Video Streaming Fees to Rise

[nelson61]

Bloomberg has a very informative article on tv streaming, average use per month, and the likely increase in user fees for Netflix and Blockbuster users.

Netflix Viewing Seen Swelling U.S. Users


"The possibility of usage-based pricing has brought protests from Los Gatos, California-based Netflix and warnings fromCharlie Ergen, chairman of rival Dish Network Corp. (DISH), which operates the Blockbuster movie-rental business.
$20 Surcharge?
“That Netflix subscription of $7.99 could go to an extra $20 a month for bit streaming,” Ergen said during Dish’s conference call on Nov. 7, making a total monthly subscription“the equivalent of $27.99.” "

 

[Neutron]

The day that happens is the day that we cancel our subscription to both Netflix and BMPP, though I'm considering dropping BMPP when the promotion ends. It's not worth it IMHO.

 

[Yespage]

This is the reason for Dish offering their own broadband. They can short circuit the other telecom companies trying to mooch off of their product.

There is also an irony of a surcharge. What point is there for getting a faster 8+ Mb broadband internet connection to watch stuff online if they will add fees on top of it. Why even bother. People pay for the faster connection to be able to watch the online content. These Telecom companies are trying to double dip.

 

[rapidturtle]

The day that happens is the day that we cancel our subscription to both Netflix and BMPP, though I'm considering dropping BMPP when the promotion ends. It's not worth it IMHO.

I am also going to cancel. I am going to give them time to the streaming on par with Netflix. Right now, it is so painfully slow to surf for a movie that I don't use it.

 

[TG2]

See that's the reason I was surprised they bonded BBMP with Platinum like they did.. 10 bucks a month is a low ball price for a feature that was already 10 dollars a month (Platinum) and to add additional features (real or imagined since BBMP hasn't proven yet to be much more than what we already had, except the Disk By Mail option).

When it comes time... I would drop some of my premium teirs and keep the platinum/bbmp only because there are a few channels there that I like having access to (paladia being on one of them ... a real MTV nearly 24/7 .. though I'm sure MTV will eventually ruin its stuff too) but failing that .. the Epix stuff.. starz stuff, all also a decent option at 10 bucks, and to add the Disk By mail ... or on the oft chance of streaming some content ... not bad considering..

but I'm not a Netflix or Hulu+ person ... I watch mainstream TV, I DVR most of the stuff, and only rarely buy full seasons of anything (Dr. Who, Farscape, most of The Simpsons) and I buy movies that I find compelling, or at very deep discounts ... 15 to 25 dollars on movie release days ... the 5 dollar bin at Walmart .. etc... its only when I missed recording something that I look for an online or streaming option..

So I think it depends not only on the perceived value, but the real use, the timeliness etc.. for the right now of it ... you will find people willing to pay the higher price ... having access to every season of some show, or the breadth of other selections.. I've often likened this to the Record & Tape Clubs of many years past ... which became the CD clubs of a few years ago .. which gave way to streaming suppliers of yesterday .... what will it be tomorrow?

 

[mikew]

Why is it that every article containing Craig Moffett is an anti-consumer, pro "1%'er" issue. I wish this guy would shrivel up and go away. We need visionaries in control of our ISPs, not money-grubbing Wall-Street types who try to squeeze every penny they can out of the consumer.

 

[Lord_Vader]

“We’re basically a broadband provider,” Peter Stern, chief strategy officer for New York-based Time Warner Cable, said Nov. 17 at the Future of Television conference in New York. “As a convenience for our customers, we package and distribute television and provide service around that.”

I'm glad they are starting to realize this. We will eventually switch to buying GB per month. With technology improving, its really kind of pointless to sell data in terms of bandwidth. At some point your cap would be hundreds of terrabytes. ( bandwidth per min * mins in a month ). I think they realize this and want to put caps in before people have 100 Mbps connections in their house ( like most of the developed world has minus the U.S. ).

I would be ok with buying a 250 GB cap. Even with Netflix / Youtube / SETI / Gaming downloads, I peak out at 35 - 40 GB per month. What I would not be ok with is if they keep trying to whittle down the cap to make money. But I think that someone would get greedy and offer a larger cap to get business. ..... the new cable co triple play... 150 GB cap, voip, Tv over IP

 

[Lord_Vader]

Interesting article on how we compare worldwide.

Maximum PC | How Bad Do We Really Have it? Bandwidth Caps Around the World

 

[Straybeat]

We don't use BB, Amazon, VOD or PPV because of the prices. Guess Netflix will eat it too?

 

[mdram]

what? dish may raise a fee? this almost never happens

well no more then once a month anyways