Service fees for Cable cards and HD

[ruinah]

Tivo HD arrives today so I called comcast to schedule the truck roll for the Cable Card install. Tech is setup for this Friday. Right now I pay 57.95 for "Expanded basic" which gives me 1-100 and I have the Comcast DVR at $13.95 which I will be returning on Friday to the tech. The guy on the phone tells me that in order to get the cable card and all the HD stations, they are charging me $13.95 for the "next tier" cable PLUS $6.95 for the Hd stations. So, somehow my bill goes from $57.95 to almost 80 bucks just adding a cable card? I called Shenanigans and the guy said he agreed it was expensive so he hooks me up with free HBO, Showtime, and Starz for 6 months.

Am I being ripped off by these guys or what? Prior to the comcast DVR I have, I just had the little HD box that tuned the Hd stations but didn't record and that was only $6.95/mo. Anyone else have this sort of situation happen? Not sure what to do, it's nice of them to give me movie channels but how does downgrading service make my bill go up $20?

[lessd]

Tivo HD arrives today so I called comcast to schedule the truck roll for the Cable Card install. Tech is setup for this Friday. Right now I pay 57.95 for "Expanded basic" which gives me 1-100 and I have the Comcast DVR at $13.95 which I will be returning on Friday to the tech. The guy on the phone tells me that in order to get the cable card and all the HD stations, they are charging me $13.95 for the "next tier" cable PLUS $6.95 for the Hd stations. So, somehow my bill goes from $57.95 to almost 80 bucks just adding a cable card? I called Shenanigans and the guy said he agreed it was expensive so he hooks me up with free HBO, Showtime, and Starz for 6 months.

Am I being ripped off by these guys or what? Prior to the comcast DVR I have, I just had the little HD box that tuned the Hd stations but didn't record and that was only $6.95/mo. Anyone else have this sort of situation happen? Not sure what to do, it's nice of them to give me movie channels but how does downgrading service make my bill go up $20?

Comcast makes you purchase the basic digital package when you get cable cards, In Hartford CT we have 4 different digital packages + add ons and they do charge for the HD stations you get from the cable cards, the best deal is the Comcast triple play for $99 that includes one phone line, Internet service, and digital cable at the 2nd package level, and a digital cable box OR a M cable card.

[bicker]

Pricing varies by location. Here, you either upgrade to the most basic digital package ("Digital Starter") and pay $1.50 for each CableCARD, or you pay $5 for each CableCARD.

[morac]

In my area Comcast used to have no charge for cableCARD and would charge you $5 for HD service.

That changed in late 2007 when Comcast seemed to consolidate their pricing schemes. In my area, the first cableCARD is free with each additional card being $1.50. Also if you sign up for one of the packages and don't have a converter box, they'll refund the cost of cable box rental from your package price (at least in my area they do) since it's included. They also removed the $5/month HD service charge in my area, but added a HD cable box rental surcharge of $6.95/month.

Your area may have different pricing, so I'd go to your local office and pick up a pricing guide. If you returned your (non-DVR) HD cable box, then you should not need to pay the $6.95/mo HD box charge. In many areas, Comcast no longer charges an HD service charge (see above), but not all the local techs and office people know this (phone support does). If you kept the HD box then the price sounds correct.

[ewilts]

In my area (St. Paul, MN) we pay $1.95 for the "Digital Starter" package on top of the extended basic. The DS package includes most of the HD non-premium channels. I do not pay anything extra for my 2 CableCARDs.

[roto]

It's amazing how much Comcast's pricing and policies vary from area to area.

When I had Comcast in Connecticut I was able to add 2 cablecards to my lifeline service so my Tivo HD could get the HD locals. They didn't try to charge me for HD channels, digital access, or anything like that. I paid just the lifeline monthly charge and then the charge for 1 card ($2.50 I think) as the first card was free.

--Todd

[jlb]

It's amazing how much Comcast's pricing and policies vary from area to area.

When I had Comcast in Connecticut I was able to add 2 cablecards to my lifeline service so my Tivo HD could get the HD locals. They didn't try to charge me for HD channels, digital access, or anything like that. I paid just the lifeline monthly charge and then the charge for 1 card ($2.50 I think) as the first card was free.

--Todd

Same here in Newburyport (Boston region), except that my one M card is free.

[ruinah]

so if everyone is getting these for el cheapo, why are they upping me almost $20? I guess once they do the install I might be forced to hit option 3 for termination and "le bitch" to them. I was told by another CSR a week ago when I inquired it was only a $6.95 charge for Hd. Period. No charge for cable cards. This guy didn't seem to think that was right even after he checked with his "manager."

[slowbiscuit]

To get all the HD channels in the ATL you have to sub to Digital Basic, which is the next tier above Starter (expanded basic equivalent) and costs about $68/mo. You don't get charged $6.95 extra for HD in that case, and the first Cablecard would be included in the price. Extra one in the same device is $1.50. If you want to add another outlet (i.e. you already have a box), you get charged $5.95 and that also includes the first Cablecard.

If you don't want to pay for Basic, you can stay on Starter but all you'll get is the locals in HD, nothing else.

[Thos19]

I think this is my only gripe where I liked Comcast better than Verizon Fios. Comcast charged $0.00 for the first and $1.50 for the second in my Series 3. Fios charges $3.95 EACH ! (ouch)

Thos.

[bicker]

so if everyone is getting these for el cheapo, why are they upping me almost $20? Ask your town's franchising authority.

[bmgoodman]

Do you need "all" the HD channels? I turned down Comcast's HD package ($10/mo) because I could live with the roughly 10 HD channels I get free: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CW, USA, Sci-Fi, Discovery, TNT, and Universal.

[ruinah]

I think we mostly watch the networks. I don't find myself interested in the Food channel Hd or TLC, etc but ESPN is a big one for me and they don't broadcast that one by itself. I didn't realize USA/Sci-Fi were the freebies as well.

[bicker]

They aren't, typically.