Cox Releases Low Cost Cable Package Sans ESPN
Recently, Cox released a lower-cost cable package that, surprisingly, does not include ESPN. For those sports lovers out there, ESPN is a must-have. However, for those people who spend their time watching other stations like the Travel Channel or Food Network, ESPN is an unnecessary channel. As it turns out, ESPN is one of the most expensive cable channels that cable companies offer to its customers. Does Cox’s unbundling of this expensive channel mean that it is finally moving towards an a la carte pricing method?
Now, this news shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who regularly reads our blog. In fact, we had a post up last fall discussing this exact move by the cable providers. Instead of providing channels individually for a specific cost, cable companies are just repackaging certain channels and offering other channels as premiums. This doesn’t necessarily provide a consumer with more choice, but it may reduce the strain on a consumer’s wallet.
Cox is marketing its newest cable package as a low cost alternative. But at $34.99, it isn’t really that low cost. When you factor in the cost of a cable box at around $10 a month, $45 a month for 20 channels doesn’t really seem like that great of a deal.
Instead, you could spend $8 a month on Netflix, $8 a month on Hulu Plus, and about $7 a month for Amazon Prime, which would give you access to thousands of movies and TV shows, both new and classic. And that do it yourself cable package will run you about $25 a month. You could even buy a little device like a Roku box for around $50 so you can watch your shows on your TV rather than your computer. This doesn't even include the myriad of free content options available on the internet.
While it is great that cable companies are moving forwards in its cable plan offerings, we can help but wondering if cable packages as we know it are a dying breed. With inexpensive devices that bring streaming content to your TV, as well as internet-enabled TVs looming over the horizon, cable providers may need to drastically shake things up to retain its subscriber base—and something much more drastic than a $35 “low cost” option without ESPN.
Communications: Cable & Satellite TV -
Post to TwitterAT&T Raising Its Smartphone Data Plan Rates
AT&T announced this week that its smartphone data plan prices are going up. Starting on January 22, AT&T’s $15 data plan becomes its $20 data plan and AT&T’s $25 data plan becomes its $30 data plan.
While the prices are going up, at least AT&T is kind enough to offer more service for the additional money. AT&T’s smaller $15 data plan originally only allowed for 200MB of monthly access. With the new $20 plan, your extra $5 gives you an extra 100MB, or 300MB for the month. Similarly, AT&T’s $25 data plan only gave you 2 GB of monthly access, compared to the new $30 plan that gives you an extra 1GB, or 3GB for the month.
AT&T still is sticking firm with its tiered data plan and it looks like it isn’t going to even consider an unlimited plan. If you want an unlimited data plan on any smartphone, including an iPhone, your only option is Sprint.
Does AT&T’s new rate hike make you want to change providers? Or do you feel that AT&T is doing its customers a service by providing plans with more data access, even that the expense of an extra $5 a month? Let us know in the comments.
Have a problem with AT&T or another wireless provider? Fill out our online complaint form and let us know your phone problem.
Communications: Wireless - contract change -
The Lack of Choice - Wireless carriers make it difficult to change service providers
One of the greatest things about this country is the availability of choice. Want a breakfast cereal? You can choose from a multitude at your local grocery store. A loaf of bread? White or wheat no longer cut it--now, the more grains you have the better. 5? 10? 15? The grain sky is the limit. The ability for consumers to choose can be a good thing as long as there is actual choice. However, when we look at certain consumer areas--cell phone providers, for example--the actual ability to choose a specific provider is a limited one.
Sure, there are many prepaid providers popping up along the wireless landscape, but it seems that the prepaid providers are shutting down as quickly as they are starting up. Your main choice of carriers in San Diego is the big four: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Most offer homogeneous plans for a homogeneous set of phones. Nevertheless, even amongst the big four it can be difficult to change providers. The culprit? The early termination fee.
The early termination fee (ETF) is a lovely little device used by the wireless companies to ensure they make all their profit if you, the consumer, happen to change your mind and want to move to a different provider before your service contract is up. The ETF amount is set at the beginning of your contract term and decreases for every month you are in your contract.
Using Verizon as an example, the ETF at the beginning of your contract is $350 and that amount decreases by $10 for each month of service you complete. The large ETF makes it difficult for anyone other than Warren Buffet to switch providers mid-contract. However, what about situations where consumers are near the end of their contract and want to switch providers, say with only a month left on their contract? Even further, the consumers are willing to adhere to their obligation and pay for the remaining months of service. This way the consumer has made all available payments and the wireless carrier is not wanting for any payment or profit. At this point, shouldn't the wireless carrier allow the consumer to cancel their contract before the end of the two-year term without an ETF? The wireless carriers should allow this, but it is not always the case.
Using Verizon as an example, let us say the customer was on the lowest voice minutes plan with the lowest data package for around $70 a month before taxes ($40 for voice, $30 for data). With one month remaining, the customer had made 23 monthly payments to Verizon. This means the ETF should have decreased by $230 (23 months time $10 a month). With one month to go, this customer's total ETF is $120 ($350 original ETF minus $230 reduction). This is approximately $50 more than the customer's last month's payment.
However, we have found that this is not the case. Wireless providers will hold a consumer to the end of their contracts, even after the consumer has made all payments required under the service contract. We believe that this is another example of the lack of availability of choice for a wireless consumer.
Moreover, along this same vein, we have found that wireless companies have put up more barriers to choice by making the process of cancelling your contract at the end of the term very difficult. Most consumers enter into two-year agreements with a wireless service provider. At the end of the two-year agreement, your service contract automatically rolls into a month-to-month contract. This can be a nice feature because it prevents any disconnection of service.
On the other hand, if you want to cancel your contract at the end of the two-year term to avoid any rollover, you need to call the wireless carrier on the exact day your term ends to cancel. If you call too early, the wireless carrier will not let you cancel and will make you call back on the exact day your term ends. If you call too late--after the two year term ended--you can cancel no problem. All you have to do is pay for the remaining month of service.
Again, using Verizon as an example, you must call on the exact day your contract expires to cancel you contract. If you call too early, there is no mechanism available to set a cancellation date for the future. If you call too late, it is easy enough to cancel. However, your cancellation will not be effective until the end of the next billing cycle. Since Verizon was so nice to put you on a month-to-month agreement, this means the end of the next month's billing cycle. If you call the day after your contract expires, this means that you will have to pay for an entire extra month's service. In addition, there is no proration available--you must pay the entire month's amount whether you used one day or 28 days of service.
A colleague of mine calls this the "two year and one month contract." Since you cannot call ahead to schedule a cancellation, the wireless carriers leave you with a very small window in which you can cancel your wireless service without incurring any additional expenses or fees: one day. If miss that day, another month of service is automatically tacked on to your contract, giving you not a two year contract, but a two year and one month contract.
Are you a victim of these barriers to choice? Did you try to cancel your contract in the last month but were forced to pay an ETF? Did you try to cancel your wireless contract after your two-year term expired? Has a wireless carrier forced you to pay for an entire extra month's service because you missed that one-day window? Let us know in the comments or file an online complaint form.
Send Us Your Water Customer Service Complaints!
In dealing with the San Diego Water Department’s Customer Service Representatives, have you been the victim of one of the following:
• Unprofessional customer service?
• Apathy, rudeness, or disrespect from a representative?
• An unclear, confusing explanation from a representative?
• Unreturned phone calls?
• Kept on hold for an unreasonable period of time?
• An incorrect meter reading or no meter reading at all?
• A broken meter that the Water Department was slow to repair?
• A back bill for which an unreasonable payment plan, or no payment plan was offered?
• An estimated bill that overestimates your water and/or sewer usage?
• A mistake on the part of the Water Department for which you were given no compensation or apology?
• Your water being shut off and not offered a payment plan for restart of water service?
If you have had one of these, or similar experiences, it is important you let us know so that we can bring these issues to the attention of the Water Department on your behalf. You can comment below, call us at 619-696-6966, or fill out a complaint form.
Water: Customer Service -
Tags: customer service complaints -
Smart Meter Opt Out - UPDATED
UPDATED 1/4/2012 - SDG&E has filed a proposed opt out policy for the CPUC to review. You can review the document yourself, but the cliff notes are that SDG&E is suggesting removing the wireless signal on existing meters and allowing a manual read each month. This cost will be passed on to consumers who want to opt out. A PDF of the document is attached to this blog.
UPDATED 11/16/11 - In a Commission decision dated 11/10/11, the Commission granted part of UCAN's Smart Meter Opt Out Proposal. Here's a link to the actual decision, as well as the text of the decision summary:
This decision grants in part the application of Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN). San Diego Gas & Electric Company is directed to file a proposal for Commission consideration that would provide an alternative to customers who do not wish to have a smart meter with wireless radio transmission. This proposal shall be filed no later than 14 days after the effective date of this decision. We deny UCAN's request to modify Decision 07-04-043, as we find such modification unnecessary. This proceeding remains open to consider the opt-out proposals.
Score one for consumers!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We get a steady stream of calls from concerned citizens about where SDG&E is with their Smart Meter policy. The CPUC recently met with the California energy utilities to discuss the Smart Meter opt-out option that UCAN brought to them in March. Here’s a brief update of where they are in the process.
The million dollar question is “When will I be able to opt out of a Smart Meter?” The absolute earliest would be the end of September 2011.
On July 27, the CPUC and utilities met and discussed what opt out options would look like. As of now, it looks like it will include these three general options: (1) turn off the wireless transmission capability on existing Smart Meters, (2) Retain analog meters where a smart meter has not yet been installed, and (3) install a digital meter with wired transmission instead of wireless transmission.
The CPUC requested that the utilities file more detailed opt out proposals by August 19, to be discussed at a workshop on September 14. If you’d like more information on the topic you can read the CPUC ruling here.
| Attachment | Size |
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| sdgeoptout.PDF | 612.81 KB |
Tags: smart meter opt out -
Four Holiday Scams And "Gotchas" to Look Out For
Have you seen some holiday offers that look too good to be true? They probably are. A savvy shopper should be aware of scammer's tactics during the shopping season. Protect your pocketbook by avoiding this year's top holiday scams.
Holiday Scam #1: Gift card scam
What it is: Scammers will clandestinely write down gift card numbers in big box stores. After you purchase the gift card, the scammer will swipe the balance before you get a chance to use it.
How to avoid it:
- Some gift cards use a scratch off system to protect the gift card number. Check if the gift card has this feature, and make sure it hasn't been tampered with.
- If the card doesn't offer this protection, buy the card from a monitored area. Scammers won't be able to copy down numbers from cards near the register.
Holiday Scam #2: Phishing scam
What it is: Scammers will send emails that appear to be from a retailer with a link to discounted merchandise. When the shopper clicks on the link and enters their payment information, the scammers steal it and make fraudulent purchases.
How to avoid it:
- If you get a great offer, don't click on the link directly. Instead, enter the retailer's URL into your address bar - - if it's a legitimate offer you can find it on the website.
- When you enter your payment information on a website, check the address bar. If the address bar contains a “https,” that means the site is using an SSL server that will keep your information secure. Be wary if it only contains a “http.”
- Always use a credit card when making purchases; by law you are not required to pay for fraudulent purchases that appear on your credit card.
Holiday Scam #3: Knock-off merchandise
What it is: No-name stores will advertise name brand, high quality products at a low price. When the shopper receives the item, it’s a knock off of the real thing.
How to avoid it:
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Use a credit card like American Express or Visa Signature that offer higher levels of purchase protection for these scenarios.
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If possible, always buy the product from the brand’s official store where you know you’ll get the real thing. ·
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If you do choose to buy a name brand product through a third party site, choose a retailer like eBay that offers a dispute mechanism for fraud.
Holiday "Gotcha": Fine print on smartphone purchases
What it is: Retailers will offer smartphones for a low price, but the offer is contingent on a monthly contract. Third party resellers sometimes charge their own early termination fee in addition to the fee the wireless company charges. For example, Amazon is offering numerous smartphones for just a penny - - but if you cancel your contract within 181 day, you'll have to pay them $250 on top of the ETF from your wireless carrier.
How to avoid it:
- Purchase your smartphone from the wireless carrier you will be using it with. If you purchase it from a third party provider like Amazon, keep an eye out for additional fees in the fine print.
Other suggestions for avoiding scams:
- Before purchasing from an unknown store, check the store’s rating on the BBB website.
- Never make your purchases by cash, check, or money wiring. It’s difficult to recover the money and it leaves your account information vulnerable.
- If you do encounter a scam, call the FTC hotline to report it: 1-877-FTC-HELP.
Money & Privacy Consumer Scam -
Caller ID Problems - Thanks to the FCC, no longer as scary as a ghost
Spoof? I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO GHOST! Oh, you said spoof, not spook. As in caller ID spoofing? Well, I guess I had been afraid of spoofing in the past. But with the new enforcement rules laid down by the FCC, spoofing isn't as scary as it used to be.
According to this New York Times article, spoofing has been on the rise. It used to be that someone could rely on what a computer told me on its screen. I could play tricks on people, telling them that I was psychic and knew it was them on the phone before they even identified themselves. Hah! What fun that was, until some unscrupulous users usurped this power for their own dastardly deeds.
Telemarketers are now using spoofing to mask their true identity. Spoofing occurs when a caller masks their caller ID and instead of showing ANNOYING TELEMARKETER, the caller ID will show a name that will entice the caller to pick up. The NYT uses spoofing examples where "FBI" or "IRS" shows up on the caller ID display.
Due to the increase of spoofing, several goverment agencies have passed stricter regulations to help stop this type of behavior. Here's a quote from the NYT discussing the FCC's latest effort:
Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, passed last year and enforced by the F.C.C., it is illegal to transmit inaccurate or misleading caller ID information “with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongfully obtain anything of value.” link
So fear not, concerned citizen. You now have some recourse against these annoying and now illegal telemarketers. Have you been a victim of spoofing? Did it scare the daylights out of you? Let us know in the comments.
Communications: Communications Technology - Landline -
Cox Discontinuing Wireless Phone Service in San Diego and Everywhere Else
If you have turned on a TV or radio recently here in San Diego changes are you have heard an ad for Cox’s Wireless service. That’s right your San Diego Cable company (unless you are north of the 8) was also offering wireless phone service.
Well not anymore. Cox has decided to cancel its wireless service. More information about its decision is available on Cox’s website. If you signed up for Cox wireless service, Cox has some information available about transitioning to a new carrier and other frequently asked questions about the transition.
Cox cancelled its services after trialing it for a year in a few locations and only a few months in others. Given the investment consumers make in wireless devices and services, as well as, the prevalence of 2 year service contracts Cox seems to be giving up way to early. When there are more active wireless devices then people in the country, did Cox really believe that a significant number of people in its limited markets would automatically jump to its service? Which carriers was it expecting to pull customers from and did it have any success.
Let us know by posting in the comments. Did you sign up for Cox wireless service? Did you consider it? Did something keep you from signing up for the service? What was it? Cox’s service? A current 2-year contract? The cost of a wireless device? The hassle of changing companies?
Water Bill Self Help Directory
Did your water bill double or triple for no apparent reason? Are you suspicious that the City isn’t reading your meter? Want to know why your water bill remains the same even when you go on vacation? Read our Water Bill Self Help Directory to learn about your water bill and how to keep it as low as possible.
Part 1: “Why is My Bill So High?” – How to Read your City of San Diego Water Bill
A line-by-line explanation of each charge on your water bill.
With the most current round of UCAN's inserts in the City of San Diego water bills, our phones have been lighting up like the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. One thing we've noticed is that many people do not know how to read their water bill. Callers realize how expensive their water bill is each month, but they don't know what each line item represents. We can help break though all the confusion, but we have to warn you that you can't unsee the horrors that are the Four Horsemen of the Water Bill.
Four Horsemen of the Water Bill
Like their distant brethern in equitation, the Four Horsemen of the Water Bill each represent a terrible thing: a line item on your City of San Diego water bill.
1) Water Base Fee - The water base fee is a flat rate per month based upon the size of your meter. For the typical 5/8 or 3/4 inch meter, the monthly base fee is $19.33. This fee covers meter maintenance and other administrative costs.
2) Water Used - This is the charge for the water you actually consume. The City bills you in HCF, or hundred cubic feet. One HCF is equal to a shade over 748 gallons, or 748 gallon cartons of milk. The City has a tiered rate structure, meaning the more water you use the more you pay per HCF. The cheapest water rate is the first tier, which gives you up to 7 HCF per month. The second tier is between 7 and 14 HCF per month. The third tier is above 14 HCF per month.
3) Sewer Base Fee - Like the water base fee, the sewer base fee is a flat rate per month. Since there is no sewer meter, all single-family residential customers pay the same monthly rate: $16.28
4) Sewer Service Charge - This is the charge for your use of the City's sewer system. Unlike the water use charge, the sewer service charge is not based on your sewer use that billing period but an annualized rate that is calculated during your Winter Monitoring Period. This charge depends not on the amount of water you use in a billing period but on the amount of days in the billing period. If you didn't have a Winter Monitoring Period in the previous year, the City charges you the new customer sewer service charge based upon 9 HCF per month--$34.39 using the current sewer rate.
When Powers Combine
Not including the water use fee, a new customer will pay $70 per month for the water base fee, sewer base fee, and sewer service charge. However, the City bills you bimonthly--once every two months. This means we need to double the monthly charges, making a new customer's bill--without including the water use fee--$140 every billing period. Shocking, yes, but not as shocking as this next revelation: three out of the four horsemen are fixed charges.
Yes, that's right. Three out of the four main charges on your water bill have nothing to do with how much water you use in a billing period. I'll repeat that last point for emphasis: three out of the four main charges on your water bill have nothing to do with how much water you use in a billing period.
The Fix Is In
If you re-read the description of the water base fee, the sewer base fee, and the sewer service charge, you'll find that these are all fixed costs. Whether you use 1 HCF or 100 HCF, those three charges are fixed and will not change. The only portion of your bill you control every month is the water use charge.
To further exemplify this point, what would happen if a City of San Diego water customer used the lowest billable amount of water every two months--1 HCF? Using 1 HCF would put this conserving customer in the first tier of $3.612 per HCF. For the sake of argument, let's say this customer also had an annualized sewer service charge of 1 HCF, which would add another $3.8211 to the bill. The customer's overall bill for a two month period would be $78.65. Almost $80 to use 1 HCF that cost $3.612.
Frightened yet? I'm terrified of the Four Horsemen of the Water Bill.
Part 2: How to Read Your Water Meter
A step-by-step guide on how to locate, open, and view your meter. This guide also shows you how to check the read against your bill to ensure your bill is accurate.
Did you know you had a not-so-secret double agent spy just outside your house? It lurks in the ground just outside your house and it is keeping tabs on how much water you use -- the water meter. But it doesn't take much to turn this device into your own spy. By just reading your water meter periodically, you can know whether the City of San Diego is reading your meter accurately or is estimating your water bill.
Don’t know how to read your meter? No problem. It’s as easy as following four simple steps. Just remember, all you need is L-O-V-E:
L – Locate your meter. Generally, water meters are located in or near the sidewalk or street bordering one side of your house. They should have a concrete, plastic, or (occasionally) metal cover. Sometimes meter boxes are buried under dirt and debris or are obscured by vegetation.
O – Open your meter. Meter box covers have a hole in the middle that allows the covers to be lifted using a tool. The City’s meter readers use a special tool, but I’ve found that a screwdriver does the trick. Be sure to wear gloves when opening a meter box, as nasty critters like spiders and pillbugs love to make your meter their home.
V – View your meter. The meter should have a large face with a number on it. That number is your current read in HCF (Hundred Cubic Feet, the unit of water that the City bills for). To determine your water use, the City subtracts your current read from your previous read. An inaccurate read by the City can lead to a bill that’s much higher than what you should be paying.
E – Ensure the accuracy of your water bill. Reading your meter is all well and good, but to keep the water department from drying out your wallet, you need hard evidence. Record your meter reading in a spreadsheet. The city’s meter readers almost always do their reads 57 to 63 days from the last day of your previous billing period. Check your most recent water bill and find the last day of the service period that you were billed for. Then read your meter twice, once 57 days later and once 63 days later. When you get your next bill, compare the number under the “current meter reading” heading with your two reads. An accurate meter read should be somewhere between the number you jotted down at 57 days and the number you recorded at 63 days. If it isn’t, there’s a problem.
Part 3: The Definitive Guide on What to Do if Your Bill Skyrockets
A six step guide to checking your meter, checking for leaks on your property, and checking for leaks at the meter.
If you received a rogue water bill that is double or triple your normal usage, this guide is for you. There could be a couple of things going on (and a couple ways to get out of it!).
Situation A: The meter reader misread your meter.
Check the reading on your water meter to ensure it matches your bill. For instructions on reading your meter and checking your bill, read sections “V” and “E” on Part 2: How to Read Your Meter. If the reading on the bill is higher than the reading on the meter, call the water department and point out their error. They’ll send a meter reader to re-check your meter and issue you a credit. If the read is ok, move on to the next steps.
Situation B: There is a leak at the meter.
Check for leaks and damp ground around the meter. If your meter box is flooded, stop, call the water department and apply for a bill adjustment. The good news is that you are not responsible for the pipe leading to the meter. If the leak occurred during your winter monitoring period, you may be able to get your sewer charge adjusted as well. If it meter box looks good, go on to the next steps.
Situation C: There is a leak on your property.
Check for leaks around the property. To do this, turn off all the water in your home house. Think, sinks, washing machine, dishwasher, ice maker, water heater, sprinklers, and drip irrigation. Check for visual signs of leaks. Then go out to the box. Your meter should have a small hand that spins whenever water is being used. If you see movement, it is likely that you have an underground or slow leak on your property. And, I hate to say it but, call a plumber. The sooner you pay the money for a plumber to find and fix the leak the sooner your water bill will go back down. If the leak is a slab leak you may be able to get a partial credit from the City; otherwise you’ll be footing the whole bill. Either way, fix the leak ASAP because the City will not adjust your bill until it is fixed.
Situation D: The meter is malfunctioning.
If your reads are correct, if there are no leaks at the meter and no leaks on your property, it may be the meter itself. If you believe the meter is malfunctioning, you can request a meter controversy test. A meter controversy test for a ¾ inch or 5/8 inch meter costs $66. The City will return the $66 to you if they discover that the meter was malfunctioning, but they will keep it if they determine it is functioning correctly.
Situation E: You actually used that much water.
This isn’t the answer that anyone wants to hear but sometimes it’s true: you just used that much water. Take a hard look at your water usage. If you irrigate, it’s common to experience big usage spikes during hot summer months. If you think someone might be stealing your water, consider putting locks on your outside faucets.
No matter what situation you’ve landed in: if you’re having trouble paying your high bill, ask for a deferral. To defer, your bill must be at least 200% more than your normal usage and must pay your normal amount by the due date. You will only be allowed to defer once in the life of the account and the amount will be split evenly for up to 12 months.
Check out the original blogs for more information on water topics:
"Why is my bill so high?" - How to Read Your Water Bill
A line-by-line explanation of each charge on your water bill.
How to make sure your sewer service fee is correct
A guide on how to double check your sewer service fee and ensure the City calculated it correctly.
How to Read Your Water Meter
A step-by-step guide on how to locate, open, and view your meter. This blog also shows you how to check the read against your bill to ensure your bill is accurate.
Steps to take if your bill is outrageously high
A step-by-step guide to checking your meter, checking for leaks on your property, and checking for leaks at the meter.
How to take legal action to fight a water bill
A guide to filing a claim against the City through the City’s Risk Management Department.
Water: Customer Service -
Free Lunch and Low Cost Internet for homes with school children K through 12
Free Lunch and Low Cost Internet, sounds like the greatest day of your life right? Well I have some bad news for you. I am neither offering free lunch or low cost internet and I don’t know where to get them either.
However, a hand full of cable providers: BendBroadband, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Charter, Cox Communications, Eagle Communications, GCI, Insight, Mediacom, Midcontinent, Sjoberg’s Cable, Suddenlink, and Time Warner Cable have all agreed to participate in the Federal Communications Commission's Connect to Compete program.
The program offers 1 Mbps cable Internet service for $9.95 per month as well as a free rental or low-cost purchase of cable modem to households with children in school (k-12) who qualify for free lunch under the National School Lunch Program. The program is designed to help address the concern of cost in providing broadband internet to those who claim that they do not have it because they cannot afford it. The public events surrounding this issue are awash with antidotes of parents driving their school aged children to libraries after hours to sit in the parking lot and utilize the free Wi-Fi so the children can complete their homework.
It is a reminder of how important access to the Internet can be particularly a fast connection in the home. Some of you will be sure to point out that I left Comcast off the list. Comcast has already started offering this service as part of its Internet Essentials program. Unlike the other cable providers on this list, Comcast began offering its service as a condition of being able to acquire NBC Universal. So we list Comcast separately because the other cable providers did not require acquisition of a media company to begin offering this low cost service. One wonders why the FCC would have made this a condition of the merger when so many other cable providers readily agreed to the program.
Regardless, a low-cost option with a decent broadband speed is a step in the right direction even if it is limited to National School Lunch Program participants. Everyone needs access to the Internet and this program is, hopefully, a step in the right direction.
Communications: Communications Technology -
Internet & Media Broadband ISPs -
Tags: $9.95 - 1 Mbps - BendBroadband - Bright House Networks - Cablevision - Charter - Comcast - Connect to Compete - Cox Communications - Eagle Communications - FCC - GCI Insight - internet - Internet Essentials - Mediacom - Midcontinent - National School Lunch Program - Sjoberg's Cable - Sunndelink - Time Warner Cable -
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