Re: The Big Lie
paulgpetty
Enthusiast - Level 2

<vent>

Bob Robertson, you have a point ... but ...

As a company, wouldn't it make sense to have a customer's loyalty?  And if it meant being honest & disclosing all of the details; wouldn't it be worth it to know you might not have to have offer narrow windows (1 or two years) of competitive pricing?

Companies like Verizon, albeit any modern day telepehone company, cable company or internet service provide, have all come to expect customers to jump boat every couple years.  Its a vicious cycle that only the companies can break by earning the trust and loyalty of customers.  Of course that's not where their thinking is since they know & expect that once I am a customer I'm second in line to anyone that isn't a customer.

But there I go ... complaining.  In the end there aren't service providers that stand out, just ones that are less of a ripoff ...

</vent>

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Re: The Big Lie
raylock
Newbie
In response to the original poster, I just assumed (I know, thats not good) that the "bundled price" was a program price and that any equipment would be extra.  That is the way it usually works.  I had Comcast and Dish and their bundled prices were programs, not equipment.  I am not defending Verizon, it's just that I think their practice in quoting a bundle price is just like everyone else.  Anyway, hope you enjoy the TV. Best
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Re: The Big Lie
rangerfan
Enthusiast - Level 2

@spacedebris wrote:
What everyone seems to forget is this is exactly how "cable" started 25 years ago. You subscribed to cable and the Base package didnt require a box if you had a cable ready TV, but if you wanted "Tier II" programming you had to get the channel changer box.

Now with digital, its the same way.  dont worry, eventually they will get TV's and the Cable services to work together to be able to control what packages can be sent to a tv without having to rely on a cable box. Back when cable first came out, it took tv's and vcr's about 3years to get their act together and get everything working together. I figure it will take about the same for the Digital. (going from the date in June when digital became manditory).

Now you will always need cable boxes when it comes to the extras (widgets, VOD, Premium channels like HBO, and such) just as we always have with cable. But for the average packages, it will come.


Psst, this is already a possibility.  The "separable security requirement" that's been mentioned in this thread is what makes it possible.  I have FiOS TV service without a Verizon set-top box.  I use a CableCARD--rented from Verizon for $3.99/month/card--in a TiVo HD.  You can do the same thing with a television that accepts CableCARDs ("Digital Cable Ready" TV), a Digital Cable Tuner on an equipped Windows Media Center PC, a Moxi HD DVR, my aforementioned TiVo HD or several other devices.

Being "forced" to rent a CableCARD for a few bucks is, to me, a reasonable position.  It allows Verizon to maintain control over the security portion of the interface, while I own and control everything else.  So long as the device is compatible with the published specifications, any device can be used with a CableCARD.

Message Edited by rangerfan on 07-16-2009 04:34 PM