[opendtv] Re: F.C.C. Sees Cable Savings in à la Carte
- From: Richard Hollandsworth <holl_ands@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 13:47:32 -0800 (PST)
The point I was making was in response to your closing statement re saving only
15 percent for a reduction from 120 to 20 channels.
Currently, there are really only four tiers on COX-SD:
Lmtd Basic ($12.50): 10 "useful" channels and 10 "not-so-much" (IMHO).
Standard (add'l $29.45): adds 35 "useful" and 17 "not-so-much".
DigPgm1 (add'l $14.0): adds maybe 16 "useful" and 15 "not-so-much" plus
VoD/PPV, Music Choice, FM.
DigPgm4 (add'l $6): adds maybe 16 "useful" and 17 "not-so-much".
Plus Espanol and Religious special interest tiers and Premiums...
Note that there is only a $6 difference between 1 and 4 digital packages, and
ony $3 between 3 and 4 digital packages....and you apparently cannot select
only 2 digital packages....
Since there is hardly any difference between different digital "TIERS", there
isn't much of a choice here....might as well get 'em all.
The new Family Friendy cost of $32.50 total for Limited Basic plus a digital
tier will be a very welcome choice, give the current minimum of $55.95.
Total of at least 21 "useful" channels and 15 "not-so-much" (IMHO).
Of course that means you won't have access to SCI-FI, SPEED, SPIKE, et.al.
****************************************************************************
Whether ala carte will increase or decrease a particular customer's bill will
depend a lot on individual customer preferences and choices.
Personally I would look forward to the opportunity to try this grand
experiment.
Since Conspiracy Theories are so popular here, let me offer my own
speculation.
What if the big furor re "indecency" was cooked up in order to open the door
to new paradigms----ala carte perhaps being one of them----
Or maybe it's the DIVERSION: which will be replaced by the ULTIMATE
SOLUTION--NO MORE LOCAL CABLE FRANCHISES....
Now THAT is something I look forward to---I'm more than ready for FiOS in
every home.....which means that ANYBODY, WORLDWIDE can provide HI-DEF programs
via the Internet.
This would clearly resolve the ala carte question...and greatly complicates
the indecency issues....
OOPS, looks like the original issue has been HIJACKED....
<holl_ands>
=====================================================
Richard Hollandsworth <holl_ands@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
There is a huge difference between announced FAMILY FRIENDLY digital tier
(starts next month) and the least expensive digital tier which would include
most of those same channels.
An example for COX-San Diego:
FAMILY FRIENDY = $32.50 = 12.50 (Limited Basic) + 16.00 (FamFndly) + 4.00 STB
Includes "local" CH2-22, 6 ea News/Weather, 12 ea Kidz/Family channels.
DIG PGMG PKG 1 = $55.95 = 41.95 (Standard) + 10.00 (PgmgPkg1) + 4.00 STB
Includes CH2-99, 32 ea dig channels, VOD/PPV, Music Choice, FM Radio,
but only about half of the channels in the FF list.
It costs another $3.00 for 3 Programming Packages (e.g. News/Info, Variety &
Lifestyle) to pick up most of the others on the FF list.
=====================================================
"Manfredi, Albert E" wrote:
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> It would be nice to think that some of the discussions
> here, on this subject, have been a factor in the FCC
> decision to reverse field and push for ala carte cable
> pricing...
Reading the article in the paper this morning, I came away with the =
distinct impression that this has a lot more to do with filtering out =
"obscene" programs from one's home than anything to do with actual =
savings to consumers. Which savings are now stated as ranging from 3 =
percent to something just over 10 percent.
The FCC is saying that their previous conclusions were based on "faulty =
information from the cable companies." Maybe the current conclusions is =
based on similarly faulty information.
I think this is another big, noisy, non-issue, unless of course you're =
uptight about filtering out what you consider to be obscene.
Also, I predict that when push comes to shove, people won't be happy =
with, say, a 15 percent saving that results in them receiving, say, 20 =
channels, when previously they received 120. Just a guess.
Bert
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