Rebuttal letter to COX's reply, 1/13/08

[David]

Convoluted Cox Cable
Editor:

What a bunch of stuff! John Wolfe’s explanation (see: R-J, 1/11, pg. 12) about the upcoming move to digital TV is correct, but his convoluted explanation concerning TCM (Turner Classic Movies) makes absolutely no sense (John Wolfe is Vice President, Government & Public Affairs at Cox Communications).

I don't believe the original complaint had anything to do with TCM and the upcoming DTV; the question revolves around what was once a “free” channel now being available only in a premium package.

Freeing up space to offer new products? Bogus!
And what does the fact that “TCM has been carried on our Digital package in northern Connecticut and is carried on the digital tier by other cable providers . . . ” have to do with the fact that what was once part of a basic package has been moved? The real reason for the move was to increase profits. (By the way, I would respect the man if he would simply tell the truth about the move; perhaps I wouldn't like it, but at least the reason makes sense -- after all, Cox is a “for profit” company.)

In actual fact, unless Cox can show that all of their channel assignments are filled, taking a relatively low-quality picture, such as an old movie, and shifting it to a digital tier, on the grounds that freeing up one of the analog channels will permit more bandwidth for digital transmissions (which themselves are part of a premium package) is a convoluted argument that would make Schopenhauer proud!

Since Wolfe is based out of New England and not Cox National Headquarters in Atlanta, I would encourage people to keep calling Cox National Headquarters at: 1-888-566-7751.

PAUL PARISI, S. MERIDEN

[Fit 2 Print]

Can anyone explain how Cox believes it can just take away Turner Classic Movies withOUT a reduction in charges to compensate?
Do customers really have zero say in this matter?

[collie]

Cox is, in my opinion, really this bad. That is why it's a good idea to call the national number - I called the local PR person, Peter Talbot, twice and he has yet to return my call. In all the rebuttals from Cox, they don't answer questions like could they run TCM on both basic and digital, will they consider lowering the basic cost since we get less now? How's about this question - when they switch over to digital in February will all the basic customers get TCM then? They are amazingly silent on the practicalities of what changes basic customers will see come Februrary. We'll probably just get a bigger bill and they will "digitalize" the basic lineup and we'll pay more for the same thing.

[eds]

Because Cox replaced the TCM channel with another channel you pay the same. Because you don't like the channel, well, that has nothing to do with it, unfortunately.

There has been talk of making the cable companies do a-la-carte. You can pick channels you like and pay for them accordingly. There would be price breaks if you pick a certain number of channels. If you pick only one channel, you pay a lot more per channel than someone who picks 20 channels, or picks 100 channels.


I like that idea better. Because I get the full package from Cox, I get hundreds of channels, and I really only watch like 10 at best and only like 3 on a routine regular basis. The others either get watched rarely if there is something on I want to watch, or never.

[collie]

Cox "replaced" TCM with a channel we already had - that being Court TV, now called TruTV. There's no new Channel we basic customers got that I know of, which is why people are crabbing. I do like the idea of picking what channels I want; perhaps that option will be more readily available come February. I do wish Cox would talk about what will happen then - all of us with basic cable are apparently going to have a digital signal running into the home, not the analog signal they currently carry basic on. A pick what channels you want, TCM included, would be great.

[eds]

My understanding from the letter from that VP guy at Cox was that nothing will change for Cox subscribers. Does that mean Cox subscribers who have cable ready TV's that don't currently use a box, won't need a box? I don't know for sure, but that was my impression. But from the commercials I see, the government is giving credits for box purchase/rentals. So I am confused.

As much as we do not like (or like perhaps) the digital change in 2009, there is nothing we can do either way. It's coming and the energy should be spent on determining what the impact is, minimizing its impact, and delivering quality service to all tier levels.

[collie]

None of us who currently have cable through cable ready TVs need to buy any box come next February - we only need a convertor box now if we want to get digital. Because of the analog signal running through the cables now. That signal will be a digital one come next February; you only will need a box then if you have an old rabbit ear's TV. Right? Took me long enough to figure out THAT much but I don't feel stupid, only kind of mystified that COX isn't sharing with its basic viewers using cable ready TVs what kind of lineup changes we will see in February of 09. I mean, they sure understand we have been confused. We won't need any box but what will basic viewers have for a package or lineup? The same thing we do now only being transmitted digitally? Won't that make everything digital? That's why I think then we could easily pick and choose. They won't be able to argue digital pier if everything is digital. My guess is lineup will be the same and if we want TCM it will be on some premium tier.

[eds]

Ok now I am confused even more.

First Cox VP guy says this:

Fortunately, if you are a cable customer, you need not take any action. After February 18, 2009, Cox will take the broadcasters’ digital signals, convert them to analog, and send them down the cable to your TV set, just as we do today. If you have a cable going into the back of a cable-ready TV set, or a set-top receiver from Cox, you will continue to receive the local broadcast channels you receive today.

Then the government is saying we need a convertor box which we can buy so that must not be from the Cox people because we rent those from Cox.

But according to the veep, we don't need anything and nothing will change.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

I am asking because I want to know exactly. Is it that Cox is mitigating the change only for its customers, but not the nation? You bring up a good point for those of us with digital. Do I still pay the premium I pay now for the digital service once everything is digital? I know the premium for HD service will not change, probably, but what about digital? Oy!

[collie]

I just called Cox and asked them to explain - you're absolutely correct, EDS. This is truly taking me an impossibly long time to understand. Me with a cable ready TV and Cox Cable will have absolutely nothing change come next February. Cox will continue to deliver me basic service as I have it now and they will be converting the digital signal to an analog one to do so. Oh well, at least I don't have a contract with them so if I want to change companies it will be a simple matter. Except the year it will take me to figure out what the hell I'm doing.

[eds]

Where is Digital Max when you need him? :D:D:D

[Modica]

I have digital so the move did not effect me, but I feel bad for all the people who lost this great channel. It is one of the only channels I watch consistently and to lose it must be terrible. I only hope that TCM stays with the quality programming that it has and doesn't go the way of so many of the once good channels by putting on garbage that only a 10 year old could like. The travel channel has poker games, TV Land shows movies, Bravo has reality programming; am I the only one who finds this absolutely ridiculous?:eek:

[collie]

No you are definitely not alone! Unfortunately when the topic comes up on this forum, those of us disgusted with the drivel on TV today are advised to "change the channel." Losing TMC really messed with my lineup. AMC just doesn't have the same quality.

[Modica]

Should ask the people who say to "change the channel"; If they take all the quality channels away then what channel are we supposed to change it to?:confused:

[Eastside Bill]

What Cox still has not explained is why we still pay the same when they removed one (favorite) channel and reduced the number of stations we received. There was no replacement for TCM, Court TV was just moved from another channel. We now receive one less channel yet still pay the same. There's something wrong with this picture.

[eds]

Think of it like this. Its not that you receive one less channel for the same money, its that the remaining channels cost more so that if they left TCM in the lineup they would have had to raise rates. By eliminating TCM they could keep the price the same and not raise rates. See? They are just trying to keep their customer's happy. :D:D:D

[eds]

I am with you guys on this. TV today is full of smut. I have HD but everything I watch is limited to only a handful of stations. Unfortunately they are on the costlier tier packages. But I have to say that when whatever shows you like are gone, get rid of the cable TV, or watch DVDs. For some time I did without cable TV because nothing I liked was on. Some people happen to like smut. It's their right to.

What you think is crap, others enjoy, and vice versa. One type of show is not better than any other type. When you reach a point when nothing you like is on, vote with your dollar and cancel your subscription to cable.

"Change the channel" means that you should watch something else so long as something else exists for you, and to not criticize what someone else likes. Many people like the smut on TV. Why shouldn't they be able to watch it? If you don't want your kids to watch it, you can either break their hand if they tune to a poor program, or block them with parental controls, leaving the smut for the adults who like it.

Why should people be forced to watch good TV when they don't like it?
Why should people be forced to watch bad TV when they don't like it?

No one should be forced to watch anything. So either change the channel, or cancel your cable. Or protest the programming committees of the stations on TV and ask them to change. Unfortunately too many people like the smut and smut sells.

[Modica]

TCM has very little smut. I am still sorry that many people lost TCM.

[eds]

I know. It is one of the few channels that has quality programming on it. It is unfortunate.

[Common Sense]

I hope everyone is still calling Cox National Headquarter's where they are keeping track of this issue both during and after business hours. After business hours you can leave a message. 1-888-566-7751
Thank you

[Common Sense]

When the switch is made to digital it will have no impact on those of us on basic or extended basic. We only see in analog as has been explained. However I wonder if those that are now renting a digital converter box will no longer need it since everything will be digital?! I also wonder if this is another way Cox New England is trying to squeeze more money from their clients because once all signals are digital there will not be any need for converter boxes. Thanks again to Mike Reynolds for providing the National Headquarter phone number for Cox.