Comcast

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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.

The Big Ten Network vs. Comcast

Now Comcast is blocking some kinds of internet activity.

NEW YORK - Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online, a move that runs counter to the tradition of treating all types of Net traffic equally.

The wag that sent me this asks a good question. When will they start blocking content? Like some blogger berating them for not carrying the big 10.

The Inky has the latest rundown of the dispute and this is what it boils down to:

The Big Ten Network says it expected to take in more than $60 million a year in revenue by appearing on Comcast's expanded basic tier. Instead, the Philadelphia cable company has offered a deal for basically $2.5 million by placing it on the sports tier, which costs an additional $5 per month and is seen by only 4 percent of Comcast's subscribers.

A plague on both their houses. This is still an argument over money between 2 giant corporations. More pressure will mount when basketball season starts and people in Indiana can't watch the Hoosiers. The controversy has taken on the overtones of a "nasty political campaign." Complete with negative ads run by Comcast opposing the Big Ten Tax.

All I know is that they better come to a deal by next football season or other people might act like this woman. (h/t The Pennsylvania Progressive)

Big Ten Network and Comcast

Will cable dispute sideline Lion fans?

It still comes down to the sports tier vs. $1.10 a month for everyone. Comcast wants to put BTN into a sports package that people who are interested pay an extra $5 a month and BTN wants to be on basic cable at $1.10 per suscriber. The Chicago Tribune has a good rundown of the dispute. Comcast says that the BTN has a limited appeal and should be put off on a specialty band and BTN calls bullshit on this argument pointing out that they already carry limited appeal channels such as Versus and a bunch of religion and shopping networks. Since Comcast took over from Adelphia they have cut four channels from my local lineup; the WE network(38), ESPN Classic(67), UPN-57 (11) and Newswatch16 (63) and the price went up. Comcast also has entered The Customer Service Hall of Shame.

Big Ten and Comcast not close to a deal

Lafayette Journal & Courier

When the Big Ten Network makes its debut Aug. 30, Comcast cable customers could be in the dark because the new network and the cable corporation are at an impasse in negotiations. "I can tell you, if Comcast is agreeable to putting it in basic carriage, we can sit down behind closed doors and negotiate a deal with them,” Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman said Monday.“If they're adamant about (the BTN) only being on a sports tier, then we're in a stalemate."We have told them if they're willing to talk about being on expanded basic we can sit down and get this thing going. And they have said, as of last week, publicly, it's sports tier or nothing."

The college football season is coming up fast and it looks like 3 Penn State games may be out of reach for the average fan unless one of the local broadcast stations makes a deal to carry them. Another argument over money between 2 giant corporations and we get screwed. Yes people, the Big Ten Conference is a big corporation that has always been a collection of football/basketball factories and now has it's own TV network. Now tell me why the players shouldn't be paid?