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Analysis of a $308.11 cable bill
#11
OK, so it's the $287 subtotal that's the deal here. The other, monthly part is presumed understood, yes?

1) Since I'm not familiar with TW, I don't know what the partial month thing is. Presumably a phone call would answer that.

2) New outlets/hookups/whatever. Either should have been divulged ahead of time or ? Seems like the sort of stuff that should either all get removed or all stay, based on previous knowledge. Similar to #1 I guess.

3) Franchise fee seems high, but there again, what was it last month, etc.?
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#12
Sadly, I understand that bill. It looks to me like you already had service prior to the upgrades (or whatever you want to call them.) The billing cycle ran from roughly the middle of one month to the middle of the next month, and you pay for service one month in advance. You changed/upgraded your service on 4-25-08, which was partway through the billing period that would have been 4-17-08 to 5-16-08 and for which TW had already received payment. You owe them money for the upgraded service for the partial month, in addition to the full month's payment in advance for the new service package.

Franchise fees and taxes apparently are moving targets, depending on where you live. I have expanded cable and digital service, and I pay $3.02 per month franchise fee. I have another account for expanded basic only, and the franchise fee for it is only .25 per month. The account with the higher fee is inside an incorporated area, so I also pay local taxes. The other account is in an incorporated area of the county; not only is the franchise fee lower, no local tax is charged, because there is no local taxing entity. However, the basic fee for the service is higher in the unincorporated area than the one for service in a city. The way it works out, the bill for service for just expanded basic is only $4.50 less, in total, than the service with the digital package.

As disgusting as you might view that bill, it looks kosher (though admittedly hard to read), once it's been adjusted for the blatant errors that you've already pointed out to them.
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#13
another very happy DirecTV subscriber here. You're getting screwed by cable. Just admit it.
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#14
It looks like an internet fee is combined with the cable bill...


Personally, I've opted to get a DSL + DishNetwork. Cable companies can eat my kitty litter as far as I'm concerned. Cable companies just don't care...and their services are inferior to the satellite providers.
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#15
That franchise fee is crazy but considering it's New York city I'm not surprised.
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#16
You've shown why I now only subscribe to basic cable, channels 2-16, for under $10/month.

Standard analog cable here is now $60/month (75 channels).

20 years ago, standard was only 35 channels but cost under $20/month.

Satellite remains the cheaper option for those who want more than broadcast basic.
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#17
>>You had free cable for years??? **ROTFLMAO** Then you were either stealing it

Wink

For the people that subscribe to DirectTV, what is the total monthly bill like? This $50/mo. package is the cheapest non-basic option. I just want comedy Central and Discovery, nothing fancy. Any hidden charges?
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#18
$308.11 will buy a hell of a lot of books too...


Just sayin'...
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#19
[quote Paul F.]$308.11 will buy a hell of a lot of books too...


Just sayin'...
more than most read in a month!
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#20
I completely agree, but it covers three months split between four people so it really is much more reasonable.

Also, I like to work on projects in the evening and i like to have some mindless tv on - i guess it makes me feel like i'm not at work, anyway, it makes me more productive. yeah. thats it.
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