Comcast to buy Time Warner Cable - 44.2 billion in stock
- Thread starter TurtleSnatcher
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They'd never agree to that, there's no deal in the world that's big enough for Comcast to agree to that. They'd do other concessions like lose the cap and make more promises about being nice
Which is why I don't think it will happen. But if it does I'm hoping for the best outcome.
To Far Away Times
Member
Ugh. Hope the FCC steps in. This is ridiculous.
Valkerionseven
Member
Don't like it? Switch to the other cable company in town.
Which is hilarious because there tends to not be other companies when Comcast takes root thus 99% of complaints against them.
The Blue Jihad
Member
FCC ain't gonna care. I think the whole "cable company deregulation in the late 90's" still applies here, so FCC don't give a fuck. :-/
TheWarrior
Banned
Surely our Federal government has something in place to protect us.
Fox Mulder
Member
Less competition is just what this industry needed.
Brianimaniac
Banned
They didn't overlap to begin with, so this isn't less competition.
fuzzyreactor
Banned
fuck, i just switched to TWC
Shake Appeal
Member
That's not how this works, though it's probably what they'll claim.
Brianimaniac
Banned
You don't have less choice because you never had a choice between Comcast and TWC.
Shake Appeal
Member
Again, that's not how this works. These companies still compete when the individual consumer does not have a direct choice between them, and that competition helps to improve the sector and keep prices down.
This deal puts a massive amount of infrastructure in the hands of one entity, with less reason than ever to push to revamp or innovate upon that infrastructure. It also allows them to engage in pricefixing on a national scale, and effectively dictate terms to other entities who can't operate at their level. It's a pretty disgusting consolidation of power, and you will see prices rise. Again.
The Comcast/TWC bloated monster will be able to bully and dictate terms to every network, distributor, creator etc. that has the misfortune to have to deal with it.
D
Deleted member 284
Unconfirmed Member
So Google....what are you waiting for?
Brianimaniac
Banned
No, not at all. The "keep prices down" part is especially hilarious.
They rise more than once a year, every year. That happens now.
Shake Appeal
Member
If you think cable companies don't compete because consumers can't access both in the same zipcode, I really don't know how to explain it to you.
Shake Appeal
Member
For the networks I agree. They now have to deal with this. For the individual consumer this won't change shit. In my area the thing that made Comcast do anything major in terms of pricing and services was Verizon coming in. There needs to be more competition, no doubt but these two getting together doesn't change the equation much for customers. I doubt it'll be approved anyway, of course the gov't isn't always sensible when it comes to these things, especially when money is involved.
I see 250gb bandwitch cap and I'm so jealous. You want to know what we have in Nigeria.
I use Spectranet and I pay 15000 Naira per month for 30gb bandwidth cap. Thats like $90 dollars a month. These guys don't offer unlimited internet. Their highest is 80gb and that costs 45000 naira and thats like $275
Another service which offers unlimited internet costs 65000 naira and thats like $370.
I'll give anything for 250gb data cap.
I use Spectranet and I pay 15000 Naira per month for 30gb bandwidth cap. Thats like $90 dollars a month. These guys don't offer unlimited internet. Their highest is 80gb and that costs 45000 naira and thats like $275
Another service which offers unlimited internet costs 65000 naira and thats like $370.
I'll give anything for 250gb data cap.
Shake Appeal
Member
It will, just in ways that are diffuse and not obviously tied to this deal.
They don't compete with each other because they setup the rules so they don't have to (it pays to have people in the government).
Access to the internet should be put on the same level as a utility bill, but nope, can't do that due to the cable companies suing any city or community that tries it, or lobbying their buddies in the state government to make it illegal.
Fuck...just take all my money bitches.
Kids are hooked on Disney channels.
Wife is hooked on Discovery ID.
I don't give a shit about anything on cable except The Walking Dead and I could buy a season pass off iTunes for that. I would have cut the cord a long time ago if it wasn't for the other people living in this house.
Kids are hooked on Disney channels.
Wife is hooked on Discovery ID.
I don't give a shit about anything on cable except The Walking Dead and I could buy a season pass off iTunes for that. I would have cut the cord a long time ago if it wasn't for the other people living in this house.
Shake Appeal
Member
Because it's less profitable to do the former.
Yeah, it frustrates me when people say "just cancel your cable, all you need is Netflix!" or whatever. My wife and son each like shows that aren't available on any streaming service. I could personally live without cable TV, but I'm not about to piss off the rest of my family.
Disney streams online, Discovery is garbage. Cut that cord!
teruterubozu
Member
It's like ripping off a bandaid, do it quick and they'll adjust. My wife was hooked on Bravo (Housewives, etc.) and my kid was hooked on Nick/Disney/PBSKids but they soon got over it when we started streaming. There's plenty of Disney on Netflix and my wife is now hooked on (better) shows like House of Cards, Orange, Mad Men, etc. TV shows are just TV shows - whether we realize it or not, we can easily replace one crap for another. A great result is my kid isn't getting BLASTED by constant toy commercials and asking me to get this and that.
Yes, but enforcement of it is suspended. It's 250 gigs.
entremet
Member
Because it makes no business sense for them to.
This is why I believe in municipal internet. Corporations are going to value shareholders more than improving services if it costs them a lot of capital expense.
And the fact that Cable is a defacto monolopy there are no market forces for it to improve its offerings.
You're absolutely right, I know that but these rules are the reason it won't make much of a difference for individuals.
Do not misunderstand, I am in NO WAY defending cable monopolies.
That is a really cheap investment to screw us over.
Amentallica
Unconfirmed Member
If there is no intimidation factor, a company will run its course and do as they please. That isn't to say that they don't already try to do that with whatever competition they have, but to have relatively none at all means they have nothing to fear in becoming consumer-unfriendly. If it's bad now, it becomes worse.
Prices do rise every year, but adjusted for what other companies offer. With no one else to offer a different package, it essentially could cost consumers an even bigger increase.
Don't like it? Switch to the other cable company in town.
Not an option where I live.
That's what I thought, but they're back, and they're 300GB now + $10 for every 50GB you go over. I was charged last month an extra $10 for going over.
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