I got kidnapped by Time Warner :-----(((

"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:31:12 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 15:13:27 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"zalek" wrote in message
egroups.com...

Joe Collins wrote:
zalek wrote:

Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the
same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to
buy
a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I
have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

I agree with you. I bought a vacuum that "fell off the truck" for a
real good price. Much less than I would have paid at Sears. Only
problem was the vacuum didn't work. I had the damnded time trying to
return it to Sears.

I also had a similar problem at Yankees Stadium. The tickets are so
expensive. So I bought a new set of crayons and printed one up for
myself. Would you believe they did not let me into the game? The
nerve. The utter nerve.

You are trying to be more religious than a Pope. Time Warner told me
that the reason they don't want to send me a signal is not because the
box I bought is stolen or dameged - the reason is because I DIDN'T BUY
IT FROM THEM.
Now do you understand?

Zalek


We understand that, but they can decide whether or not to authorize a
box
or
not. I don't work for the cable company, but I am a professional
mathematician. Let's look at it this way. Let's say I own a cable
company
in
a market of a million people. Not every one is going to need a box; only
those who have digital cable or possibly the ones who have an older TV.
The
chances of the latter are low so forget about those people. Let's say
500,000 people have cable through my cable company. Let's also say 20%
of
those have digital cable. Those people need a box. If I charge the fee
my
current cable company charges ($9.95 a month), I'll make
100000*9.95=$9,950,000 a month JUST OFF BOXES! Yeah, it's mostly about
money
and I agree it sucks, but that's the way it works. Just pay the fee or
don't
get cable; plain and simple.

Dave

Dave,

I see you didn't get - do you know why a dog sucks his balls? Because
he can.
Do you know why Time Warner charges me 10 dollars a month for a cable
box, probably made in China and costs them a one time pament of $5?
Because they can, because I have no other option.
I think this situation is not good for the American consumer. Plain
and simple!!!

Zalek

You DO have another option: DON'T GET CABLE. It's pure common sense. No
where does it say any one person has to have cable. That's like saying
everyone needs a car, not true. What if they allow you to use your box,
but
add $10 on somewhere else, say for channels? You would STILL complain.

Dave


Dave,

Please, let me sell you something!!!!

And - yes, I do complain. This is my RIGHT as a consumer to complain.
And you have a right to pay overcharged priceses without any complain.

Zalek



I see I'm not getting anywhere. Let me tell you this. My brother is moving
back here. He wanted to get digital cable, but he asked me how much the box
was. Once he found out how much a box was, he decided just to get basic
cable that way he gets cable, but yet he doesn't have to rent a box. You
might have a valid complaint if you needed cable. But your complaint is just
like someone complaining that a Lexus is too expensive. Both aren't needed
and if you don't want to pay the price, you don't buy it.

Dave

Dave

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:46:31 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:31:12 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 15:13:27 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"zalek" wrote in message
legroups.com...

Joe Collins wrote:
zalek wrote:

Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the
same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to
buy
a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I
have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

I agree with you. I bought a vacuum that "fell off the truck" for a
real good price. Much less than I would have paid at Sears. Only
problem was the vacuum didn't work. I had the damnded time trying to
return it to Sears.

I also had a similar problem at Yankees Stadium. The tickets are so
expensive. So I bought a new set of crayons and printed one up for
myself. Would you believe they did not let me into the game? The
nerve. The utter nerve.

You are trying to be more religious than a Pope. Time Warner told me
that the reason they don't want to send me a signal is not because the
box I bought is stolen or dameged - the reason is because I DIDN'T BUY
IT FROM THEM.
Now do you understand?

Zalek


We understand that, but they can decide whether or not to authorize a
box
or
not. I don't work for the cable company, but I am a professional
mathematician. Let's look at it this way. Let's say I own a cable
company
in
a market of a million people. Not every one is going to need a box; only
those who have digital cable or possibly the ones who have an older TV.
The
chances of the latter are low so forget about those people. Let's say
500,000 people have cable through my cable company. Let's also say 20%
of
those have digital cable. Those people need a box. If I charge the fee
my
current cable company charges ($9.95 a month), I'll make
100000*9.95=$9,950,000 a month JUST OFF BOXES! Yeah, it's mostly about
money
and I agree it sucks, but that's the way it works. Just pay the fee or
don't
get cable; plain and simple.

Dave

Dave,

I see you didn't get - do you know why a dog sucks his balls? Because
he can.
Do you know why Time Warner charges me 10 dollars a month for a cable
box, probably made in China and costs them a one time pament of $5?
Because they can, because I have no other option.
I think this situation is not good for the American consumer. Plain
and simple!!!

Zalek

You DO have another option: DON'T GET CABLE. It's pure common sense. No
where does it say any one person has to have cable. That's like saying
everyone needs a car, not true. What if they allow you to use your box,
but
add $10 on somewhere else, say for channels? You would STILL complain.

Dave


Dave,

Please, let me sell you something!!!!

And - yes, I do complain. This is my RIGHT as a consumer to complain.
And you have a right to pay overcharged priceses without any complain.

Zalek



I see I'm not getting anywhere. Let me tell you this. My brother is moving
back here. He wanted to get digital cable, but he asked me how much the box
was. Once he found out how much a box was, he decided just to get basic
cable that way he gets cable, but yet he doesn't have to rent a box. You
might have a valid complaint if you needed cable. But your complaint is just
like someone complaining that a Lexus is too expensive. Both aren't needed
and if you don't want to pay the price, you don't buy it.

Dave

It is true - we are getting nowhere. Let me just add that in NYC I
need a cable box even for basic service. I subscribe for basic service
only - when I connect cable to my cable ready TV without a cable box,
I miss many channels and channel numbers are changed.

It is a pity we met only now - if I knew America had more consumers
like you - I would probably choose to be a salesman.

Zalek

"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:46:31 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:31:12 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"Zalek Bloom" wrote in message
m...
On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 15:13:27 -0600, "David Moran"
wrote:


"zalek" wrote in message
glegroups.com...

Joe Collins wrote:
zalek wrote:

Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the
same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to
buy
a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I
have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

I agree with you. I bought a vacuum that "fell off the truck" for
a
real good price. Much less than I would have paid at Sears. Only
problem was the vacuum didn't work. I had the damnded time trying
to
return it to Sears.

I also had a similar problem at Yankees Stadium. The tickets are
so
expensive. So I bought a new set of crayons and printed one up for
myself. Would you believe they did not let me into the game? The
nerve. The utter nerve.

You are trying to be more religious than a Pope. Time Warner told me
that the reason they don't want to send me a signal is not because
the
box I bought is stolen or dameged - the reason is because I DIDN'T
BUY
IT FROM THEM.
Now do you understand?

Zalek


We understand that, but they can decide whether or not to authorize a
box
or
not. I don't work for the cable company, but I am a professional
mathematician. Let's look at it this way. Let's say I own a cable
company
in
a market of a million people. Not every one is going to need a box;
only
those who have digital cable or possibly the ones who have an older
TV.
The
chances of the latter are low so forget about those people. Let's say
500,000 people have cable through my cable company. Let's also say 20%
of
those have digital cable. Those people need a box. If I charge the fee
my
current cable company charges ($9.95 a month), I'll make
100000*9.95=$9,950,000 a month JUST OFF BOXES! Yeah, it's mostly about
money
and I agree it sucks, but that's the way it works. Just pay the fee or
don't
get cable; plain and simple.

Dave

Dave,

I see you didn't get - do you know why a dog sucks his balls? Because
he can.
Do you know why Time Warner charges me 10 dollars a month for a cable
box, probably made in China and costs them a one time pament of $5?
Because they can, because I have no other option.
I think this situation is not good for the American consumer. Plain
and simple!!!

Zalek

You DO have another option: DON'T GET CABLE. It's pure common sense. No
where does it say any one person has to have cable. That's like saying
everyone needs a car, not true. What if they allow you to use your box,
but
add $10 on somewhere else, say for channels? You would STILL complain.

Dave


Dave,

Please, let me sell you something!!!!

And - yes, I do complain. This is my RIGHT as a consumer to complain.
And you have a right to pay overcharged priceses without any complain.

Zalek



I see I'm not getting anywhere. Let me tell you this. My brother is moving
back here. He wanted to get digital cable, but he asked me how much the
box
was. Once he found out how much a box was, he decided just to get basic
cable that way he gets cable, but yet he doesn't have to rent a box. You
might have a valid complaint if you needed cable. But your complaint is
just
like someone complaining that a Lexus is too expensive. Both aren't needed
and if you don't want to pay the price, you don't buy it.

Dave

It is true - we are getting nowhere. Let me just add that in NYC I
need a cable box even for basic service. I subscribe for basic service
only - when I connect cable to my cable ready TV without a cable box,
I miss many channels and channel numbers are changed.

It is a pity we met only now - if I knew America had more consumers
like you - I would probably choose to be a salesman.

Zalek

Then I have to agree, that's not right for them to do that. You shouldn't
need a box for Basic Service.

Dave

"David Moran" shaped the electrons to say:
Then I have to agree, that's not right for them to do that. You shouldn't
need a box for Basic Service.

Because of rampant cable theft, basic cable is commonly encrypted in
NYC.

-MZ
--
URL:mailto:megazoneatmegazone.org Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me.
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-852-2171
URL:http://www.megazone.org/ URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ Eris

"Gordon Burditt" wrote in message
...
Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to buy a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

He might have the right to use another cable box (but one certified
to comply with standards, and not give away free service). This
doesn't mean the cable company can't charge him for having another
box, it just means they don't charge him for the box. And it's not
stealing service.

Did you know that (most) people actually buy their own phones instead
of renting them from the phone company?

They're not telling him he has to use a rented TV. They're dictating (to
use your phone analogy) that it be there NIC (the gray box most telcos have
on the side of your house).

You think you have a right to do it? Of course you would like to do
it--and so would everyone else. It would be great. Unfortunately in
real life and in our current legal system there is no such right,and
thinking that you have that right is just wishful thinking. Perhaps
someday your wish will come true and cable boxes will be like phones,
but not now.

Ken

Gordon Burditt wrote:
Well Mr. Genius, I want to convince a corporation to send me the same
signal it is sending me to 2 other cables boxes I own. I want to buy a
cable box from other, cheaper source. As a consumer - I think I have
a right to do it. Do you think otherwise?

"zalek" writes:
Does a coporation have the right to create de facto a monopoly
and force consumers to buy equipment from them only?

Yes, in the USA it does. It is only prohibited from trying to prevent
other *sellers* from breaking that de facto monopoly by using specfic
"unfair" practices. Bill Gates is not in trouble for Windows being a
de facto monopoly--he is only in trouble when he tries to use that de
facto monopoly against potential competitors (e.g. against Netscape).

Moreover, the corporation can define how it wishes to package and
price its products. There is a case where a company tried to sue IBM
when they ordered an "upgrade" to their computer and an IBM tech came
in and snipped a wire. The company argued, unsucessfully, that they
should not have to pay the new doubled lease price on the computer,
but the court sided with IBM. That precendent is likely to apply in
your case. Even if you have a legal cable box, TW is not required to
authorize it, or may charge you more for authorizing it, than they
would if you leased a box from them.

Now, perhaps the FCC regulations give you more rights, and you will
find out how your campaign with them goes, but the campaign you are
waging in this newsgroup isn't winning you many supporters, and is
turning some people like me who were originally sympathetic to your
plight against you.

-Chris

Zalek Bloom wrote:
I wanted to add new cable box for my cable TV - Time Warner wants
$10/month for a box. I bought a cable box on the street the same one I
have - for $30. After connecting to a cable it says "call operator" -
so I called.
They told me that they will not support this box - I have to buy a box
from them for a price of $10/month. The building I am living does not
allow satellite dishes - so I am stuck. Here is the fax I am sending
to my representative - if you are stuck with cable as me, please to
the same:

To representative?

I am a Time Warner Cable subscriber. I want to add cable service for
a new television that I just purchased. Time Warner Cable wants me to
pay $10 per month for another box. I just bought the same box that
Time Warner uses for $30. Time Warner refuses to recognize this box
even though it is in perfect condition.
I live in New York City and there is no competition for Time
Warner. I live in a building where management does not allow us to
have a Satelite Dish. Please pass a law that allows consumers to
purchase equipment from someone other than a company that has a
monopoly on a service. I plan to start a campaign on the internet
about this problem and I will publish your response - or lack of - on
the internet.

An Angry Citizen

I sent it to:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York City
780 Third Ave, Suite 2601
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 688-6262
Fax: (212) 688-7444

Senator Charles E. "Chuck" Schumer
New York City
757 Third Avenue, Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
Fax: 212-486-7693

Representative Gary L. Ackerman (D - 05)
Phone: 202-225-2601 fax: 202-225-1589
http://www.house.gov/ackerman/pages/contact.html
District Office:
218-14 Northern Boulevard
Bayside, NY 11361-3580
Voice: 718-423-2154 FAX: 718-423-5053


Representative Anthony Weiner (D - 09)
Phone: 202-225-6616 fax: 202-226-7253
Email:

Zalek,

This seems to have turned into a ****ing match between lots of people.
I'm not taking sides so much as trying to explain why I think you
shouldn't expect to be able to do what you want to do, although if
you're as hard headed as I am, I probably won't succeed.

There may be many unfair things about capitalism, but it's the only
legitamate (emphasis on legitimate) game in town. I also prefer
capitalism even with it's downfalls, to other economies worldwide that
I'm aware of.

ie:
I can download and burn cd's of music off of the internet, but if I
don't pay the artist the royalty that they are due, then I've broken
the law. Likewise, "buying" a box doesn't entitle you to view cable
channels without paying the cable company what they want, and they
aren't obligated to authorize your box so that you can. They (the cable
companies) have so far been better able to control access to their
product than the music industry has. HBO was able to be viewed for free
back in the 80's if you purchased a satellite dish ....... until they
scrambled their signal and forced the use of decipher equipment
(****ed off a lot of people that had laid out money for a satellite
dish for that purpose).

I was apparently viewed as a smart ass with my earlier examples ....
that was not my intention, I apologise and yes, I am a cable employee.
I like my career because it's intellectually challenging, I meet lot's
of interesting (usually) friendly people, and I can make a living doing
it, not because I support huge conglomerates.

I've never been to NYC, and have no desire to do so (WAY too many
people in one place for me), but what I meant by moving to a "rural"
location might be out to the *burbs* where building codes aren't so
severe? That may not be an option for you, and if so, I feel bad for
you, but I think it unlikely that you'll change "the system".

good luck

The way most cities write the franchise laws the franchise cable
provider has to be allowed access to any dwelling in the are covered
by the franchise. This does not mean they will provide it only that
they can if they want to. So, if the franchise license contains the
usually provisions your community cannot prevent the franchised vendor
from continuing to provide service.

"Bill's News" wrote:

we will then have two optional providers, or whether our
community negotiated contract will require exclusive provision
from only the new supplier. Never-the-less, the new vendor -

You folks are really getting bent out shape over nothing.

The cable company is breaking out the cost of renting the box from the
cost of the service. They could just have easily raised the price of
the service by $10/month and offered the box for free.

The $10/month fee for the box is part of the cost of service from this
particular cable company.

All of the fees are subject to approval of your franchise authority --
usually the local municipality.

What a waste of bandwidth.

Thread now on ignore.