019 11:26:29 GMT -5
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Post by BHU on Nov 14, 2019 17:19:03 GMT -5
CB, I too had a dish years ago when I had my own apartment. It was not a good experience for me either but I was hoping they had improved their service. When i cancelled I was stuck with the equipment, they couldn't be bothered. And when I moved guess who got stuck climbing up on the garage to take down that damn dish? Me. I had to do it as the landlord was being a prig about it & threatened to withold my security deposit. The canal operates at a defecit. Always did. But i figure the jobs generated, tax revenue & tourist dollars justify the cost to operate it. IMHO.
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