Suggestion for new TV programming package

[khar2]

I suggest taking all the sport channels and put them in a package by themselves with a monthly charge for this package and make a new Extreme TV package that is minus the sports channels with a new lower monthly charge. I worked for a competitor in this field and they had the same ideas for passing the buck to the consumer, now that company had to merge with another to make it profitable. I am on a fix monthly income of Social Security Disability and can not afford the current monthly rate for my services and the Verizon service charges and fees that are added to my bill are getting way to high. In order to pay for these services I need to cut down on groceries! Or maybe do away with my home phone, which is currently an option I am thinking of doing because I make very few phone calls and I am extremely tired of all the annoying telemarketing calls. My current package is contracted for the next 11 months at the end of which I will be seeking another provider for my services. Providers such as Verizon, Time Warner Cable and Comcast (here on the east coast) really need to get a grip on passing off all these trumped up charges to the consumer and these packages that include programming they don' t want or use because when the consumer gets tired of all of this guess what is going to happen to these providers, they won't be in business. The FCC really needs to step in here and monitor all these cable providers and the charges. There needs to be a cap on the monthly charges allowed to be charged. Even the power companies have a federal agency watching them and the monthly charges charged to customers. The people of NY pay enough in taxes and government waste. Stop making your own pockets FAT!! Give the people a break and come up with something that everyone can be happy with. khar

[bobbo527]

I agree with you BUT you also need to realize that it is the channel providers that will fight tooth and nail to make sure what you want never happens. ESPN and many other providers want ALL subscribers to pay, not just those who actually want to watch sports. Verizon, TWC, etc. are NOT the only ones who are making their pockets fat at our expense.

[tns2]

Verizon is, last I heard, the only one trying to break the grip of these automatic inclusions.  E.g. see Choice packages.  others may try and follow their lead.

On the other hand most of them are now charging extra fees for Regional Sports and Local programming.  They are losing ground to non traditional TV services.

[CRobGauth]

Cable is regulated where there is no competition. But a number of places have competition ( they only need 50.1% overlap) to not be regulated. Just like electricity and gas. My service is regulated, but because other providers can sell to me, they can charge whatever they want.

The reason for some of the fees ( regional sports and broadcast) are to push the charges where they are levied vs making everyone pay. If you are in an area with lots of sports networks or ones that charge more, you pay more