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‘What the hell?’: TV screens go dark as Spectrum cuts channels, raises prices
Lexington Herald-Leader (Kentucky) ^ | April 28, 2017 | John Cheves

Posted on 04/30/2017 3:51:48 PM PDT by EveningStar

The television screen went dark a month ago as Daniel Fitzgerald watched “American Pickers” on the History Channel.

Perplexed, he grabbed the remote and surfed through CNN, Disney, Comedy Central and the rest of the standard cable lineup. Many of them were gone, too. In their place was a black background with a small block of text advising him that his subscription no longer provided those channels.

“I thought, ‘What the hell? I just paid the cable bill,’” Fitzgerald recalled last week in the tiny Lexington [Kentucky] apartment he shares with his disabled 16-year-old son.

Fitzgerald called Spectrum, the subsidiary created last year when Charter Communications of Stamford, Ct., acquired Time Warner Cable, which was then Lexington’s cable provider. A Spectrum representative told Fitzgerald that he hadn’t been paying Time Warner enough for the standard cable package. If he wanted those channels back, his monthly bill for cable and Internet would jump from $103 to $139, effective immediately.

(Excerpt) Read more at kentucky.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Kentucky
KEYWORDS: cable; cabletelevision; cabletv; charter; spectrum; television; timewarnercable
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To: EveningStar

61 posted on 04/30/2017 6:38:25 PM PDT by Magnatron
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To: Mercat

In six months or so, when the poison has fully left your system, stay the night at a motel. It will reaffirm your decision.

We never travel without a roku/stick.

Some motels are now integrating netflix, etc, into their tv systems.


62 posted on 04/30/2017 6:44:59 PM PDT by ican'tbelieveit
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To: richardtavor

I feel your pain.. I have directv... it’s alright. but Frontier keeps my internet to slow to stream much of anything.


63 posted on 04/30/2017 7:00:23 PM PDT by cableguymn (We need a redneck in the white house....)
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To: PROCON

have you had any problems with ROKU function - losing audio, etc?


64 posted on 04/30/2017 7:03:04 PM PDT by Castlebar
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To: libertylover

They just took over in my neighboring small town. My Dad’s small business is across the street and since January he has had a slew of customers paying their bill or buying something and they are complaining about $30-$40 rate hikes or just turning off cable period. All day long you see people pulling in and carrying dvr’s and receivers in the cable office.

I have directv and since AT&T bought them they have become as snotty and rude and expensive as spectrum. My contract expires in march next year and I am gone. I will not pay $149 a month for basic tv even if it is HD.


65 posted on 04/30/2017 7:07:50 PM PDT by sarge83
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To: vladimir998

That is why we are here...


66 posted on 04/30/2017 7:24:21 PM PDT by richardtavor
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To: EveningStar

There have been similar pricing complaints here in West Central Florida where Spectrum took over Brighthouse.


67 posted on 04/30/2017 7:41:44 PM PDT by Retired Chemist
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To: Newbomb Turk
What company wants to bury the fiber optic ?

Here is an article with the details, which appeared in the local paper just after the council decided to put the project on hold.

Council to end telecom contract


68 posted on 04/30/2017 8:17:39 PM PDT by snarkpup ("The Democrat party's policies are like a warm blanket of asbestos." - Crystal Wright)
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To: halfright
So is it morally acceptable to receive free streaming channels provided by “jail broken” Fire sticks??

Such a quaint notion, morality. In this day and age, when up is down and down is up. Illegal aliens are demanding "constitutional rights", while citizens get punished but not illegal aliens for the same infractions. Mobs run rampant with masks on, vandalizing others' property while police look on indifferently.

I used to think in terms of being right while others are wrong. That is no longer the case. I now believe that everyone thinks they are right, no matter what they do. You think you're right, an opponent thinks they're right, and conflict ensues. Just do what you want to do, and hope that it doesn't end with pain for you. Regarding your question, you're probably okay and need not worry. As for the morality part, not for me to judge anyone as I break rules myself.

69 posted on 04/30/2017 8:18:16 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: ican'tbelieveit

We have a small RV with no TV.


70 posted on 04/30/2017 8:29:01 PM PDT by Mercat
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To: Castlebar
have you had any problems with ROKU function - losing audio, etc?

Not from ROKU but I sometimes lose Sling TV functions. ROKU has worked fine for me.

71 posted on 04/30/2017 8:33:23 PM PDT by PROCON
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To: windcliff

Twixt the Dodgers and their “sweetheart” deal with Spectrum, and their highest priced seats, parking and concessions in MBL, they can go to hell too. And they can shove that new “walk” rule as well.


72 posted on 04/30/2017 8:40:53 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: EveningStar

It’s cheaper to get a digital Antenna ( local and sports) and a Roku. Then subscribe to Netflix and Amazon Prime.

You will have more than enough TV to watch.


73 posted on 04/30/2017 8:45:37 PM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

That’s exactly the way I’m doing it. Of course I checked it to make sure it was legal.

I’m sharing my Netflix (Super HD account and I am allowed to add up to 4 people), and in return my friend is sharing his cable (up to 4 accounts allowed ) account. So I have HBO, all the ESPNs etc... On top of Amazon Prime and all my local channels through a Digital Antenna.


74 posted on 04/30/2017 8:51:09 PM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: wally_bert

Yes you have a problem. It happens.

Just keep opening new tickets until it’s resolved.

Time Warner can only see the last 48 hours on their stats. Sounds to me there is a bad card on your circuit? It could be at the C.O. or along the path at a Repeater or Cross box.

You should send them a copy of your log so they can see it.


75 posted on 04/30/2017 8:58:16 PM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Principled

I paid the $8.99 per month. I loved being able to watch shows that I barely remembered watching with my grand parents as a kid. So the paid version with its’ minor commercial interruptions was not an issue. Then for some reason it went back to 3 minutes of content then 5 minutes of commercials. I answered the survey as to why I dropped. My story and sticking to it.


76 posted on 04/30/2017 8:59:29 PM PDT by printhead (I need a new tagline. Happy days are here again.)
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To: Cementjungle

They are charging you to watch 25% advertisements that they get paid to broadcast. The news channels can be streamed free online. Networks also show reruns that have long lost their copyright and are in the “free” domain. But you’re paying for it all!

You can get most programming FREE without piracy or grey areas anyways.


77 posted on 04/30/2017 11:21:49 PM PDT by FreedomStar3028 (Somebody has to step forward and do what is right because it is right, otherwise no one will follow.)
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To: EveningStar

Anyone know of a method of receiving the Food Channel, Hallmark and Home and Garden via alternate means than a cable package? Cutting the Cord isn’t a starter for the Wife without those channels.


78 posted on 05/01/2017 2:51:24 AM PDT by DAC21
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To: cableguymn
We're in the same boat. Our DSL runs about 5mb.

Too slow for streaming, but plenty fast enough for an overnight torrent session to watch the next day.....

79 posted on 05/01/2017 4:25:45 AM PDT by Eric Pode of Croydon
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To: FreedomStar3028
You can get most programming FREE without piracy or grey areas anyways.

I was referring to using a jail-broken Firestick or some such device when I said "theft", not the free alternatives.

80 posted on 05/01/2017 8:19:47 AM PDT by Cementjungle
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