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Comcast
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Jan 12, 2022 10:00:26   #
Morry Loc: Palm Springs, CA
 
Another question we Comcast subscribers should ask is: "why are European and most of the rest of the world internet fees so much less than the US. Apparently the answer is that their internet companies are strictly regulated by their governments and the USA is not regulated.

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Jan 12, 2022 10:14:43   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
Morry wrote:
Another question we Comcast subscribers should ask is: "why are European and most of the rest of the world internet fees so much less than the US. Apparently the answer is that their internet companies are strictly regulated by their governments and the USA is not regulated.


Do you really want the government more involved in your life?

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Jan 12, 2022 10:14:45   #
kerry12 Loc: Harrisburg, Pa.
 
Longshadow wrote:
Maybe...
For me, mostly not.
(My bank doesn't charge me for checks.)
I can handle $5/month for stamps.
The less companies I have my account information at, the less I will be impacted by an intrusion to their database.



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Jan 12, 2022 10:15:58   #
bamfordr Loc: Campbell CA
 
twowindsbear wrote:
Welcome yourselves to the late 20th century & sign yourselves up for email billing & online banking for paying your bills. Maybe consider the novel idea of having your bank automatically pay the recurring & always the same amount bills automatically? Y'all won't be paying $0.10 - $0.15 per check and then paying USPS for a $0.55 (or maybe even MORE now) stamp.


For years (a long time ago) I resisted paying bills electronically. I didn’t want the personal banking data “out there” for the skilled hacker. Then I realized that every time I sent a check I was publishing the routing, account, name and address. Then in a telephone call to follow up on a payment by check, the support person asked me if I had paid from the account they had on file.

No more postage, no more early payments just in case, no more check fees, and an immediate proof of payment with a confirmation number.

Having said that I still insist on paper billing so someone else can easily find the bills if I am unexpectedly unavailable.

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Jan 12, 2022 10:48:19   #
JBRIII
 
Beowulf wrote:
Not a rant, but just for info. purposes. We have Comcast internet only, as we only use streaming services on our TVs. Just got the bill three days ago and the price of the internet service has been raised by $5.00. Not so much a big deal given the history of internet providers. If I do have an irritation with Comcast, it is this: we have had it for 14 years since we moved to southeastern MA, and the monthly bill used to come in the mail six days prior to the payment due date. Now, with the sketchy mail situation, we received our last two bills three days before due date.

Do any other Hoggers using Comcast have a similar situation?

On the unknown side, we will be moving out of state in four months, and will be dealing with Cox rather than Comcast.
Not a rant, but just for info. purposes. We have ... (show quote)


We have had the same problem with American Express bills. Yet last year I ordered a lathe accessory from India thru Amazon, arrived in 3 or 4 days as I remember, as if the part made every plane or ship with perfect timing, all marketings said that is where it came from. It should noted, the first order vanished without a trace. Also, had an Amazon order float back and forth between local post offices for a week just recently. Too many variables to know what is going on today.
Long before Covid, postal service in Keystone-Breck area of CO went crazy due to personnel shortage. They could accept new mail, sort incoming or delivery, but not all three. Business's were going crazy trying to deal with billing, bills, etc.

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Jan 12, 2022 10:51:21   #
Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas
 
Morry wrote:
Another question we Comcast subscribers should ask is: "why are European and most of the rest of the world internet fees so much less than the US. Apparently the answer is that their internet companies are strictly regulated by their governments and the USA is not regulated.


Competition - there are more service providers - same with cell phone companies. Friends from Europe that visit cannot believe how expensive it is here...

Our cities have granted one company to provide service which drove the competition out creating a monopoly. I remember in Colorado Springs when we had 3 providers - the city gave the contract to one which merged with one and the remaining company folded. A friend owned a provider company in Phoenix when the contract was awarded to a competitor - he was basically forced out of business... It seems our govt doesn't give a damn about competition any more as they are letting big companies buy / merge and take control... Seems the country is divided by the companies - some areas it's Comcast that has dominated - in other areas it Cox... There are more out there, but I don't remember the names... But no where near the number of providers outside the US

I have 1 service provider in my neck of the woods - I live in the country and do not have a wired option (let alone fiber) - it's cost prohibitive to try and use cell service for streaming/internet for the house and the satellite options are cost prohibitive as well - we'll see what the future brings...

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Jan 12, 2022 10:58:53   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Shellback wrote:
...
...
I have 1 service provider in my neck of the woods - I live in the country and do not have a wired option (let alone fiber) - it's cost prohibitive to try and use cell service for streaming/internet for the house and the satellite options are cost prohibitive as well - we'll see what the future brings...

WIFI???
What remains.

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Jan 12, 2022 10:59:20   #
odujim Loc: New Jersey
 
twowindsbear wrote:
Welcome yourselves to the late 20th century & sign yourselves up for email billing & online banking for paying your bills. Maybe consider the novel idea of having your bank automatically pay the recurring & always the same amount bills automatically? Y'all won't be paying $0.10 - $0.15 per check and then paying USPS for a $0.55 (or maybe even MORE now) stamp.



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Jan 12, 2022 11:22:09   #
Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas
 
Longshadow wrote:
WIFI???
What remains.


Yes, I have WiFi - transmitter is 3 miles away and we average around 20Mb for speed - it's enough to stream our tv shows and run our computers - the point is, currently there is only 1 provider - there is a company from TX that is starting to move into the area offering competition - we'll see what happens...

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Jan 12, 2022 11:23:25   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Shellback wrote:
Yes, I have WiFi - transmitter is 3 miles away and we average around 20Mb for speed - it's enough to stream our tv shows and run our computers - the point is, currently there is only 1 provider - there is a company from TX that is starting to move into the area offering competition - we'll see what happens...

Interesting.....

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Jan 12, 2022 11:32:20   #
JBRIII
 
Shellback wrote:
Competition - there are more service providers - same with cell phone companies. Friends from Europe that visit cannot believe how expensive it is here...

Our cities have granted one company to provide service which drove the competition out creating a monopoly. I remember in Colorado Springs when we had 3 providers - the city gave the contract to one which merged with one and the remaining company folded. A friend owned a provider company in Phoenix when the contract was awarded to a competitor - he was basically forced out of business... It seems our govt doesn't give a damn about competition any more as they are letting big companies buy / merge and take control... Seems the country is divided by the companies - some areas it's Comcast that has dominated - in other areas it Cox... There are more out there, but I don't remember the names... But no where near the number of providers outside the US

I have 1 service provider in my neck of the woods - I live in the country and do not have a wired option (let alone fiber) - it's cost prohibitive to try and use cell service for streaming/internet for the house and the satellite options are cost prohibitive as well - we'll see what the future brings...
Competition - there are more service providers - s... (show quote)


Western Maryland, for us, no cell phone service within 3-10 miles depending on direction, no DSL or fiber, no internet, but satellite. Mountains so line of site problems, large lots or farms, so few homes per mile, so no idea how areas like mine will survive the future that's coming. My wife finally agreed to retire due to changes at work, work at home, extensive, absolute need for internet which was not possible from here. Government security does not allow floating addresses used by Hughes net.

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Jan 12, 2022 11:36:30   #
JBRIII
 
Shellback wrote:
Yes, I have WiFi - transmitter is 3 miles away and we average around 20Mb for speed - it's enough to stream our tv shows and run our computers - the point is, currently there is only 1 provider - there is a company from TX that is starting to move into the area offering competition - we'll see what happens...


Best I get with satellite is 100-200kb in day time, 2 mb, 2-6 am.

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Jan 12, 2022 11:41:43   #
JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington
 
I receive my comcast invoice by e-mail. Check to see if this option is available to you.

My wife has payment setup in bill payer with our bank, so timing is not an issue for us.

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Jan 12, 2022 12:21:32   #
JoeBiker Loc: homebase: Houston, TX
 
Many years back, I would have to carry my cable box into the Xfinity (Comcast) store every year (calling on the phone will not work) and tell them that I was going to cancel my service if they didn't give me a better price. They always gave me a lower price (but only for one year), and then, when they finally realized that I was going to do this every year, they locked me into the lower price, and it hasn't gone up in more than 5 years.

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Jan 12, 2022 12:48:53   #
KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia
 
jerryc41 wrote:
There are no good cable companies. Their motto is "Strive to Provide Less for More."

With the slowdown in mail delivery, Comcast could send bills earlier, but that would deny it the chance to apply a late fee to late payments.


for your comments

for cable companies

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