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F.C.C. Set to End Sole Cable Deals for Apartments - New York Times »

Posted by: engineer 10 months ago

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The Federal Communications Commission, hoping to reduce the rising costs of cable television, is preparing to strike down thousands of contracts this week that gave individual cable companies exclusive rights to provide service to an apartment building, the agency's chairman says.

Read Full Story at nytimes.com

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Comments So Far: 18

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engineer10 months ago

The new rule could open markets across the country to far-ranging competition. It would also be a huge victory for Verizon Communications and AT&T, which have challenged the cable industry by offering their own video services. The two companies have lobbied aggressively for the provision. They have been supported in their fight by consumer groups, satellite television companies and small rivals to the big cable providers.
Commission officials and consumer groups said the new rule could significantly lower cable prices for millions of subscribers who live in apartment buildings and have had no choice in selecting a company for paid television. Government and private studies show that when a second cable company enters a market, prices can drop as much as 30 percent.
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  browntiger10 months ago
  
  Why does it always takes a big corporation to lobbies to do something that is right?
  Cable monopolies should end everywhere!
  It is no different Comcast, Insight, TW, Cablevision, or local phonecompanies who are refusing to provide DSL unless you spend $40 for landline. Competition is needed. Government sponsored monopolies bad news for consumer.
  
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  GregD10 months ago
  
  Here's a thought. Why, after paying around $70 per month, am I forced to watch commercials?
  
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engineer10 months ago

It's about time, the cable providers have stolen enough money. In one area, where there is competition, it is half the price of where there is a monopoly.
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GrainOfSand10 months ago

Yea, they really are a monopoly--and aren't they illegal?
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  engineer10 months ago
  
  Y E S ! ! !
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jovial10 months ago

What a racket!
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GHOSTWHOWALKS10 months ago

Cut the cost in half, wow I could really afford to have cable.
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  mamasan10 months ago
  
  I know I stopped cable 3 years ago cuz it just got to be so over the top expensive.
  I cant say I ahve missed it much.
  I have netflix and any thing I can download!
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palamaComment removed: User banned.
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cowboygrandpa10 months ago

Time Warner. Uhhhhh!!!! They suck and so does their service. But with no competiton we are left with no choices. That is completely against the capitalist theory of competition fuels prices by supply and demand. Of course with the politicians not caring about their constituents. What can we expect? Thanks for the story engineer.
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- palamaComment removed: User banned.
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BronxBomber10 months ago

I for one would like to see an open market to other potential cable companies so that Bronx Cablevision isn't the only one that is trying to hog the limelight. I am paying waaaaaaay too much as it is! I want the option to seek other cable companies with much more reasonable rates that I can afford, and with more bang for my buck$!
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  mamasan10 months ago
  
  cancel it bb and get netflix!!!
  it is awesome and you can watch movies on your pc...
  I am having a personal film festival right now of all Greer Garson!!! very fun.
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mamasan10 months ago

unlike the deregulation of the power companies which has been a disaster for places like California and gave rise
the likes of Shwatzenegger,
this bill to reduce the stranglhold the cable companies have will actually benefit the populace.
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BronxBomber10 months ago

You're such a good dad.
:o)
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puffin10 months ago

We have one line for just the net, that I'm on now. And another for a tv package that we can all watch separately in our rooms, as I have roommates so a satellite /w a splitter (which we had before) just isn't practical.
We use our pc's for movies in our bedrooms w/ a good program & adapters ... but really, we all chip in for cable for the hockey package, basically.
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ETproductions10 months ago

Just imagine all the payola that's going to go to waste due to that decision.
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