Re: I hate my Cox

On Tue, 21 May 2024 21:04:53 -0700, anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net>
wrote:

Ian J. Ball <ijball@mac.invalid> wrote:

On 5/21/24 5:08 PM, anim8rfsk wrote:
 

Ian J. Ball <ijball@mac.invalid> wrote:

On 5/21/24 12:34 PM, anim8rfsk wrote:

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

Dimensional Traveler  <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 5/20/2024 10:25 PM, anim8rfsk wrote:

Ian J. Ball <ijball@mac.invalid> wrote:

On 5/20/24 6:55 PM, anim8rfsk wrote:
 

I hate my Cox
 
Suddenly, after decades of DVR rental, they locked me out until I agree to
this:
 
By activating, you agree that you want to enable cloud technology to access
your Cox Contour TV subscription on additional supported devices like
computers and tablets, as well as the TV connected to your set-top DVR via
the Cox network.  If subscribed to Contour TV DVR with cloud technology,
your acceptance also confirms that when you record programs on your set-top
DVR you also want to save and store them automatically in the Cox network
in several formats to (1) enable you to play them back (and navigate within
them) on additional supported devices like computers and tablets, as well
as the TV connected to your set-top DVR, and (2) optimize the video and
audio quality of your viewing experience during playback.

 
This development makes sense.
 
*Forcing* subscribers to switch (esp. with no incentive offered) does not.

 
They may be planning on charging me for cloud services?

 
"May"?

 
$10 surcharge plus X1 box rental
 
It's Comcastic.

 
I get a monthly fee for rental of the physical DVR unit and another monthly
fee for DVR service (as though you could have one without the other).

 
As do I - I think this is standard for cable TV.
 
What ticks me off is the "broadcast carriage" fee(?) or whatever it's
called - that adds about $25 to the cable bill all by itself!!

 
Do you get a special sports fee for ESPN whether you want it or not?

 
That's usually not broken out - everyone with cable has to pay that.
 

>
It’s broken out on my Cox. It’s really really annoying.

It was broken out on Comcast and AT&T Uverse. Of course there was no
way to decline it as those sports bundles were added to every level of
service. Though it's possible the lowest level now that just includes
local channels and little else may not have it.

Yep, just checked with Comcast/Xfinity and the most basic TV plan
(Choice) has 10+ channels for .. strange.. it shows $20/month but in
the text it says $32/mon with the broadcast fee extra.

Ah, I get it now. Looking at the next level makes it obvious the full
price is the TV channels + the broadcast so it is $52/month + taxes
and equipment.

Then there's the next level which is (Popular TV) with 125+ channels
for $60/month + $32/month broadcast TV fee + $13.50 regional sports

So for Comcast you can avoid the $13.50/month regional sports fee IFF
you get the most basic plan. Otherwise you are stuck paying for it.
There is no way to avoid the broadcast fee which makes up a huge
portion of the cost of the most basic channels. With Choice you are
basically getting the locals and not much more so you are paying
$52/month to get the locals. $20/month to Comcast and supposedly
$32/month to be split among those local stations and $105.50 to add on
those other channels that they think most people want.

It's clear that it's a rip-off for the limited basic given that the
majority of the cost goes to the local stations that are already
getting paid for their advertising.