[opendtv] Re: News: Comcast Profit Rises 64% on Digital TV and Internet Services

[Tom Barry <trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
 > It would be interesting to see the breakdown of these
 > numbers. For example, what aspects of the digital TV service
 > did people want most? The VOD? The HD content? The increased
 > choice? My bet is the latter two more than the first.

In my case it was none of the above.  About 6 months ago Comcast had 
someone contact me saying I could not keep my HD-DVR any longer unless I 
was willing to sign up for their lowest tier digital package for about 
$11/mo more.  There were no extra stations I wanted but I went along 
with it for the DVR.  Then I found even that was just a teaser rate 
which would go up again last month.  So I canceled all of it and dropped 
back to limited basic again a couple weeks ago.

It's too bad though since I'd since given my Tivo to my kids and now I 
can only do computer recording.  But it sort of shows Comcast had quite 
a push on if they were even willing to hassle existing happy customers.

- Tom


> http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/03/business/businessspecial3/03comcast.ht
> ml?th&emc=3Dth
> 
> ------------------------------
> Comcast Profit Rises 64% on Digital TV and Internet Services
> 
> By KEN BELSON
> 
> Published: August 3, 2005
> 
> The  Comcast Corporation, the country's largest cable
> provider, said yesterday that profits jumped 64 percent in
> the second quarter, buoyed by demand for digital television
> and high-speed Internet services.
> 
> The company, which has 21.4 million television subscribers,
> earned $430 million, or 19 cents a share, in the quarter
> that ended June 30, compared with $262 million, or 12 cents
> a share, in the same period last year.
> 
> Comcast is a bellwether for the industry, and like its
> rivals it has been trying to sign up more customers for
> digital television packages that provide high-definition
> programming, more channels and access to video-on-demand.
> 
> It added a better-than-expected 284,000 digital television
> subscribers in the quarter. As a result, 9.1 million, or
> 43 percent, of its customers now have digital services,
> which typically cost $10 to $15 a month more than basic
> cable plans. At the same time, Comcast lost 77,000 basic
> cable customers, about twice what analysts had expected.
> 
> ...
> ------------------------------
> 
> It would be interesting to see the breakdown of these
> numbers. For example, what aspects of the digital TV service
> did people want most? The VOD? The HD content? The increased
> choice? My bet is the latter two more than the first.
> 
> If they lost basic cable customers, to whom did they lose
> these to? My bet would be mostly DBS, but this population
> would be what DTT should go after. Those who bail out of
> basic cable would likely be more attracted to DTT than to
> NTSC, thanks to DTT's potential for greater choice and its
> HD content. At least some of those who drop basic cable
> might choose DTT over DBS (assuming that DBS is where
> they're going).
> 
> Bert
> 
>  
>  
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• References:
  • [opendtv] Re: News: Comcast Profit Rises 64% on Digital TV and Internet Services
    • From: Manfredi, Albert E

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[opendtv] News: Comcast Profit Rises 64% on Digital TV and Internet Services

[opendtv] Re: News: Comcast Profit Rises 64% on Digital TV and Internet Services

[opendtv] Re: News: Comcast Profit Rises 64% on Digital TV and Internet Services