________________________________
From: Robert Bonomi
>To: snipped-for-privacy@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
>Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 6:40:28 PM
>Subject: Re: [telecom] Comcast raising rates on cable TV [Telecom] >
>>>
>>Comcast raising rates on cable TV
>>
>>By Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff | October 25, 2008
>>The Boston Globe
>>
>>Comcast Corp. is raising its cable TV rates in Massachusetts and
>>southern New Hampshire. Customers in those areas will see a 3.6
>>percent increase in their monthly bills effective Dec. 1.
>>
>>...
>>
>>
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>
>>***** Moderator's Note *****
>>
>>Since the cost of a wideband connection must be considered when
>>evaluating VoIP as an alternative to POTS, this is telecom related. >
>What does the price of _cable_TV_ have to do with the price of a broadband IP
>connection? You do know you can have one without the other, right? >
>***** Moderator's Note *****
>
>In my town, you can't: Comcast demands that you pay for some grade of
>cable tv in order to get Internet. I dropped them entirely after the
>trial period for the "triple play" offering was over, so I don't have
>any Comcast account now.
>
>If it's different in other areas, then it's not telecom-related, and >you got me .
>
>Bill Horne
>Temporary Moderator
>
There was a notorious case in Maryland where it is legal to have broadband without TV service. A woman was prosecuted for cable theft because the cable company autobot saw a connection without TV service. The case was finally dropped when told the cable company they were WRONG. However, it didn't help her with legal fees :-(
Mark L. Smith
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