Is there a secret basic basic $15 cable rate?

[Dennis S]

I talked to the FCC and they got out of the cable business in 1996. They said the city oversaw the cable company and the company could charge what it wanted to. I'm sure a town of 500 is not going to have much competition.

[SDGuy]

"Cable companies generally are required to offer a basic service tier. The company generally requires all subscribers to purchase this tier before purchasing additional video programming. The basic service tier is required to include, at a minimum, the local broadcast television stations and the public, educational, and governmental (PEG) access channels that the operator may be required to offer pursuant to an agreement with the local government. After complying with these minimum requirements, the cable operator may offer additional programming as part of the basic service tier."

"Your local franchising authority (LFA) -- the city, county, or other governmental organization authorized by your state to regulate cable television service -- may regulate the rates your cable company charges for the basic services tier."

[mrbigstuff]

I've always thought of this like getting really inexpensive service from the phone companies - once you add in the "mandatory" extras and taxes, it doubles in price.

[space-time]

M A V I C wrote:
Here it's limited basic cable. $12/mo. Price is set by the city.

Yes, "Limited Basic", $15.90 here; I get analog channels 2-30 (a few are missing though, about 22 analog channels IIRC) and about 40-50 digital channels, some are HD version of the analog channels (i.e. 4 is NBC analog SD, 4:3 format, 4-1 is NBC HD 1080i, 16:9 format, and there are a few other NBC channels, 4-2, 4-3, 4-5), and there are also some higher digital channles, (41-1, UNIVISION HD).

without limited basic service my internet bill would jump by $10, so it's like getting these channels for $5.90 for me.

[M A V I C]

Dennis S wrote:
I talked to the FCC and they got out of the cable business in 1996. They said the city oversaw the cable company and the company could charge what it wanted to. I'm sure a town of 500 is not going to have much competition.

I think that may be to your advantage. 500 people, that's pretty small. The mayor has to be the cousin of someone you know. Get the mayor, city council... to pass a resolution that sets a requirement that the cable company provide limited basic cable at $12/mo.

[Gilbert]

No secret here in Vegas to get basic cable. Cox offers what they call their Starter TV package for $16.04. It comes with 19 analog and 25 digital channels (which require a converter box). Some of the digital channels are the HD versions of the locals.

[graylocks]

limited basic with Comcast/Atlanta is $20.95. used to be about $14.

[Bill in NC]

$10 here - essentially broadcast channels (2-14), w/ tvguide, c-span & a couple of shopping channels.

I got tired of paying even the $10 and now use a powered indoor antenna

[Dennis S]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]
I talked to the FCC and they got out of the cable business in 1996. They said the city oversaw the cable company and the company could charge what it wanted to. I'm sure a town of 500 is not going to have much competition.

I think that may be to your advantage. 500 people, that's pretty small. The mayor has to be the cousin of someone you know. Get the mayor, city council... to pass a resolution that sets a requirement that the cable company provide limited basic cable at $12/mo.
I was thinking that very thing. I bet the city is making more money this way, but I can let them know I'm on to their game and before long, the whole town will know that they're being taken for chumps. This woman is moving into a church-sponsored "village" of about 20 apartments and they're all having to pay $50-70 for cable or DISH out of their Social Security check. Plus, at that high price for cable, they don't even have high-speed internet available.

[Panopticon]

Bill in NC wrote:
$10 here - essentially broadcast channels (2-14), w/ tvguide, c-span & a couple of shopping channels.

I got tired of paying even the $10 and now use a powered indoor antenna

Essentially the same with Comcast in the Mid-Atlantic where there's no competitor.
You get more channels OTA. Heck, in NoVA, DC, and even Baltimore you also get 2 or 3 channels of ION, the 5 WNVC {International} channels relayed from Fairfax, and about 10 PBS stations! That's in addition to all the 'network' channels & sub-channels.