Comcast is Cracking Down on Customers Looking For Discounts & Shaking Up its Channel Packages

Are you a Comcast customer who always calls to get a new deal when your Comcast bill goes up? Sadly, the days of threatening to cancel as a tactic to get a better rate may be coming to an end.
Cord Cutters News has talked with Comcast employees and has learned that Comcast is removing the ability for call center agents to give discounts to current customers whose promotional rates have ended. Comcast is training employees about new limitations coming in 2020 to their ability to give discounts to existing customers.
This new plan called Comcast Vision 2020 severely limits what deals phone agents and store representatives can offer for TV packages. Customers who want to get a discount will now need to sign up for a Comcast wireless phone plan or home security if they want to get a discount on TV.
Comcast will also be shaking up some of their packages with two new TV packages launching. These packages will drop some channels but still cost about the same as the current packages. From the sounds of it, at some point in 2020 as part of the Comcast Vision 2020, Comcast will make their TV packages less attractive to new subscribers by offering less but charging the same amount.

Look for these changes to start to roll out sometime after the new year. The first thing you will likely notice is phone agents will be limited in what they can do. From there it’s likely new customers will find updated packages that are not nearly as attractive as the old packages.

This all comes as next week Comcast will be raising its pricing for both TV packages and the fees that go with them.


https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/comcast-is-cracking-down-on-customers-looking-for-discounts-shaking-up-its-channel-packages/

 

Comcast December Price Increase

Comcast Prices 12_2019

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/comcast-confirms-a-december-price-increase-on-cable-tv-internet-customers/

Watch Your Local Broadcast TV For Free!

Locast is a free streaming service offering live streaming locals in a handful of markets. Locast does this by taking the signal from an antenna and streaming the channels online. Since the service launched Locast has only offered a handful of channels in each market. Typically this was the big five like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW. This weekend though, Locast started to add additional sub-channels like Comet, MeTV, Antenna TV, PBS Kids, and more to the lineup.
So far, we have confirmed the addition of new channels in New York City but other markets may have also added channels. This comes a few weeks after Washinton DC added additional channels. If your local Locast market has added new channels, please leave a comment and let us know what channel was added and in what market.
Back in July ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC sued to shutdown Locast, saying it did not have the rights to stream local OTA TV. Locast sent Cord Cutters News the following statement about the lawsuit. “Locast is an independent, non-profit organization that provides a public service retransmitting free over-the-air broadcasts.  Its activities are expressly permitted under the Copyright Act.  The fact that no broadcasters have previously filed suit for more than a year and a half suggests that they recognize this.  We look forward to defending the claims—and the public’s right to receive transmissions broadcast over the airwaves—in the litigation.”

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/the-free-streaming-service-locast-is-adding-more-subchannels/

https://www.locast.org/

Comcast Once Again Raising Prices on Cable TV & Internet

If you are a Comcast customer, be prepared for a price hike. Comcast is rolling out price hikes across the nation, and according to a new Comcast price sheet, the hikes will go into effect on December 18, 2019.
With this new price hike, you will see the price on Broadcast TV go up from $10 a month to $14.95 a month. The Basic TV package will be increasing from $30 a month to $35 a month, and internet will be increasing on most plans $3 a month. (The one exception is Gigabit Pro, which will remain $299.95 a month.)
Comcast is also raising the cost of its modem and voice equipment by $1 a month to $14 a month. The good news is you can buy your own modem and not pay Comcast $14 a month or $168 a year for the privilege of renting their equipment.
Other fees are also going up. The Returned Payment Fee will be increasing by $10 a month to $30.
The good news for cord cutters is that you will save more now than you did before this price hike. Yes, the price of most internet plans is going up $3 a month, but that is less than the $4.95 a month price hike on broadcast TV alone.

The bad news for cable TV subscribers is your TV and internet bill is going up by as much as $13.99 a month. This will add up to $167.88 a year in extra costs for your Comcast TV plus internet package.

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/comcast-is-once-again-raising-prices-on-cable-tv-internet/

A New TV!

May 3rd we upgraded our main living room TV to a smart 55" Samsung  8 series NU800D.
Such a big improvement over our 10 year old 42" JVC.
The picture is crystal clear and much larger.
Dozens of internet streaming channels now available via the Samsung too. I've really been enjoying the Pluto TV streaming channels.

I moved the 42" JVC to the man cave in the basement, moved the 32" Vizio up to bedroom #3 and the 18" LCD down to the basement office. That meant adding a 5th TV to the attic antenna system. I was concerned about the signal degrading too much by adding another TV but there is no detectable signal loss. Works just fine even with the Channel Master DVR in the living room which actually makes it six/seven TV tuners.

Between the new Samsung and the Channel Master DVR there are now too many channels to even list. Lets just say there are well over 100+ channels available via the antenna and/or streaming. All free but of course not commercial free. We also have Sling Blue ($25/month) and Netflix (free through our T-Mobile account) and MLB (also free through our T-Mobile account) to choose from. If we can't find something to watch, we're not trying.

Why in the world anyone would still be subscribing to expensive cable TV is beyond me. An ex-coworker of mine said her cable TV bill was around $300/month! ($3,600 year!)
"You've got to be joking", as James Bond once said.

Current Channel Master DVR+ Channel Lineup

Here's my current Channel Master DVR+ channel lineup.

2.1 ~ KDKA (CBS affiliate)

2.2 ~ KDKA Start TV (television drama series from the 1980s through the 2000s)

4.1 ~ WTAE (ABC affiliate)

4.2 ~ WTAE (COZI TV Network) (classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s)

4.3 ~ WTAE (ABC affiliate) (North Hills translator/repeater for a better signal)

4.4 ~ WTAE (THIS TV Network) (North Hills translator/repeater for a better signal)

7.1 ~ WTRF (CBS Affiliate) Wheeling WV

7.2 ~ WTRF (FOX and/or myTV network) Wheeling WV

7.3 ~ WTRF (ABC affiliate) Wheeling WV

8.1 ~ WWCP (FOX Affiliate) Johnstown PA

8.2 ~ WWCP (ABC Affiliate) Johnstown PA Simulcast of WATM-TV Channel 23.1

9.1 ~ WTOV Steubenville, Ohio (NBC Network affiliate)

9.2 ~ WTOV Steubenville, Ohio (FOX Network affiliate)

9.3 ~ WTOV (MeTV - "Memorable Entertainment" TV) classics from the 1950s through the 1980s

11.1 ~ WPXI (NBC Network affiliate)

11.2 ~ WPXI (MeTV - "Memorable Entertainment" TV) classics from the 1950s through the 1980s

11.3 ~ WPXI (LAFF TV) specializes in comedy programming

13.1 ~ WQED-HD (main WQED programming / PBS)

13.2 ~ WQED-D1 (WQED-DT2 programming / Create Channel)

13.3 ~ WQED-D2 (WQED-DT3 PBS World - science, nature, news, public affairs and documentaries)

13.4 ~ WQED-D3 (WQED-DT4 PBS Showcase)

13.5 ~ WQED-D4 (WQED-DT5 PBS Kids)

16.1 ~ ION TV - national television network featuring general entertainment & movies

16.2 ~ qubo TV - Childrens TV programming

16.3 ~ IONLife TV - dedicated to lifestyle programming - mostly 80's, 90's & 00's movies.

16.4 ~ ION affiliate - ION Life or ION Shopping Channel depending on time of day.

16.5 ~ HSN - Home Shopping Network

16.6 ~ QVC - Home Shopping

19.1 ~ WPCW (CW network) Formally UPN & WB. Various original & rerun programming.

19.2 ~ H&I (Heros and Icons) focus on westerns, crime dramas, sci-fi, and action programming.

19.3 ~ GRIT - classic TV series and films targeted at men between the ages of 25 and 55 years old.

19.4 ~ Light - family-friendly and faith-based entertainment programming.

22.1 ~ WPNT (myTV network) mostly syndicated programming

22.2 ~ Stadium (All Sports Network) Mostly College Sports

22.3 ~ Comet TV - Science Fiction programming from MGM

22.4 ~ Get TV - Pre-80's programming from Sony

29.1 ~ WBOA - Home Shopping Network

29.2 ~ CRTV – Paid Programming

31.1 ~ WIIC (Bounce network) Older movies and TV shows irected mostly to African Americans.

31.2 ~ QVC

31.3 ~ VIBRANT - previously unseen international programming.

39.1 ~ Jewelry TV

39.2 ~ Informercials

39.3 ~ Shop LC

40.1 ~ WPCB (Cornerstone TV) Christian television station

40.2 ~ PFFC (Cornerstone TV) Christian television station

53.1 ~ WPGH (FOX affiliate)

53.2 ~ ANTENNA TV - classic television series from the 1950s to the early 2000s

53.3 ~ Charge! TV – action and adventure-based programming sourced primarily from the MGM

61.1 ~ WOSC-CD – HSN - Home Shopping Network

61.2 ~ Movies! TV - Older feature films

61.3 ~ BUZZR – Classic game shows

61.4 ~ SBN - Sonlife Broadcasting Network - Christian Programming

65-1 ~ WPDN - (Daystar Television Network) - Christian Programming

69.1 ~WPTG - (THIS TV) MGM movies, classic television series and children's programming

69.2 ~ GET TV - Pre-80's programming from Sony

69.3 ~ Retro TV - sitcoms and drama series from the 1950s through the 1980s

Channel Master TV Streaming Channel

206 Newsmax TV

207 WeatherNation TV

210 BIZ TV Small Business & Entrepreneur TV

211 WGN-TV Chicago

304 The Outdoor Cooking Channel

444 Youtoo America

445 Backlight TV

501 TVMAS

550 RT News (US) from Russia

551 RT Documentary

552 RT Espanol News

553 RT Arabic News

601 Catholic TV

610 Inspiration Christian TV

627 Jewelry TV shopping channel

900 VUDU HD Movies Pay Channel

901 Pandora Video TV

902 YouTube

903 Sling TV Pay Channel

Comcast Hunts for Cash

Comcast Hunts for Additional Cash in Pursuit of 21st Century Fox Assets.
Comcast is looking at private-equity investors and strategic partners as it seeks additional funds in its battle with Disney for 21st Century Fox assets.

https://www.independentrecorder.com/comcast-hunts-for-additional-cash-in-pursuit-of-21st-century-fox-assets-128993.html

Sounds like more price increases to me when they have to pay back any private-equity investors or strategic partners. People need to wake up to these behemoth cable companies that have been ripping them off for years.