Two cable cards = two digital service bills?

[tdj_tx]

I won't go off on how frustrated I am with my cable company right now, Suddenlink BTW. My basic question is this. I have two Mcards installed
in my Series 3 Tivo right now, I just found out that they are charging me
two digital cable subscription fees. Is this correct? I was paying $59 for
basic and expanded basic cable. We get all of the major networks HD broadcasts
for free OTA, and I was happy with that. I get a call from Suddenlink and they
tell me that they will "give" me digital cable with HD for $69. I find out that
they are now charging me $89 and the HD I'm getting is the free local channels
they have to give me anyway. The HD Plus tier is $7 more, so that's
actually $14 more because they charge me for two digital streams.
Is anyone else having this problem?

[pkscout]

This often happens on a variety of providers. They treat each card as a separate "device." If you had a TiVoHD and one multistream card you'd be fine. You might call and talk with them about it, but don't be surprised if you get nowhere. TWC in my area charges two $49 install fees to stick two CableCards in a TiVo S3. It's one of the primary reason I'm waiting (probably forever, since TiVo has orphaned the S3) for MCard support for the S3.

[HDTiVo]

The best approach with this is to match the fees you are charged against what you are charged in the case of a dual tuner cable DVR. If the TiVo w/ 2 cableCARDs is being disadvantaged relative to the DVR on these "other" charges, you have a real legit complaint.

[tdj_tx]

Originally Posted by pkscout

This often happens on a variety of providers. They treat each card as a separate "device." If you had a TiVoHD and one multistream card you'd be fine. You might call and talk with them about it, but don't be surprised if you get nowhere. TWC in my area charges two $49 install fees to stick two CableCards in a TiVo S3. It's one of the primary reason I'm waiting (probably forever, since TiVo has orphaned the S3) for MCard support for the S3.

This is one of the biggest problems I'm having with new technology! I bought the series 3 tivo just months before the TivoHD came out, I paid over $600 for this device. I'm about to chuck it all and just go back to reading books for entertainment! I have ATT uverse in my area, and I'd like to use it, but it doesn't work well with the tivo.

[Teeps]

Originally Posted by pkscout

TWC in my area charges two $49 install fees to stick two CableCards in a TiVo S3.

You are getting SCREWED!

TWC in Torrance waived the cost of the truck roll when I had them install 2 cards in my S3. But maybe that has more to do with the fact I've had the same cable service since 1982.

[tdj_tx]

Originally Posted by pkscout

This often happens on a variety of providers. They treat each card as a separate "device." If you had a TiVoHD and one multistream card you'd be fine. You might call and talk with them about it, but don't be surprised if you get nowhere. TWC in my area charges two $49 install fees to stick two CableCards in a TiVo S3. It's one of the primary reason I'm waiting (probably forever, since TiVo has orphaned the S3) for MCard support for the S3.

Are they charging you two $49 fees per month for each card? That's what Suddenlink is doing to me.

[tdj_tx]

Originally Posted by Teeps

You are getting SCREWED!

TWC in Torrance waived the cost of the truck roll when I had them install 2 cards in my S3. But maybe that has more to do with the fact I've had the same cable service since 1982.

I've been with Cox/Suddenlink since 1994, don't think they really care.

[scandia101]

Originally Posted by tdj_tx

they are now charging me $89

Originally Posted by tdj_tx

Are they charging you two $49 fees per month for each card? That's what Suddenlink is doing to me.

$49 X 2 ≠ $89

[rocko]

Originally Posted by tdj_tx

I just found out that they are charging me
two digital cable subscription fees. Is this correct?

Not sure why or how they can get away with that. Are they running 2 cables into your house? Would they charge you the same if it was 2 STBs instead of 2 CableCards?

I would think a call to your Franchise Authority is in order.

[tdj_tx]

Originally Posted by scandia101

$49 X 2 ≠ $89

Oops, sorry that would be $44.50 x 2, my bad.

[gastrof]

Originally Posted by rocko

Not sure why or how they can get away with that. Are they running 2 cables into your house? Would they charge you the same if it was 2 STBs instead of 2 CableCards?

I would think a call to your Franchise Authority is in order.

Yeah. They can charge you for a cable box rental, or in this case cable CARD rentals, but they can't just charge you as if you had two cable subscriptions.

That's flying in the face of the FCC telling them they have to cooperate with third party equipment by providing cable cards. They start charging outrageous fees associated with the cards, I'd suspect the Feds can come down on them pretty hard.

I'd report it to the FCC, not just the local cable liason.

[DeathRider]

Originally Posted by tdj_tx

This is one of the biggest problems I'm having with new technology! I bought the series 3 tivo just months before the TivoHD came out, I paid over $600 for this device. I'm about to chuck it all and just go back to reading books for entertainment! I have ATT uverse in my area, and I'd like to use it, but it doesn't work well with the tivo.

Not to get OT, I read ATT Uverse can only support 1 HD feed at a time. Have they been able to fix this major shortcoming?

BTW, tdj_tx, your getting screwed.

My S3 has 2 Multistream cards and pay $1.50 each. I haven't bothered getting a card for my THD yet, I just use it for OTA HD and analog cable for now. I have RCN.

[classicsat]

Originally Posted by rocko

Not sure why or how they can get away with that. Are they running 2 cables into your house? Would they charge you the same if it was 2 STBs instead of 2 CableCards?

I would think a call to your Franchise Authority is in order.

I see two activation fees, for the cost of activating the hardware to the system, as being fine. Each cablecard or cable box is one activation.

Charging a customer for the same programming twice is wrong, IMO.

[rocko]

Originally Posted by classicsat

I see two activation fees, for the cost of activating the hardware to the system, as being fine. Each cablecard or cable box is one activation.

Charging a customer for the same programming twice is wrong, IMO.

Activation fee <> subscription fee. I think we're in agreement, however.

[bicker]

When my TiVo was the second digital device in my home, the two CableCards were treated as two additional outlets, $5 per month each. When my TiVo was the only digital device in my home, the first CableCard is free, the second costs $1.50 per month, and there are no additional outlet fees.