Comcast

http://www.comcast.com/


I'm really getting tired of being shit on by Comcast. This week they dropped Turner Classic Movies and Toon Disney from my basic lineup and told me that TCM is still on basic cable if I get a box that will be will provided to me free for a year.

But there is a catch and DB caught it:

And for just $2 per month PER TELEVISION, you can get a digital converter from Comcast that will permit you to view these channels, and all the others that Comcast will eventually change. They'll allow you to have ONE converter free of charge for twelve months, but after that, it's $2 a month. (Prices subject to change without notice.)

Not to be confused with the changeover to HD broadcasting, which shouldn't affect your cable signal...unless your local cable monopoly decides it does. Too bad there isn't some sort of Public Utilities Commission designed to protect consumers from predatory and monopolistic practices by service providers.

Save your receipts for the eventual class-action suit...

Since Comcast took over from Adelphia they have cut some channels from my local lineup; the WE network(38), UPN-57 (11) and Newswatch16 (63) and the price went up. Comcast deserve's it 's place in the The Customer Service Hall of Shame. And now we lost Toon Disney and TCM with the friendly 1-800 rep explaining it was some sort of technical thing that requires that those 2 channels have to have a box. Such bullshit. They're just trying to shove a box down my throat so they can sell me more TV channels that I won't watch and many pay-per-view options that I'll never buy.

A good source has informed me that Comcast has hired a new consultant that designed this brilliant strategy. This is outsourcing taken to the extreme because they have contracted with the Marketing Division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.

The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy electronic guidebook defined the Marketing Division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation as "A bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes"....

So help me out folks. What kind of Dish shall I get? Is the the Big Ten Network available on both Direct-TV and the Dish Network? I'm reluctant to make a switch because I really don't need more devices, wires and remotes but they leave me no choice.

But Comcast's strong arm tactics must be working:

Comcast profits soar in first quarter

Note: This is the 3rd the third version of this post because my trusty proofreader, Mrs. G, objected to all the F-Bombs and other expletive's in the first two drafts. I haven't been this pissed off about something since Bob Cordaro chased the Phillies farm team out of town.