XPost: alt.home.repair   
   From: dannydiamico@gmail.com   
      
   On Fri, 11 Aug 2017 09:50:34 -0700 (PDT), trader_4 wrote:   
      
   > I agree that they are deceptive, but I don't think those fees are totally   
   made   
   > up.  Comcast has to pay the local broadcasters to be able to retransmit   
   > their broadcasts on their system.   
      
   I understand what you're saying which is that Comcast is just passing on   
   their costs. Everything depends on how Comcast positions that cost, since   
   the kids were unaware of it when I spoke to them today (but they're just   
   kids).   
      
   Here is a recent lawsuit update, August 2017, on the lawsuit against   
   Comcast for hiding these fees from customers like these kids.   
   https://consumerist.com/2017/08/08/comcast-fails-to-shut-down-cu   
   tomer-lawsuit-over-broadcast-tv-regional-sports-fees/   
      
   These "fees" are all made up bogus ways of passing on costs to you without   
   it *looking* like a cost (they try to position it as an "implied"   
   government fee which it is not but which people naturally think it is):   
   https://consumerist.com/2016/10/18/customers-accuse-comcast-of-u   
   ing-broadcast-tv-regional-sports-fees-to-illegally-hike-rates/   
      
   >  Since local TV is including in even the   
   > most basic cable packages that I've seen, I agree you would think that fee   
   > would be included in the basic monthly advertised cost, so it's deceptive.   
   > But they are passing something along to the TV companies.  Same with the   
   > sports fee.  But the way it's priced and presented is deceptive.   
      
   I think the fact they hide it in plain sight is what makes it deceptive,   
   but, since they do tell people in the teeny tiny print, it's probably not   
   illegal (up to a judge to decide though). I think the marketing genius is   
   that these hidden charges are probably "assumed" to be legit government   
   fees by most people - which is the deceptive part. Again, up to a judge to   
   decide because they never explicitly "said" it was a government fee.   
      
   > BTW, I see the cable modem/router was provided, apparently for free.   
   > Which is what I said might be the case and should be checked out before   
   > wasting a lot of time figuring out your own solution.   
      
   I appreciate your advice because I have WISP so I'm almost completely   
   ignorant of cable hardware and I still have questions.   
      
   The $40 (actually $52 with these fees) "Internet Plus Choice with Limited   
   Basic TV" plan comes only with the following for that $52/month:   
   1. One free Pace/Arris PR150BNM TV box (useful for only 1 TV)   
   2. 10 basic channels (local + HBO)   
   3. Internet 55Mbps down, 5Mbps up   
      
   I had shipped the kids the following which are necessary:   
   4. Costco Arris SB6141 Docsys 3.0 modem   
   5. Netgear AC router   
      
   Since they don't have a TV, a friend is willing to give this to them:   
   6. Trinitron KV-27FV17 27-inch TV   
      
   My main question now is whether that older model TV can work with the thing   
   that Comcast calls the "TV box"?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)