So what happens when the Deathstar takes over Time Warner?

[comfortably_numb]

Yes, your consumer action... that is not the same as these mergers being consumer friendly. Let’s say other providers get knocked out, and that leaves a smaller handful. They raise the prices on channel costs, on channels they own... there is no recourse for you to go to another provider. It’s either download illegally, or don’t have TV at that point. Now, this is a stretch, but the point remains the same. It is NOT consumer friendly. I am a fan of less regulation though, and was only pointing out that the statement made was far from accurate

If they raise prices to an unreasonable level, people will cancel pay TV. And then those artificially high-priced services will react in-kind. Just like gas prices- they can only go so high before people take drastic measures and stop traveling, get different vehicles, ride a motorcycle etc.

 

[Radioguy41]

Nope, just the opposite. Combinations of content makers and content deliverers is very pro-consumer. If AT&T holds up Comcast on the T-W channels, then Comcast holds up DirecTV on the NBC channels. So, it is in everybody's interest to be reasonable with one another.

Great day for the consumer.

Uh-huh. When has AT&T ever been reasonable?

 

[ChadT41]

That’s how you think it will happen. I am a big fan of supply and demand but a service like this only encourages the laws to be broken, and puts more people in a bad situation. Like all the people companies have to let go...

 

[Phalaenopsis]

If things go awry, hopefully the market will correct itself. I feel strongly that consumers vote with their wallets, and it's becoming easier and easier to shift from service to service. That's how T-Mobile was able to resurrect itself from being a miserable 4th tier carrier to what it is today. Speaking of which, I support the T-Mobile/Sprint merger, even as a resident of Sprint's hometown region. But I digress. If people get fed up and feel they are being overpriced, then I think they'll vote by switching to service providers that offer different and/or new types of channels and programming. It may mean that new channels emerge to fill the void and separate themselves from carrier-owned content, like this merger is creating.

How's that for a non-political approach to the subject?

That is if you have options. I consider myself lucky to have a choice in ISP's (8 total) but back when I was living in an HOA community 7 miles away, I didn't. It was either ATT or Comcast. The less competition there is the more providers can hike up prices. Back at my old house, I used to pay $50 for 12mbps now I pay $40 for 100mbps. IMHO the market wont be able to correct itself, It will become a monopoly.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

If they raise prices to an unreasonable level, people will cancel pay TV. And then those artificially high-priced services will react in-kind. Just like gas prices- they can only go so high before people take drastic measures and stop traveling, get different vehicles, ride a motorcycle etc.

Think about C-Band back in the 80's when everything was unencrypted. It didn't last. That's the direction OTA and FTA are taking as more people cut cable.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Think about C-Band back in the 80's when everything was unencrypted. It didn't last. That's the direction OTA and FTA are taking as more people cut cable.

That’s true, free TV options are becoming fewer. They can’t make anybody pay for TV, though.

 

[Jimbo]

Not totally true. Verizon carries CSN Philadelphia on Fios in the Philly market, and I believe cable overbuilder and direct competitor RCN does as well. It's just the two satellite providers that don't carry it, Not sure if the terrestrial loophole is still a thing, or if it has been closed and Comcast is no longer grandfathered, but you can bet if Dish was given the opportunity to pick up CSN Philly, you know that they wouldn't.

I've already explained this ... the lopp hole is closed, but they offer the programming to all providers except D* for on price and to D* at 10 times that price ...
I wouldn't buy it at that price either.

 

[Jimbo]

The "loophole" has been closed.

My theory is that not having CSN-P (and T-W Dodgers channel and Pac 12 Network) serves a purpose for DirecTV. We do not, but DirecTV and Comcast certainly do, know how much less the DBS to cable ratio is in Philly (where there is no local RSN) contrasted to some other city with one. When the time to renew RSN deals comes up, knowing that if you walk away it will cost you only X number of customers is a good thing to know.

IF, D* was offered the same as the rest, you can be assured that they would get it .... maybe not after the screwing they have taken, but if it was the same originally.

 

[Jimbo]

Unfortunately politics seems to have taken over the issue but IMHO the merger would simply be anti-competitive. It just seems like common sense to believe that if AT&T (DirecTV,UVerse) owns HBO, CNN and the rest of the Turner channels then they will provide them cheaper to their customers than they will provide them to customers of other providers, like Dish. And that doesn't sound fair at all.

Do other businesses not do the same thing ?

 

[Jimbo]

That’s true, free TV options are becoming fewer. They can’t make anybody pay for TV, though.

Over the Air is still FREE ...
Just because they are holding the providers hostage doesn't mean its not free ...
When the Providers stand up and tell the networks (OTA) that they are not gonna take the rise in prices, things will change .... as long as they allow the networks to demand unreasonable prices for thier FREE OTA channels, it will not.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Over the Air is still FREE ...
Just because they are holding the providers hostage doesn't mean its not free ...
When the Providers stand up and tell the networks (OTA) that they are not gonna take the rise in prices, things will change .... as long as they allow the networks to demand unreasonable prices for thier FREE OTA channels, it will not.

The FCC has reduced OTA spectrum twice, and is now eyeing C-Band for a spectrum reduction.

 

[robjlevin]

IF, D* was offered the same as the rest, you can be assured that they would get it .... maybe not after the screwing they have taken, but if it was the same originally.

I doubt it. This is a network they've never had and they have zero reason to add it at this point. They're not losing subs due to its absence and they don't stand to gain a lot of the by adding it. This is all off-topic of course. For the merger, there was effectively no legal reason to stop it. It's a vertical merger with no real consolidation of power. And there's no history to indicate any kind of abuse by ATT. Of course the past is no indication of the future so keeping an eye on things is not a bad idea.

 

[Jimbo]

I doubt it. This is a network they've never had and they have zero reason to add it at this point. They're not losing subs due to its absence and they don't stand to gain a lot of the by adding it. This is all off-topic of course. For the merger, there was effectively no legal reason to stop it. It's a vertical merger with no real consolidation of power. And there's no history to indicate any kind of abuse by ATT. Of course the past is no indication of the future so keeping an eye on things is not a bad idea.

In this day and age, probably not, as you mentioned, they wouldn't gain alot, other than those in that area that would now be allowed to get it, taking subs from others and filling a hole that have had in the Philly area ... that said they probably wouldn't be too interested seeing they have gone the last 20+ years without it .

 

[JSheridan]

Whoever moved this thread from the Dish forum to the DirecTV forum should have just deleted the whole damn thing. It's not even worth reading much less commenting on with all the AT&T fan boys here who think that as long as they make money on their T shares or can get free HBO then they don't care who gets screwed.

 

[Jimbo]

Whoever moved this thread from the Dish forum to the DirecTV forum should have just deleted the whole damn thing. It's not even worth reading much less commenting on with all the AT&T fan boys here who think that as long as they make money on their T shares or can get free HBO then they don't care who gets screwed.

DISH has nothing to do with AT&T or Time Warner v... why would there be this thread over there ?

 

[Juan]

DISH has nothing to do with AT&T or Time Warner v... why would there be this thread over there ?

Dish is a customer of both...programming wise..

Sent from my SM-G950U using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[JSheridan]

DISH has nothing to do with AT&T or Time Warner v... why would there be this thread over there ?

Because that's where the thread was started and was being discussed civilly and also because it does affect Dish and every other provider who together with their customers are about to get screwed.

 

[Jimbo]

Because that's where the thread was started and was being discussed civilly and also because it does affect Dish and every other provider who together with their customers are about to get screwed.

OK then ... you say so.

Take the thread, I don't care, it just kinda showed up here suddenly, seeing it talked about ATT and TW, you'd think it would be over here.

I'm not sure where that Dish is a customer of D*/ATT comes from.

 

[JSheridan]

OK then ... you say so.

Take the thread, I don't care, it just kinda showed up here suddenly, seeing it talked about ATT and TW, you'd think it would be over here.

I'm not sure where that Dish is a customer of D*/ATT comes from.

Dish is a customer of Time Warner.

And whoever moved the thread please move it back or just delete it.

 

[larry55]

Dish is a customer of Time Warner.

And whoever moved the thread please move it back or just delete it.[/it effect everyone’s not only dish but all providers. This deal s not good.JSheridan I understand what you mean.