New cable offer

[Link]

I got a thing today from Mediacom the local cable company offering their new DVR with dual tuner that also records HD. The total package with HD is $74.99 which includes DVR service and all the same HD channels Dish has with local HD channels (including WB and UPN).

They also have internet for $42.95 and Digital phone service with unlimited long distance in the US for $29.95 with calling features included in that price.

So the total package for TV, HD, phone, and internet would be around $150.00 a month.

Is this comparable to other cable companies?? Digital phone service was news to me.

[XXCCXX]

I got a thing today from Mediacom the local cable company offering their new DVR with dual tuner that also records HD. The total package with HD is $74.99 which includes DVR service and all the same HD channels Dish has with local HD channels (including WB and UPN).

They also have internet for $42.95 and Digital phone service with unlimited long distance in the US for $29.95 with calling features included in that price.

So the total package for TV, HD, phone, and internet would be around $150.00 a month.

Is this comparable to other cable companies?? Digital phone service was news to me.

I PAY ABOUT $190 FOR INTERNET BASIC CABLE AND PHONE 2 LINES

[Nick]

I PAY ABOUT $190 FOR INTERNET BASIC CABLE AND PHONE 2 LINES$190? :eek:

It looks like you, my Romanesque friend, are paying way too much.

[bidger]

I had a Time-Warner Cable rep stop by the house today, unsolicited, who said "Triple Play" would be $110 for first year and then go up incrementally by $8 over the next 2 years. I mentioned that I have an HD-TiVo through DirecTV with Lifetime Service, bought the Lifetime on a Hughes GXCEBOT back in March of 2001, and that slowed him up a bit. I took his card, but I find it hard to believe they'd waive the equipment and service fee on their HD-DVR for as long as I use it.

I've started writing down a comparison sheet and the things that don't weigh in DirecTV's favor are the fact that I don't have locals and can't get all networks in HD, the HD package and quality through DirecTV is far from impressive, we're facing another rate hike, and they've been very inconsistent with the NFL Game of the Week in HD on ch.98. In their favor is NFL Sunday Ticket, the lifetime on DVR, distant nets in HD(CBS and FOX- NYC),and as I saw someone else on these boards post, "they're the devil I know".

I'm doing DSL through Verizon at the $29.95 rate for one year, $49.95 cancellation fee which TWC said they'd pay. Thing is now that I think about it, I pay around $55 for phone DSL per month and $60 for DirecTV, so ~ $115 a month. So if the premium packages, equipment, and DVR fees aren't included in the TWC offer, it's not really worth my while. I'll have to call to clarify.

[bidger]

I called today to find out about the packages and the CSR mentioned DigiPC2000 (choice of 2 premiums) and DigiPC4000 (all 4 premiums). I asked about additional taxes/franchise charges and he said add $6 monthly. When I went to the
channel lineup page (http://www.timewarnercable.com/CustomerService/CLU/TWCCLUs.ashx?menu=Programming) for my area, I noticed no CBS or FOX in HD (700 range). I'm not about to give up Sunday Ticket and have absolutely no NFL in HD on Sunday afternoons.

[harsh]

I noticed no CBS or FOX in HD.I find http://charts.dbstalk.com to be useful in doing a one-on-one comparison. No offense to Jason, but I think that Steve Mehs used to do a chart comparing D* head to head with E* to which I added my local cable service. Now that Cable has made significant strides in receivers and HD programming, all satellite subscribers should confirm that they are getting the best deal.

CBS-HD seems to be a serious problem for all of the big cable companies. Comcast doesn't seem to be able to offer it unless you're in a CBS owned market. I'm not huge into sports, but I wouldn't be willing to give up Num3ers.