Look for this on the next Chat

[shilton]

For the first time ever, television-watching Americans are paying more for cable than for satellite service. To top things off, cable delivers less satisfaction for its higher price.
A study by J.D. Power and Associates found that the average household spends $49.62 a month for cable, while satellite costs are averaging $48.93. But the trend really tells the story: Since 1998 the cost of satellite has increased 8%, while cable service has rocketed up 41%. The biggest reasons for cable's increased cost, according to the survey, are upgrades and additional features, such as digital service.!

Read the above taken from an online article...GREAT...Now we all know what Charlie will be going on about for the first 45 minutes of the next Chat. Of course, two seconds later he will announce the new massive rate increases and DVR fees that will still leave them cheaper than cable right???

[xgrep]

Charlie (or his strategist) is probably intimately aware of cable pricing, and will push E* prices as far as he thinks he can. Of course if you believe that article, he's only got $.69 worth of headroom. Not quite enough for "massive" price increases.

x

[Mike123abc]

That much hyped survey is really useless.


They talk about the average rate. What they do not attempt to talk about is what you get for what price. I know it would be nearly impossible given that every cable provider provides different programming in every package.

It would be interesting if they did a price per channel comparison. They should not count local networks, public access, or shopping channels. They should divide the price paid for the cable channels by the number of channels provided.

For example my cable company provides 77 channels for 39.95 Of which about 20 are local channels, public access, shopping, etc. So they are providing around 57 channels for 39.95 or about 70 cents a channel. Dish AT50 provides about 40 channels for $24.99 or about 62.5 cents per channel. AT100 does 71 (plus music) for $33.99 or about 47.87 cents per channel.

It is really an apple and oranges comparison. Because there is also the issue that DBS charges for the second box and analog cable is whole house free.

[wcswett]

Read the above taken from an online article...GREAT...Now we all know what Charlie will be going on about for the first 45 minutes of the next Chat. Of course, two seconds later he will announce the new massive rate increases and DVR fees that will still leave them cheaper than cable right???

Actually, I'm looking for Charlie to hit the following points:

1) Announce a couple more local channels, previously identified as recalcitrant local network providers who demanded exhorbitant fees, now embarrased into providing their content for free. Not free to you, though. [10 minutes]

2) Yet ANOTHER way to pay your DISH Network bill, possibly Paypal, if they don't have that already. The more ways there are to pay your bill, the better. [5 minutes]

3) Four new recievers, some of which won awards a couple of years ago, to be available for actual use at a date TBD, just in case you missed them on any of the eight previous Charlie/Tech Chats. [5 minutes]

4) DVR fees for excessively wealthy DVR owners who don't pony up for their share of content and for late-adopters who didn't suffer the beta-testing of the 501/508/721. Bad on you both. Pay your fines... per receiver. [5 minutes]

5) A new antenna, which must be ordered and installed at an as yet undisclosed cost, and will give you the opportunity to choose between receiving some unknown additional HDTV channels at some unknown future date, or your "must carry" locals, but not both, until maybe 2004... or so... unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii, then just skip it. [5 minutes]

6) Another "guest star"... (?) [24 minutes]

7) A few carefully screened questions, the most useful and interesting of which Charlie won't be able to answer. [5 minutes]

8) A promise to answer all remaining questions at the NEXT Charlie Chat, on October 13th. [1 minute]

--- WCS

[Bobby94928]

Actually, I'm looking for Charlie to hit the following points:

1) Announce a couple more local channels, previously identified as recalcitrant local network providers who demanded exhorbitant fees, now embarrased into providing their content for free. Not free to you, though. [10 minutes]

2) Yet ANOTHER way to pay your DISH Network bill, possibly Paypal, if they don't have that already. The more ways there are to pay your bill, the better. [5 minutes]

3) Four new recievers, some of which won awards a couple of years ago, to be available for actual use at a date TBD, just in case you missed them on any of the eight previous Charlie/Tech Chats. [5 minutes]

4) DVR fees for excessively wealthy DVR owners who don't pony up for their share of content and for late-adopters who didn't suffer the beta-testing of the 501/508/721. Bad on you both. Pay your fines... per receiver. [5 minutes]

5) A new antenna, which must be ordered and installed at an as yet undisclosed cost, and will give you the opportunity to choose between receiving some unknown additional HDTV channels at some unknown future date, or your "must carry" locals, but not both, until maybe 2004... or so... unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii, then just skip it. [5 minutes]

6) Another "guest star"... (?) [24 minutes]

7) A few carefully screened questions, the most useful and interesting of which Charlie won't be able to answer. [5 minutes]

8) A promise to answer all remaining questions at the NEXT Charlie Chat, on October 13th. [1 minute]

--- WCS

You know, I'm in total agreement. Charlie, PLEASE prove us wrong.

[Unthinkable]

Read the above taken from an online article...GREAT...Now we all know what Charlie will be going on about for the first 45 minutes of the next Chat. Of course, two seconds later he will announce the new massive rate increases and DVR fees that will still leave them cheaper than cable right???

You should be thankful that Dish Network didn't pass along 3 pretty significant rate increases in one calendar year like AT&T did in central MA before Comcast swallowed them up. The Comcast rate hikes live on just as they did with the former provider from what I understand btw.

[shilton]

You should be thankful that Dish Network didn't pass along 3 pretty significant rate increases in one calendar year like AT&T did in central MA before Comcast swallowed them up. The Comcast rate hikes live on just as they did with the former provider from what I understand btw.
I am not saying that Dish should not be proud of the fact that their product is better for less. I am saying though that the timeliness of this article sure does not help those of us who are concerned over the DVR fees and such seeing how it is now so easy for Dish to say "Well yeah...we are charging DVR fees and we still cost less than cable". It just seems to me as though Dish has been in a mode lately to find any way to charge for anything (Superdish upgrades, new HD receivers that cost an arm and a leg, rate increases with no new channels being added) and now this article comes along and says "Go ahead and raise the rates because you can and you will still cost less". That was my main point. Additionally I could not resist the tongue in cheek comment that Charlie seems to talk about nothing of any substance on the Chats lately...

[Jacob S]

I agree, I think there is a pretty well scheduled routine and some things pass the time quite a bit until so many new announcements come about then its a bit different, they hardly have time to talk about all the things and answer all the questions.