Time Warner Is in Hog Heaven

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Sep 8, 2003
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Time Warner Is in Hog Heaven

By Mavis Scanlon

Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles wants to let EchoStar know that being a pig isn’t so bad.

After all, as the operator pointed out in an open letter to customers in the Los Angeles Times, pigs are versatile and smart, are ingrained in our pop culture (think Miss Piggy and Porky Pig) and are relied upon by humans for everything from food to clothing to medicine.

The ad, which ran in Los Angeles, Orange County and the San Fernando Valley Dec. 17, was TWC’s tongue-in-cheek response to EchoStar’s pointed online, print and broadcast campaign bashing rising cable rates and featuring a pig wearing a dirty T-shirt with the tag line “Stop feeding the cable pig.”

“We just wanted to respond and have some fun with it,” says Deane Leavenworth, VP government and media relations for the division, while at the same time “remind customers what cable brings to the table.” Employee morale got a boost as well, he said, as the full-page ad was plastered up in the region’s call centers.

While the ad touts the numerous video channels, VOD, local broadcast channels, high-speed data and the fact that cable does not require annual contracts, there is no mention of price, which is the point of the EchoStar campaign.

As EchoStar spokesman Steve Caulk (who had yet to see the ad) said, “Anytime anybody wants to call attention to our cable pig advertising campaign and, in so doing highlight awareness of cable’s long history of price increases, we’re pleased.”
 
Never did understand E* making an ad out of the rate deal... yeah it's true about the increases, but Cable rates are actually less than E* in many cases... it's E*'s ad that got me doing the research and thinking that cable is the better deal.... talk about an ad backfiring!

My E*: $33.99 (Top100) + $5.99 (locals) + $5 extra STB + $5 DHP + $11.99 Starz + $9.99 HD (4 channels) = $71.96

From TWC site: $51.35 (Digital,"Top 300") + $7.99 (HD Box) + $11 Starz + $0 (5 channels) = $70.34

Save a buck and get most locals in HD (especially if you in a no-OTA area). I'm switching before the Superbowl!
 
In my area part of the difference is the taxes. Dish isn't taxed while cable is plus I can get all the channels in every room where with cable it's just one room unless I lease more boxes which ends up costing even more.
 
[From TWC site: $51.35 (Digital,"Top 300") + $7.99 (HD Box) + $11 Starz + $0 (5 channels) = $70.34}

Not a bad deal, does that include a second digital STB and what are your HD channels?
 
As long as you don't want an HD box and a TWC PVR box, rates are not bad at all with TWC. If you want both, well, the PVR box in addition to the HD box will cost you an extra $16.
 
Both E* and D* have it all over cable where I am, which is why they have around 50% penetration here. Adelphia just completed a major upgrade here in November which was at least two years in the making. We now have a 750 mhz system with cable internet and a wide variety of SD digital channels. No HD is planned any time soon since they still have to recoup the cost of this upgrade before they can do another! And boy are they trying hard to recoup fast. Extended basic (analog) was $44.95/mo last I checked for about 65 channels. The basic digital tier is another $39.99 on top of that, not including $4.99 for each digital STB of course. If you want broadband that's another $42.99 and don't get me started on tax (Moreno Valley's utility tax is the highest in the state)! Adelphia may be the pig Charlie was referring to since I can get AT180 plus locals and additional receiver for $53.97/mo. D* is a little cheaper right now but I am sure they will shortly follow Charlies lead on a price increase.
 
jimmoc said:
In my area part of the difference is the taxes. Dish isn't taxed while cable is plus I can get all the channels in every room where with cable it's just one room unless I lease more boxes which ends up costing even more.

How do you get all the channels in every room with Dish without buying more receivers and paying the mirror fees? Unless your just running them all off of one receiver, in which case you could do that with cable as well.
 
Check out Cablevision's new Rates that people posted over on Broadband reports
 
No, extra digital boxes are $7.99 each, but you get all the SD channels anywhere you want to run coax (unlimited rooms) at no extra cost. HD channels are CBS, ABC, Fox, InDemand 1 & 2, PBS very soon (and HBO and Show if you want to pay extra). I have not switched back to TWC yet, but will soon.

Extra STB's with Dish you either have to buy or lease, and pay an extra $5 each box for per month ($3 less than TWC); but yes, you get it all "digital" if you use extra boxes in either case. And yes, "digital" seems to mean different things to different providers. Just not sure what the quality will be on TWC for the non-STB locations.... but hey, the wife gets the TV with no STB, and she can't see the difference anyway.

I did not include "taxes and fees" in either case, I thought they would be similar.... maybe not.

rcbridge said:
[From TWC site: $51.35 (Digital,"Top 300") + $7.99 (HD Box) + $11 Starz + $0 (5 channels) = $70.34}

Not a bad deal, does that include a second digital STB and what are your HD channels?
 

Replacement battery cover for Dish UHF remote?

My 2nd 921 died!!!

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