Sanders, Warren Want Probe Into 'Ridiculous' Cable, Internet Prices

[eridani]

X-post Sanders and Warren

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/31222-sanders-warren-want-probe-into-ridiculous-cable-internet-prices

A group of liberal lawmakers, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), want the administration to dig into the "ridiculous prices" they say Americans are paying for cable and the Internet.

The two, joined by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass) and Al Franken (D-Minn.), sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler suggesting that because of limited options for consumers companies are able "to charge ridiculous prices and add hidden fees."

“Many Americans have very few, if any, options when it comes to choosing their local cable and Internet provides," the senators said in a letter that was sent Thursday, but released on Friday. "As the telecommunications industry has become increasingly concentrated, this lack of choice has resulted in huge price increases and often poor services for customers." The senators said Wheeler's agency is required to keep track of how much consumers pay and want him to hand over the information, including how much consumers pay for cable and Internet on average by state and by company, as well as how much rural Americans pay versus urban Americans.

The letter comes as the agency this week announced its review team for the proposed merger of Charter, Time-Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. If the merger is successful, the FCC says it will represent the second-largest broadband Internet provider in the country and the third-largest cable provider.

The senators pointed to the merger as a reason to put "urgency" behind their request, adding that with increasing mergers "there are now de facto telecommunications monopolies throughout the United States."

Sanders, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, said in a separate statement that “Americans deserve affordable access to the Internet, not hidden fees and rising prices," adding that he hopes Wheeler "will take action and continue to defend American consumers.”

[Skittles]

1. they now make airlines quote the real price

time to do that with cable, internet and phone prices too.....don't even get me started on medical billing

[Unknown Beatle]

2. Direct TV is ridiculous when it comes to hidden charges.

They lie just to have you sign for service and then you're stuck with a two year contract. They promise a discount in payment and they always break the promise.

Customer service is great but it amounts to nothing.

[AzDar]

3. K & R

[Paper Roses]

4. Let is hope they also discuss the 'a la carte' option.

We should be able to choose what stations we want to see. Worst of all is my local 'basic' cable.
I have contacted Comcast many times about our miserable selection. Limited channels, and of those channels, 3 are foreign language, 3 shopping networks, one regional news, Faux news, one town channel, one PBS and a couple of other stations that offer useless stuff. I am told that we have all the foreign language channels because of demographics. My town borders two with high density of foreign language speakers. They should be able to choose what they would like to see and those of us who have no need should be given the option of a substitute. Home shopping is something I would never even look at.

I cannot afford to buy a higher tier and as a consequence, watch very little. TV.
My package is only for TV and Internet. If I drop the useless TV programming, the cost goes up for Internet.
Sort of "Damned if you do.....

[merrily]

5. +1

My supposedly minimal package, if you'll excuse the expression, gives me lots of stations I never, ever watch, and a few stations I watch relatively often. Well, really listen to because I usually have the TV on when I am doing other things.

I could be very happy with only On Demand. However, Comcast, which has, in effect, a monopoly on both TV and broadband in Boston, doesn't give me that option.

[Paper Roses]

7. I think we're in the same neck of the woods.

I'm in MA and am disgusted with Comcast.

[merrily]

8. Same state for sure. We've posted to each other in the Mass. forum.

[Enthusiast]

9. Well I am in Ohio and I am disgusted with Time Warner.

[Triana]

6. Thank them for that. TWC just raised my rates $10/mo for NO damn reason - for NOTHING

Sent me the smarmy letter, etc.

Assholes.

I can't wait for google fiber. As soon as that's here, I'm dumping TWC. Their rates are ridiculous. Their service is unreliable.

[L0oniX]

10. It's not just what you pay, it's what you pay for.

Should a old dial up connection cost almost as much as a cable connection? Verizon charges $35 for land line. Cable is $45 for 2mb ...with tv and phone almost $100. I predict that as more and people in metro areas move to over the air digital that cable and fiber will push up the charges. Right now in the Tampa bay area we are getting enough good and HD quality over the air digital channels that we'll never opt for cable, fiber or sat ever again. Internet cable is ripping off everyone for the speed you get. 2mb for $45 a month ...puleeze. I got a deal for $18 a month for a year with 15mb but after the year it jumps to $55 or I could go back to another previous provider with 2mb for $45. WTF They really are ripping off everyone.

Sat is a whole other level of ripoff. Sucked in by the 1st year advertised price they neglect to inform you of the $5 maintenance fee, the $5 no land line fee(so they can check your usage) and equipment rental fees like for that HD recorder ...add taxes and local fees and your great deal goes from $35 a month for the first year (with all those boring 3 month movie chans which all have the same shit playing) to almost $50. Then after that first year ...wooopie ...time for management to buy a new Lexus.

I suppose this is all mute to those who think nothing of shelling out over $100 a month just for their obsessive all consuming phone use.

[SusanCalvin]

11. Prices are ridiculous because

At least in many areas, there's no competition. Especially for internet.