From: beh10@p1svp11cd.amdahl.com (Barry Holsinger)
Newsgroups: alt.cable-tv.re-regulate
Subject: Re: Question pertaining to the Cable Bill
Date: 14 Dec 92 17:07:50 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <1992Dec14.153048.10974@rock.concert.net>, cole@concert.net (Derrick C. Cole) writes:
|> I received a card in the mail last week notifying me of rate changes to my
|> cable service AS A DIRECT RESULT OF the recent legislation effective 1/1/93.
|> They graciously informed me my rates would increase by no more than 5 percent
|> AS A DIRECT RESULT OF the recent legislation.

Well, let's see... TCI generally raised their rates AT LEAST once a year.
The increase you are seeing is probably a standard rate hike.  Your CATV company
just wants something to blame it on, and the Cable Bill (LAW!!!) is as good as
anything.

|> 
|> My question:  Without knowing the details of the bill, is this action...
|> 
|> 1) Expected?
 YES.

|> 2) Legal?
 PROBABLY.

|> 3) Premature?
 Timing is everything, as they say. They could have raised the rates two months
ago, but instead decided to wait till after the cable bill passed.  Now they
can point fingers and say, "Well, that darned Cable Bill is casuing YOUR rates
to go up.  WE TOLD YOU SO!!"

|> 4) Necessary?
 Not likely, considering what they charge NOW.

|> 5) Justified?
 Shyeah, right.


|> 
|> Aside:  They would also be swapping CNN (currently channel 6) and WGN (channel
|> 30) AS A DIRECT RESULT OF the recent legislation.  What give here?

Well, Sunnyvale TCI STILL SUCKS WANKERS because they don't carry WGN, so I can't
say for sure, but WGN might be broadcast as channel 6 in it's originating
city?  Anyhooo, the new legislation gives cable companies impetus to transmit 
stations on the channels that a sane person would normally look for them on.
That is channel 5 is on cable channel 5, not 8; channel eight is on cable channel 8,
not 37 (or whatever).  The cable-only channels such as HBO and CNN may have
to be shuffled to accomodate the local broadcast stations as THEY move to find
their correct locations.

|> 
|> Another aside:  They also are not even considering adding any new channels
|> (namely the Sci-Fi Channel and the Cartoon Network) until April 93.  They're
|> "waiting to see just what will result from it [the Cable Bill] besides the
|> rate increase."  I didn't realize the rate increase was part of the recent
|> legislation...

Just by my experience, this sounds like horse hockey.  TCI Sunnyvale IS expanding
their channel line-up, althought the channels being added are high-profit potential.
Lots of pay-per-view.  Too many local access BS channels.  No sci-fi channel. :-(
They did send out a survey to find out what channels are most desired out of the
channels they decided NOT to include in the new lineup.  I wish these people
would get a clue and ask the customers what they'd like BEFORE they make out the
new lineup.  *Sigh*

|> Derrick Cole              KC4WEJ              MCNC Center for Communications

-- 
Barry Holsinger       | I ain't git'n et by no gators to make my wage!
Sunnyvale, CA         | There are better ways to make a buck in dis
beh10@ccc.amdahl.com  | nutty town!!  -Ralph Snart
Newsgroups: alt.cable-tv.re-regulate