GearBits: Time Warner Cable -- Just <i>Trying</i> to Tick Me Off

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January 02, 2004

Time Warner Cable -- Just Trying to Tick Me Off

There's one thing for certain...Time Warner Cable has cojones.

So I get a letter from Time Warner Cable a week or two ago outlining its rate increases for the coming year. Our cable service will be increasing by around 8% in 2004. But, hey, that's just inflation, right? Oh, wait a minute...inflation has been like 2% the past few years. So why the hell is TWC raising its prices so much?

I figure that I must be getting more. You know, they raise the price and introduce another 10 or 15 channels to make it seem fair. So I look into it and it seems that the only noteworthy additions that I'll see are the introduction of HDNet and HDNet Movies. Cool...two new sources of good HD content. OK, I cool down a bit.

Then, a couple days ago, I find out that it's not the case. TWC is moving four HD channels (InHD1, InHD2, HDNet, and HDNet Movies) into an "HD Package" that COSTS EXTRA. For the past 4 months or so, InHD1 and 2 have been part of my Standard Digital Tier. Now, I'm losing them unless I pay extra for this HD package. So, I'll be paying significantly more in 2004 for fewer channels, or I'll be paying WAY more for two additional channels.

Wow, it definitely seems that Time Warner really, really wants me to check out DirecTV and DISH...maybe I just will.

Posted by Craig | Permalink

Comments

Let me encourage you to try out Dish. I made the swtitch about 6 months ago and havn't looked backed since. Customer service is great, selection is great and of course the prices are much better!

Posted by Barry at January 4, 2004 10:41 AM

The single largest factor in the increase in basic cable rates nationwide is the cost of sports programming. Cable companies pay an ever-increasing amount to carry the ESPNs and the FoxSportsNets because those networks are passing along their costs for the right to carry sports broadcasts. A good chunk of the money from your cable bill is going into the coffers of NCAA schools, pro team owners and pro athletes. Does that make you feel better?

If you ask the cable company, they'll tell you that infrastructure upgrades are also a factor. That's more likely to be covered by the difference in price between analog and digital cable.

Write to your legislators and ask them to re-regulate cable rates. They need to hear this from subscribers!

Posted by Jeff at January 4, 2004 10:18 PM

TWC is a huge pain. Was having cable modem problems and took 2 guys 3 appts to fix it. That's three days I had to stay home and wait. Have had to stay home six days in the last year. Half of those ended up by the guy saying, "Well I don't know, we'll have to make an appt with a diff tech. Can get you one in 2 weeks." Then try to get a rebate for missed service! You have to pay so much for the service and then they don't want to take responsibily for poor response or service.

Posted by clint at January 6, 2004 08:03 PM

I recently bought a 42” Panasonic HD ready Plasma screen TV and upgraded my Time Warner service from DTV to HDTV. Using component video connectors I find the HD picture remarkable but the regular channels (premium and regular broadcast) look like they have a light coat Vaseline on the screen. I reconnected with a DVI to HDMI cable and there was a marginal improvement in the regular channels but the HD channels don’t look as good as with the component video. The screen that lets me select between 480i, 480p, 720, & 1080i also disappeared so I don’t know what signal I am getting. I found a similar screen buried in the STB menus. It shows that an incoming 1080I signal is going to my TV as a 1080i signal. The same is true for 480i so this does not seem to be a problem, Does anyone know what I can to clear up the image or do I need two STB’s (one for HD and one for DTV)?

Posted by Marc Stoller at March 2, 2004 11:32 AM