Al A Carte is in the future...

[Rolling Joe]

Well then, that would slow all traffic 'neutrally', not just streaming media.

Yep. Lowest common denominator service is actually what we'll get with regulation from an 80 year old law. Cuban's assertion is that it will impact all digital media, not just on the internet. Not to mention delayed infrastructure upgrade roll outs, due to regulation compliance costs.

 

[osu1991]

I get the feeling what is actually happening isn't what some or many think. While your speeds won't be throttled for certain services, you will simply pay more - alot more - for the speeds needed to stream. Instead of Netflix paying more to access the speeds, you will pay more. And the Government now will raise taxes to pay for their overseeing everything. I'm actually not totally against the new law and making them utilities, I didn't think it was fair to slow down certain services. Unfortunately that is going to mean you get the same speed for everything, and pay a higher price even if you don't stream or stream much.

Some form of A la Carte can work, even if only for some. Maybe a metered way could be better I don't know. But I see people still underestimating how much channels will cost. I guess if your attitude is paying $40 for 5 channels is better than $50 for 100 A La Carte will work.

It's about choice and perceived value. I shouldn't have to pay for and support channels that I may not agree with the owners political affiliations or the content of a channels programming. If they can't survive on their own with a few thousand viewers then that's their problem. If it costs more for that programming to survive and people really want to see it then they can pay more for it, whether that be sports programming, kids programming, religious programming or drunk botox laden housewives of 20 different cities.

 

[dare2be]

many moons ago people couldn't fathom paying $100 for cable

I still can't and won't.

 

[Scherrman]

many moons ago people couldn't fathom paying $100 for cable

They also couldn't fathom having a DVR, or more than two TVs in the house, or high definition, or over 100 channels, or dish anywhere, or the ability to transfer shows to an iPad.

If you don't use or care for any of these things then I can see prices being outrageous. If you do use them then I would think you should expect an increase in cost.

 

[Mr Tony]

Can you show a link of examples from Canada Satellite TV of that pricing, starting at $19.99 and at that starting pointing adding channels for 2.99.

Shaw Direct does have 2.49 for one channel and 2.99 for two but there are rules
Its what they use to call Category 2 channels (per the CRTC...their equivalent of the FCC). Cat 2 channels wouldld be like what dish puts in AT250
Cat 1 channels can NOT be alacarte and are most of the "main" cable channels (they are stations that all cable/satco's carry).

Also the Shaw basic package is like $50 (edit: 55.99)
http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/packages/tv-packages/bronze/

Here is their "alacarte channels"
http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/packages/programming/take-1-take-2/

 

[Jim5506]

So, CBS and HBO out of the goodness of their hearts are cutting their own throats by moving to a-la-carte - ya wanna buy a bridge?

Content providers are in no way going to manipulate their business model so that they receive less revenue, so they either have to maintain prices or they have to increase their base.

This so-called a-la-carte is just a way to reach an unserved audience with super low introductory prices that will inevitably balloon later.

That current subs are sucked in is a perk, they lose a little revenue in the short term, but after you are accustomed to their product (can't live without it) prices will rise sharply in proportion to demand..

 

[Juan]

So, CBS and HBO out of the goodness of their hearts are cutting their own throats by moving to a-la-carte - ya wanna buy a bridge?

Content providers are in no way going to manipulate their business model so that they receive less revenue, so they either have to maintain prices or they have to increase their base.

This so-called a-la-carte is just a way to reach an unserved audience with super low introductory prices that will inevitably balloon later.

That current subs are sucked in is a perk, they lose a little revenue in the short term, but after you are accustomed to their product (can't live without it) prices will rise sharply in proportion to demand..

no need to split the profit anymore

 

[rjruby]

Shaw Direct does have 2.49 for one channel and 2.99 for two but there are rules
Its what they use to call Category 2 channels (per the CRTC...their equivalent of the FCC). Cat 2 channels wouldld be like what dish puts in AT250
Cat 1 channels can NOT be alacarte and are most of the "main" cable channels (they are stations that all cable/satco's carry).

Also the Shaw basic package is like $50 (edit: 55.99)
http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/packages/tv-packages/bronze/

Here is their "alacarte channels"
http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/packages/programming/take-1-take-2/

So of the 59 available alacarte channels, only 5 are HD.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I see Comcast is lowering the price of Hbo from $18.95 to $15.00 to match the new lower price for HBO NOW starting in April. So I guess the extra $4.00 DISH is charging is just profits for them since it only cost $15.00 from HBO. I wonder if they will lower their price too? IF not , I will go with streaming only or continue to get $$credits or 1/2 promos to continue to watch them on DISH.

 

[Tampa8]

Shaw Direct does have 2.49 for one channel and 2.99 for two but there are rules
Its what they use to call Category 2 channels (per the CRTC...their equivalent of the FCC). Cat 2 channels wouldld be like what dish puts in AT250
Cat 1 channels can NOT be alacarte and are most of the "main" cable channels (they are stations that all cable/satco's carry).

Also the Shaw basic package is like $50 (edit: 55.99)
http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/packages/tv-packages/bronze/

Here is their "alacarte channels"
http://www.shawdirect.ca/english/packages/programming/take-1-take-2/

I did see that actually I have looked at both Shaw and Bell before to compare, that's why I specified find me where you can only spend $19.99 and add A la Carte channels for $2.49. Many years ago they did have a little better way to add packages of channels to the base package even lower cost packages but I'm guessing costs made it impossible to continue that way.

 

[bobvick]

I see Comcast is lowering the price of Hbo from $18.95 to $15.00 to match the new lower price for HBO NOW starting in April. So I guess the extra $4.00 DISH is charging is just profits for them since it only cost $15.00 from HBO. I wonder if they will lower their price too? IF not , I will go with streaming only or continue to get $$credits or 1/2 promos to continue to watch them on DISH.

I'm sure Dish is making much more than $4 off of it. Of course, if they did lower it to $15 they would be making less than they are now. This could be part of their little skirmish, Dish could be aggravated that HBO's standalone service that cuts out the middle man is cheaper, and might force Dish and other providers to lower their price.

 

[Mr Tony]

I did see that actually I have looked at both Shaw and Bell before to compare, that's why I specified find me where you can only spend $19.99 and add A la Carte channels for $2.49. Many years ago they did have a little better way to add packages of channels to the base package even lower cost packages but I'm guessing costs made it impossible to continue that way.

Shaw still allows it with "themes" but the package deals seem a better bargain
The only way I see the "pick and pay" working is if you only need a few channels from the bunch

But yeah the base packages are pretty spendy. Even the promo pricing is high on some cable companiues (like $30 a month for basic)

 

[dewzan]

uhh how do propose to stream without the internet?

just saying c-band used to have al a carte why can't satellite? cable?

 

[primestar31]

just saying c-band used to have al a carte why can't satellite? cable?

Because the providers don't want to allow it. They think it'll kill the cash-cow they have now, and they are probably right. Problem is that they are very short-sighted, as they themselves are killing the cash-cow by how high they've allow prices to go. People are balking more and more, and dumping traditional paid tv. That's going to accelerate more and more...

 

[ChadT41]

just saying c-band used to have al a carte why can't satellite? cable?

Satellite used to have ala carte also. Anyone remember the Dish Pick's??

 

[Juan]

just saying c-band used to have al a carte why can't satellite? cable?

ahh like the Canadians are

 

[Kb Cool]

Because the providers don't want to allow it. They think it'll kill the cash-cow they have now, and they are probably right. Problem is that they are very short-sighted, as they themselves are killing the cash-cow by how high they've allow prices to go. People are balking more and more, and dumping traditional paid tv. That's going to accelerate more and more...

Yep, and the very last subscribers will end up paying more and more for TV. The less customers the provider has, the more they have to charge to stay afloat. That's what happened to cband! The prices went up and up to the point it no longer made since to subscribe as their numbers dwindled away. I didn't want to be the last guy paying NPS's bills so i got out early.
Also, i think this next generation of kids are not going to be addicted to pay tv like we are and will get by with streaming content like net flix and maybe even just Youtube will do.

 

[ChadT41]

I'm guessing we are going to see a major change to the product of Netflix, HULU and all the other streaming sites. Hell, in Nov 2014 the FCC just included Netflix as an MVPD, and as such may effect the retransmission rights.

 

[renegade734]

Because the providers don't want to allow it. They think it'll kill the cash-cow they have now, and they are probably right. Problem is that they are very short-sighted, as they themselves are killing the cash-cow by how high they've allow prices to go. People are balking more and more, and dumping traditional paid tv. That's going to accelerate more and more...

The providers are actually killing the cash cow by giving us multiple channels of endless repeats of Douchebaggians, Real Hooker Housewives, extremely overweight people, people who think they can sing, bratty uneducated princesses and anyone who got famous just by putting a picture of their cat on the internet. I could understand it if the programs were actually higher quality, but the garbage that is shown is less and less worth the price the providers are demanding, but we get more upset about autohop not working than the "quality" of what is shown.

 

[ChadT41]

And yet millions of folks watch those shows. We are dumbing ourselves down.