Analysis of a $308.11 cable bill

[mattkime]

How the hell did Time Warner Cable send us a $308.11 bill? This is not a simple question to answer due to inaccurate, vague, and unexpected charges.

Account details - the bill is split between roommates, hence the partial and incomplete payments last month. Annoying, but accurate.

Monthly Charges - The first item, DVR service, we never requested and was never installed. The rest of this section is accurate yet confusing. We have two additional sets but we're charged $10.15 for one and $7.10 and $2.80 for the other. Is it possible to have an additional set without a converter box fee?

Partial Month - How is this calculated? What are they charging us for in that partial month? No explanation, just a number.

Install and Other Charges - Here they're claiming to have installed 4 boxes. They installed 3. Can they count? Apparently not!

Sales Tax - What are they charging me sales tax on? Which items are taxable? When we just had EarthLink internet we were never charged tax.

Franchise Fee - This item is particularly precious. I'll set it apart.

Back in 1984, our beloved congress agreed that cable companies can pass the cost of doing business in your city down to the consumer as a separate line item. Essentially, you're paying the bill for their monopoly status and they don't need to include the amount in their service prices.

You ask how much their service is and then they bill you additional fees that they never mentioned. Gotta love capitalism.

So, not only did our fine representatives agree to this, but they also agreed that the franchising fee is subject to the franchising fee! Simpler people might have declared it a 5.25% tax. Not these sophisticated businessmen, they see it this way - the 5% tax is subject to the 5% tax.

Poor explanation from the cable company can be found here - http://www.timewarnercable.com/desertcit...nfees.html

FCC Regulatory Fee - 6¢. Aw, how cute! a little fee!

Deposit Interest Credit - 38¢ Did I pay a deposit on the cable box? I certainly don't remember. Anyway, never seen an interest credit on a bill before. And I don't see any deposit charges on this page.

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I've already gotten the DVR Service and extra install fee removed but it remains to be seen how that is reflected in taxes and the partial month. I plan on asking for an accurate bill to be sent to me but I doubt they can do that.

I'm curious how this bill compares to others, even if its probably more accurate than i wish to acknowledge.

I had free cable for years, this experience only justifies it.

[space-time]

that is confusing!!!

even though they try to itemize it, the way they call those charges and the way they group them together, makes the whole thing very confusing

[vision63]

If they're like Comcast (pure evil), they charge you a month in advance. With any bill, call them and ask for only what the "past due" amount is. After they tell you, give them the finger through the phone.

[incognegro]

all your cash are belong to TimeWarner.

[Acer]

Let me make it simple for you...

[PeterB]

Now you guys know why I'll NEVER get cable. I just got the Zenith DTT900, and so far it's been pretty excellent. $20 investment for free OTA HDTV.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Wow. Monthly franchise fee on my previous Charter account was only $1.15; still only $2.84 on my current Cox account.

[Chupa Chupa]

[quote mattkime]

Gotta love capitalism.

I do, I do, because it afforded me the opportunity to choose DirecTV over cable.

I recently finished upgrading all my TVs to HDTV sets so I wanted to upgrade my DTV DVR too. DTV gave me one for free plus free HD service for 6 months plus free HBO/Showtime HD for 3 months plus another $10 per month credit for 12 months.

Back in '00 I bought a DTV TiVo w/ lifetime service. The "lifetime service" was for the unit, not the account. But then DTV took over the TiVo service from TiVo and converted the "lifetime" service to the account, not the unit. So that is another $5 I'm saving.

Bottom line, it's fun to bitch but we do have choices thanks to capitalism. Can you imagine TWC's or Comcast's attitude of they were a true monopoly? Actually I do, because I had cable back in the early 90s, which is part of the reason I went to DTV. All those fee's on your bill make my wallet cringe.

As for the tax on the fees, I'm kinda surprised you are outraged by double taxation.

[MacMagus]

Call them, tell them there's a problem with your bill -- that it's way more than you had any reason to believe -- and ask for a cheaper service package.

Ask that it be back-dated to the beginning of your service period (or else they'll pro-rate the $300+ fee for however long your service has been activated).

Ask for the total price of your monthly service under the new plan, including all fees.

Ask for the total due on your current bill with those adjustments made.

You ask. They comply. That's how these things work.

[bobinmurphy]

You had free cable for years??? **ROTFLMAO** Then you were either stealing it, living with your parents (or someone else who paid for it), or it was bundled in your rental or mortgage payment. Someone paid for it and your ignorance of that fact lead you to load up on a lot of cable service options that are clearly itemized in you bill, and you're expected to pay for what you signed up for. There's no free cable, free lunch, free energy, or free money, and politicians don't solve problems; someone always has to pay or do the hard work to find the answers and solve the problems. Welcome to the adult world.