3/12    Got the notice from comcast yesterday that they want to jack up my
        cable modem access if I don't have cable from them.  How can they
        get away with charging $20/month more than DSL?!?  Has anyone called
        to yell at them and gotten good results?
        \_ Vote with your feet.
         \_ damn right I will!  Just gathering info first, so that I can
            make the most informed decision... -OP
        \_ Say you want basic cable for $9.65/month, but you don't want
           to rent the converter or remote.  See if that works.
           \_ Do you mean that the hassle of giving me cable without the
              rentals will make them give me the original price back, or
              just that if I'm going to pay the extra I might as well get
              the cable? -OP
              \_ I mean they'll give you your original rate (last I heard
                 it was $46/month) if you get Basic Cable.  I understand
                 it's $60/month without cable TV.
        \_ They can't.  They jacked up cable tv prices so I've got satellite
           now.  It's cheaper and better.  If they jack my cable modem rates
           I'll switch that too.  It's a semi-open marketplace.
                \_ less open than it was last year.  Thank you FCC.
        \_ I received that notice as well.  They said that if I sign-up for
           cable my internet montly fee will remain the same (~40$) and my
           cable will cost $6/month for the first 6 months (with no setup or
           cancellation fees).  So, ~$50/month for cable and internet still
           seems better than DSL since my cable connection is faster than
           T-1 for download.
           \_ I did that calculation too.  Are there any surcharges (fees,
              taxes, equipment rental, etc.) on the $6/month cable?
              \_ I just called them, and when they say "basic cable" they're
                 not kidding.  You only get the local channels (that you
                 would normally get for free via broadcast) plus C-Span,
                 a few other government access channels and sometimes they
                 include the Discovery Channel.  The next plan up (which
                 all of us would consider basic cable, i.e. CNN, etc.) is
                 $32/month to $42/month depending on digital vs. analog,
                 location, and probably how much they think they can extort
                 \_ In oakland, with taxes and fees, analog is $42/month.
                    digital is more.  cable selection around here sucks.
                    find something else.
                 from you, etc, etc.  So, if you want to keep your cable it's
                 still cheaper to get the $6/month for a total of $48.95, or
                 splurge for real cable for a total of $74.95.  I'm thinking
                 of choice 3: spend the extra $6/month for basic, and when
                 the cable guy comes just give him $20 to hook up the
                 additional channels.  Last time a cable guy was at my place
                 he offered this deal to me out of the blue.