Comcast Strikes Yet Again - Part 2

Comcast Strikes Yet Again - Part 2

So after Nancy stewed all night over not being able to straighten out her mothers Comcast TV situation  she called them back promptly the next day (yesterday).
First, after being on hold for quite some time, she was answered by an IT tech person who really couldn't help at all. He directed her call to another agent who had a hard time trying to figure out what had transpired with the original call that her mother made for IT help on Monday but eventually got to the bottom of it.
Basically after telling her mom how to reset her SAP back to English the agent up-sold her to a triple play package with 300+ channels and increased her internet speed from 200mbps to 600mbps. He told her that it would save her money and she wouldn't have to use the phone part of the plan. What it really did was to agree to a 2 year contract with automatic price increases each year until her monthly bill would be well over $200/month at the end of the contract!
The agent (Regina) that Nancy finally talked to apologized after she figured it out and learning her mom is 86 years old and didn't have any clue to what she was agreeing to on Monday. Regina agreed to return the plan to her old double play but Nancy countered with... how about if we lower the package even further to 120 channels as my mom doesn't watch many channels at all. Regina agreed to put her on a basic plan and the price is supposed to be $150/month now. That's about $10 lower than it originally was. Kudos to Regina as she was the nicest person to talk to in maybe....ever.
It will be interesting to see the exact monthly cost that her mom is billed for, the channels that she will now get and the speed her internet will be.

It makes me happy to have only an antenna, Sling & "free" Netlix through T-mobile.

Comcast Strikes Yet Again

Comcast Strikes yet again.

Ever since Nancy’s father died a few years ago, Nancy has taken over her moms finances and bills as her mom never had to pay the bills when her Dad was alive and is totally confused by them.
Nancy also reviews all of her moms emails as her 86 year old mom is quite computer illiterate. Today as she checked her moms emails she noticed an email from Comcast that said something like “Thank you for upgrading your service”. She looked at the online account for her moms condo and sure enough the plan has changed.
She called her mom and asked if she did anything that would change the plan. Her mom said she was having trouble with some TV channels sound being in Spanish instead of English so she called Comcast to see if they could fix it (Didn’t want to bother Nancy). Her mother being very hard of hearing and not having any understanding whatsoever of how digital service “plans” work somehow agreed to switch her plan from a double play to a triple play with more TV channels and some kind of added equipment that their web site didn’t explain. They also added a new 2 year contract.
So, Nancy went over to her moms condo to call Comcast back and have them explain what they did. After being on hold for a very long time she finally got an agent that said the plan indeed was changed to triple play and that her mom would no longer need Verizon landline service. That makes no sense as her mom gets Verizon landline service entirely free as her Dad was a retired Bell Telephone engineer. It’s part of their retirement package.
When Nancy questioned why they would up-sell her mom to triple play when she was just calling for them to help her change the language back to English on her TV the agent became condescending and started spouting off about it being cheaper after a few billing cycles and basically shut the conversation down as it was becoming after normal business hours.
So there you have it. Comcast taking advantage of the elderly again.
Nancy is rather irate and said she will be calling them back tomorrow.
In my opinion and knowing how shitty Comcast treats it's customers, that’s a waste of time as they know her moms condo units only have Comcast TV & internet service available and the Triple Play upgrade was already put into effect with the new 2 year plan. Legally you have 3 days to back out of a contract but good luck with that as they'll stonewall her long enough for that time-frame to pass.
Stay tuned.

I saw this story about cord cutting and my thoughts are that too many people are "cutting the cord" and then buying too many add on services. All you really need is a good antenna and maybe one or two streaming services. My favorites are Sling and Netflix.

Here's our cost breakdown:
Antenna = zero cost per month after initial installation of about $100.
Verizon Fios internet 75mbps = $57.99/month (we've had no issues with speed)
Sling Blue = $30/month
Netflix = $8.99/month but is included for "free" with our T-mobile cell phone account.

So our monthly cost is $87.99

Our Rebuttal to ABC’s Latest Anti–Cord Cutting Story

By Luke Bouma on February 8, 2020 at 6:07 am CDT in All News, News

ABC just can’t seem to help but attack cord cutting. As cord cutting grows, we are increasingly seeing more attempts to slow it down. This time it comes from an ABC affiliate owned by Grey Television with the title “ABC 12 investigates cutting the cable cord: is it worth it?”
So, let’s break down this post and why cord cutting is still really worth it.

Issue #1 Internet Is Not an Exclusive Cord Cutting Cost
One of the main arguments of the ABC story is the fact that you need Internet. According to this story, Internet will cost about $45 a month. Plus, they worry about the $14 modem fee or the cost to buy your own modem.
The truth here is even with cable TV most Americans still want home Internet. This idea that if you had cable TV you wouldn’t need home Internet is weak. Most cable TV subscribers also have Internet for gaming, streaming, or just surfing the web.

Issue #2 Overstating the Cost of Cord Cutting

One common tactic many anti–cord cutting stories use is to overstate the cost of cord cutting. For example, multiple studies have shown that cord cutters subscribe to four or fewer streaming services. Yet ABC pushes this idea that you need so many different streaming services that it will add up to more than cable TV.
Many of these stories push the idea that you will need every service. According to our readers and other research groups, most cord cutters subscribe to less than four streaming services. When we surveyed our readers, more than 91% of them pay for four or fewer services and more than 70% of them pay for three or fewer services.
Plus, ABC included Internet as an exclusively cord cutting expense, pushing the idea the cable TV customers don’t need home Internet.

Issue #3 Claiming Cable Will Give You All the Content You Want

I find this to be the biggest issue with this story. According to ABC, if you went back to cable TV’s basic package you would happily give up Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and more. Yet the cable TV package they use does not include most of the content from these services. For example, the Disney Channel won’t give you the content that will stream on Disney+.

Would you really give up Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon? Most cable TV subscribers wouldn’t! Over half of all cable TV subscribers also pay for a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. Now you have to add that cost on top of the cost of cable TV.
So, would you really give up Stranger Things and The Handmaid’s Tale to go back to cable? What about HBO and Starz? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Final Thoughts
According to Spectrum, the average cable TV and Internet customer pays over $180 a month. So, even if you accept that all of these services would be needed with cord cutting it would still save cable TV customers $55 a month compared to what the average Spectrum Internet and TV customer pays. Even with a $45 home Internet bill you can still save a lot of money with streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.

Finally, do your own research and decide if cord cutting is right for you. Don’t take my word for it and definitely don’t take the word of stories like this one from ABC to make your decision. We suggest you check out our Cord Cutting Beginners Guide to help you decide if cord cutting is right for you.

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/our-rebuttal-to-abcs-latest-anti-cord-cutting-story/ 

Comcast Lost 149,000 More TV Subscribers

Comcast Lost 149,000 TV Subscribers in 4th Quarter 2019

"Well, it looks like the bad news for cable TV keeps flooding in as once again a major provider is reporting a drop in pay-TV subscribers. This time the drop comes from Comcast who today reported losing 149,000 residential video subscribers in the 4th quarter 2019 with its Xfinity TV service. This comes as Comcast just lost 238,000 TV subscribers in the 3rd quarter of 2019.
Overall though Comcast’s revenue increased 2% to $28.4 billion compared to 2018. Comcast says this growth came from high-speed internet, business services, wireless and other revenue. Comcast did see advertising, video, and voice revenue fall in the 3rd quarter of 2019.
Comcast also saw a jump of 442,000 high-speed Internet customers. Comcast is facing strong headwinds in its traditional pay-TV market. With a growing field of live TV services including new entries from Hulu, YouTube TV, and Sling. It will be interesting to see how Comcast moves to address this ever-changing market."


They're getting what they deserve with their rude customer service and ever increasing prices.


https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/comcast-lost-149000-tv-subscribers-in-4th-quarter-2019/

Pittsburgh-Area Stations Removed from Cable Providers

Some Pittsburgh-area cable subscribers expecting to view local news on New Year’s Day won’t see it on WPXI-TV or Pittsburgh Cable News Channel — depending on who their provider is.
In a statement released early Wednesday morning, Cox Media Group, which owns WPXI, said that “after weeks of negotiations, Verizon has unexpectedly decided to remove WPXI-Pittsburgh from its services.”
Cox added that it participated in “multiple points of negotiation” with Verizon to prevent disruptions, to no avail.
The media conglomerate said that it will continue negotiating “in good faith” with Verizon.
Cox is urging WPXI customers to contact Verizon directly at 1-800-837-4966.
The announcement comes directly off the heels of WPXI’s late Tuesday announcement that Comcast has decided to drop Pittsburgh Cable News Channel (PCNC) from its lineup, starting Wednesday.
The station said that Comcast informed Cox on Monday “without any prior warning” that it would halt distribution of PCNC to Comcast customers as of midnight Tuesday.
“We at WPXI and PCNC are very disappointed with the disruption and inconvenience to Comcast viewers that will result from Comcast’s actions, but we were informed of Comcast’s decision less than 48 hours ago,” Kevin Hayes, vice president and general manager for WPXI and PCNC, said in a statement. “Our priority is serving our viewers and our agreements with other distributors will remain in place. We will continue to produce content for PCNC and service to those viewers will not be interrupted.”
WPXI said that it has offered Comcast an extension, including a temporary one that would avoid interruptions while terms were worked out, but “Comcast has refused all such offers while failing to respond with a counterproposal.”
Comcast has refused to reconsider its position, according to WPXI.
The station warned that Comcast’s “arbitrary” decision could “have an impact on public safety,” noting that PCNC customers are now denied of local and regional weather reports.
Officials at Comcast were not immediately available for comment.


https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/pittsburgh-area-stations-removed-from-cable-providers/?fbclid=IwAR2ETfjAH8fDGo9rQlNY4XR4rjFc6l9cacacCWCY8AUFxwaE0XpV8wloEOI

Sling TV Raises Their Price But Adds New Channels

Today Sling TV raised their prices by $5/month, along with adding Fox News to the Sling Blue lineup and moving MSNBC from the news add-on to the core Sling Blue package for $30 a month. Big Ten Network (BTN) will launch on Sling TV ahead of the 2020-21 college football season.
Sling Orange and Sling Blue now cost $30/month each (up from $25/month) and the price of the combination of Sling Orange + Sling Blue is now $45/month (up from $40/month). The Total TV add-on is also increasing by $5, making it $25/month (up from $20/month). This is the first price increase subscribers have seen for Orange Blue. Sling Orange last saw a price increase in June 2018.
This is the statement Sling TV made following today’s price increase and channel update. “Sling customers have been clear: they want more live news and sports, and they want a cloud DVR included at purchase – and we listened,” said Warren Schlichting, executive vice president and group president, Sling TV. “Over the past five years, we have proven our dedication to making Sling an exceptional value with unmatched flexibility. These announcements today are further proof points that Sling is the premier live streaming service.”
Sling TV has made several updates lately, including making limited DVR space available to all users. The DVR was automatically added to all accounts late last week. Sling has also been adding new channels to add-on packages, including Law & Crime, available in News Extra, and Pursuit and Great American Country, available in Heartland Extra.
“Sling TV delivers unmatched value in streaming, while maintaining the flexibility and choice our customers know and love,” said Schlichting. “We have worked hard to maintain stable pricing, even as we have added more content and more features.”

There are even more current and upcoming changes for Sling TV’s add-on packages:

• FXM will launch into Sling Blue Hollywood Extra, which will also add FXX, including the linear feed.
• Nat Geo Wild is joining Sling Blue Heartland Extra, including the linear feed.
• Sling Orange recently launched Longhorn Network and ACC Network to the service’s Sports Extra.

Some add-on packages will also see price changes:

• Sports Extra is now $15 per month with a subscription to both Sling Orange and Sling Blue. If you’re subscribed to only Sling Orange or Sling Blue alone, the price of the add-on will remain $10.
• The 4 Extras Deal is now $12 per month.
• 
  

Earlier this month, the streaming service also added DVR support for ESPN channels and removed DVR restrictions. This means you can now pause, rewind or fast-forward through any recorded programs, and even skip the commercials. Previously, recordings on select channels would automatically redirect viewers to on-demand content, if available.
You can find the full, updated list of channels for both Sling Orange and Sling Blue HERE.


https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/sling-tv-has-added-fox-news/

Pluto TV Now Has 247 Free Channels & Thousands of On-Demand Titles

Recently Pluto TV has been adding new channels bringing it’s total channel count to 247, all of them free. This is up from just over 200 Pluto TV channels back in September 2019. This comes as Viacom has recently been adding a growing amount of Viacom and non-Viacom content to Pluto TV.
So what is Pluto TV? Pluto TV is a free streaming TV service with over 240 channels. With the Pluto app, you’ll get news, sports, movies, TV shows, viral videos, cartoons, and more. The streaming service offers from on-demand content but focuses heavily on live TV.
Here are all the channels Pluto TV currently offers: 
Movies

• Pluto TV 007
• TV Spotlight
• Pluto TV Movies
• Pluto TV Movies 2
• TV Action
• TV Comedy
• TV Romance
• TV Drama
• TV Horror
• TV Terror
• TV Thrillers
• Black Cinema
• TV Documentaries
• TV Indies
• Paramount Movie Channel
• CMT Westerns
• Classic Movies
• 80’s Rewind
• TV Cult Films
• Flicks of Fury
• The Asylum
• Gravitas Movies

Seasons Greetings

• TV Christmas
• TV Mistletoe
• Fireplace
• Holiday Lights
• MTV Mistle YO!
• Vevo Holiday

Entertainment

• MTV Pluto TV
• MTV Dating
• MTV Teen
• ET LIVE
• VH1 I Love Reality
• VH1 Hip Hop Family
• BET Pluto TV
• BET Her Pluto TV
• BET Homecoming
• Spike Pluto TV
• Spike Outdoors
• American Gladiators
• Baywatch
• TVLAND Drama
• TV Animals
• Crime Network
• DocuTV
• CMT Pluto TV
• TV Celebrity
• TV Reality
• TV Lives
• Nosey
• Fuse
• Complex
• Awesomeness TV
• Degrassi
• British TV
• Classic TV
• Buzzr
• Shout! TV
• Classic Toons

NEWS

• TV Election 2020
• Today’s Top Story
• TV News
• NBC News
• CBSN
• CBSN New York
• CBSN Los Angeles
• CNN
• The First
• Today
• WeatherNation
• Bloomberg Television
• Cheddar News
• Top Stories By Newsy
• Newsmaxtv
• TYT Network
• Sky News
• RT America
• Court TV

Binge Watch

• The Addams Family
• MTV Guy Code
• MTV The Hills
• Love and Hip Hop VH1
• The Challenge MTV
• Black Ink Crew VH1
• Rupauls Drag Race VH1
• Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders CMT
• Unsolved Mysteries
• Forensic Files
• The New Detectives
• Cold Case Files
• Fear Factor
• Leverage
• Criss Angel Mindfreak
• Dog The Bounty Hunter
• Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen Uncensored
• Wahlburgers
• WPT
• This Old House
• Antiques Roadshow UK
• Doctor Who Classic
• Midsomer Murders
• Wipeout
• MST3K
• Rifftrax

Comedy

• Comedy Central Pluto TV
• Comedy Central Stand-Up
• Wild N Out MTV
• Crank Yankers Comedy Central
• TVLAND Sitcoms
• Funny AF
• Stand UP TV
• Cats 24/7
• Dogs 24/7
• The Pet Collective
• Internet Gold
• Fail Army
• The ONION

Sports

• Pluto TV Sports
• Fox Sports
• NFL Channel
• Major League Soccer
• Stadium
• TV Surf
• TV Winter Sports
• RedBull TV
• Pursuit UP
• Fight
• Glory Kickboxing
• IMPACT! Wrestling
• Sportsgrid
• Eleven Sports
• Big Sky Conference
• UM

Explore

• TV Cars
• TV History
• TV Biography
• TV Military
• TV Conspiracy
• TV Travel
• Adventure TV
• Voyager Documentaries
• Naturevision TV
• Chassy
• THC
• Eye Candy
• SLOW TV

Life + Style

• Food TV
• Lively Place
• Frontdoor
• Cribs MTV
• TV Her
• TV Her Dramas
• Logo Pluto TV
• Are you The One MTV
• TV Weddings
• Faith TV
• TBN
• Hillsong Channel
• People TV
• Revry

Tech + Geek

• TV Scifi
• TV Science
• TV Tech
• TV Gamer
• 4K TV
• Naruto
• Anime All Day
• Cnet
• IGN
• Geek Sundry
• NASA TV
• Minecraftv
• Gameplay Roblox

Kids

• TV Family
• TV Kids Animation
• Nick Pluto TV
• Nick Jr. Pluto Tv
• Nick Movies
• Nick Games
• Totally Turtles Nick
• Dora TV Nick
• TV Tween
• Tv Kids
• After School Cartoons
• Anime All ages
• Pocket.watch

Latino

• Pluto TV 007 En espanol
• TV Cine Estelar
• TV Peliculas
• TV Cine
• TV Cine Accion
• TV Cine Terror
• TV Investiga
• Spike Aventura
• Dog El cazarrecompensas
• TV Realities En Espanol
• TV Cocina
• TV Mundo
• TV Naturaleza
• TV Novelas
• Telenovelas Clasicas
• Nick Latino
• Nick Jr. Latino
• MTV Latino
• Comedy Central Latino
• TV Brasil
• Combate World
• Lucha Libra AAA

Music

• Pluto TV
• Live Music Replay
• Monstercat
• MTV Biggest POP
• YO! MTV
• MTV Spankin New
• MTV Block Party
• Vevo Pop
• MainStage
• The City
• Redcup
• The Cross
• Fuego
• 70’s
• 80’s
• 90’s
• Y2k
• Dash1
• Loud
• Indie
• Doggystyle
• Electrocity
• Discover
• Alternative
• Monstercat Family
• Subdustrial
• Euphoria
• The Strip
• 11
• The Oldies
• Ratpack
• What The Funk
• The Bridge
• Moonlight
• Pure Soul
• Love
• La Isla
• Reggae King
• Cool

*Subject to change without notice.
Now look for this list of channels to grow as CBS and Viacom the parent company behind Pluto TV will be merging next week. This will likely result in more CBS content coming to Pluto TV in the months to come.


https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/pluto-tv-now-has-247-free-channels-thousands-of-on-demand-titles/