Spectrum says, if I cut my services, my bill goes ... up?

Quote: Columnist Scott Maxwell

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/76c8bd60-0f63-32b2-acd4-7802a83a8f54/ss_spectrum-says%2C-if-i-cut-my.html

It takes a lot to astound me, but “Bethany” managed to do so. It happened when she said: “$177.82.” Wait a minute, I thought. That can’t be right. I had called Bethany — a customer-service rep for Spectrum — to see how much I could shave off my $153 monthly bill by dropping my phone line. And the new price she quoted me was higher.

“So if I drop the phone,” I slowly responded, “my price will go up $24?”

Correct.

So right now I have cable, internet and phone. But if I drop the phone, you’ll charge me more?

Yes.

Welcome to world of cable providers.

....

A lot of people complain about their cable bills being completely un-transparent.

Many people prefer to use their cell phones for all calls and dispense with the cost of landlines. Cable companies know this, and have discovered that wirelines are not as useful as revenue generators, but they reduce churn since it is more difficult to change a working phone line than it is to change internet and television providers. It's like in older years they would give out a free e-mail address hoping to build corporate loyalty.

This business strategy makes perfect sense, but it could be handled transparently. The cable company could advertise free phone service with internet and basic cable television. As part of the advertisement, you could suggest that customers provide the wireline number to potential callers that you don't want interrupting you while you are walking around. It's a sentiment that nearly everyone can understand.

So when your spouse suggests switching to satellite TV to save money, you might say I like the wireline phone with answering service since I give that number to your Aunt Mabel, and every nonessential businessperson or salesperson I deal with.

In a dying industry, they want to hold on as long as they can. Cable companies won't do anything for the consumer the law doesn't require them to do.

Quote: Fleastiff

Cable companies won't do anything for the consumer the law doesn't require them to do.

Well that is probably true of a lot of industries A hotel could advertise that it's rooms are $80 per person. What they really mean is that the room is $160 for up to two people, and it has a resort fee plus taxes, so actually closer to $200.

But what is the value of all of this fakery in cable bills. Why not just advertise the phone service as free? Why should dropping the phone service make the bill go up by $24?

Quote: Pacomartin

Why should dropping the phone service make the bill go up by $24?

I presume there is no bundling plan without it?

That's slightly reassuring to me to think so, since I suspect my wife signs up for bundling plans that save nothing or next to nothing. I know she doesn't check it out. So to think the bundling is sometimes honest gives me hope!!

Quote: odiousgambit

I presume there is no bundling plan without it?

Yes, that is probably true, but the bundling plans are just creations of the cable company. One less service should not mean that their costs go up. I called my cable company and asked if I dropped the telephone line could they at least drop the 7 surcharges even if the basic bundle price remained the same. They told me that surcharges were just pass through costs (they lied). "No way!" they said.

Telephone SURCHARGES
$8.50 Federal Subscriber Line Charge
$0.26 Federal Excise Tax
$1.65 Federal Universal Service Fund
$0.13 State Sales Tax
$1.50 State Gross Receipts Tax
$0.08 State Telecom Relay Surcharge
$1.65 City 911 Fee
====
$13.77
A small percentage of the $164.06 total bill

My thought was that if I could just save $13.77 on surcharges, I could find a home cellular system for about the same money.


It would put us one step closer to getting rid of expensive cable TV and relying on streaming services.

I've got one of those home cell boxes, with service from at&t. Unlimited calls to or from anywhere in the US. Under $26 a month with all taxes and fees.

Quote: Dalex64

I've got one of those home cell boxes, with service from at&t. Unlimited calls to or from anywhere in the US. Under $26 a month with all taxes and fees.

The cheapest home phone systems use VOIP, but then you are still tied to the cable service where you get your internet. Even under the best circumstances $14 less in taxes and fees would allow me to replace the cable wireline phone with a fixed cellular service, but at least it would get the home phone separate from the cable (my parents have had triple play for 12 years).

Mine isn't voip. It sold for $90, or they provided it to you with a 2 year agreement.

I don't​ remember which way I went on that. I probably paid for the box up front, since I was worried about cell coverage at my house.

In the food business, items with a common component removed are more expensive. Fat-free milk (milk with the fat removed) costs more than whole milk. It's logical and easy to see why: removing fat from milk costs money.

Old MAD Magazine joke: If you want to do without, you'll have to pay for it.

Quote: Nareed

In the food business, items with a common component removed are more expensive. Fat-free milk (milk with the fat removed) costs more than whole milk. It's logical and easy to see why: removing fat from milk costs money.

Old MAD Magazine joke: If you want to do without, you'll have to pay for it.

Interesting because in Canada whole milk is more than reduced fat products. In the US it appears it is the same as Canada or all milks are the same price.