Re: Fwd: Re: AT&T/Comcast rates

[Ron Bello <RBello@BelloAssoc.com>]

At 02:32 PM 11/23/02 -0500, you wrote:
>  Last Sunday's (11/17) Globe had a consumer column by Bruce Mohl indicating
>that cable TV customers WOULD be able to choose some of the "basic cable"
>channels they actually watch.  I called AT&T Broadband (but not broad-minded)
>and they said no.
>--

 > (Had slight exposure to Comcast while staying in
 > Philly earlier this year. OK, I guess...Still waiting
 > for the day when we can go a la carte on cable TV.
 > You want the ESPN channels, Comedy Central, A & E,
 > and TV Land but NOT Lifetime, Discovery, or the
 > shopping channels? You got it. Wouldn't it be nice if
 > we could just get only the channels we want--and pay
 > less. I'd rather pay slightly less to get the 30
 > channels I would want than pay more and also get 20
 > others I don't want/need...)
 >

The Globe article referred to "standard cable" aka "expanded basic".
not "basic" which is just local broadcast stations and the community
access.  Hopefully that is why they said "no".

In today's (Saturday) mail is notification of the rate increase from
AT&T Broadband.  Standard Cable is increasing from $39.60 to $42.67.
Up 7.75% in Natick, MA.  It breaks down to Basic staying flat @ $6.07
but Expanded Basic Service raising   9.2%, $33.36 to $36.43.