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Questionable (annoying) channel bundling
Anyone else frustrated when all you want is one or two channels in a package?
The Sports and (hardly-any)-Information Pak is rather awkward. Being dominated by mostly sports channels, it feels like the scant few "information" channels were just slapped on without regard for what consumers would prefer.
I mean, if you're a sports nut, the last thing you want cluttering up your favorite channel group is some boring documentary channel like H2 or Biography. Likewise, you shouldn't have to scroll through (not to mention pay for) several dozen sports channels if you could care less about the Sports and all you want is the Information.
In fact, even if you like both sports and documentaries, it still would be more convenient and sensible to group similar channels together, not all mixed up like they currently are. Or at least a way to order/sort channels based on interest.
I understand content providers' have their archaic bundling contracts (I'm not holding my breath for a la carte), but this is a particularly egregious and illogical example. H2 and Biography are part of A&E Networks, which doesn't own a single sports channel as far as I'm aware, so I can't imagine they'd have any contracts requiring bundling with sports channels. This suggests it is a decision made by Cox rather than A&E. To swindle extort customers out of an extra $6/month for a paltry two channels perhaps?
I propose moving all the "Information" channels from it to say, the Variety pak, and rename Sports and Information to just Sports. You could even charge a buck more for Variety and a buck less for Sports if you insist.
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ChrisL
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T_
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Absolutely agreed. I actually just went through that very thing tonight. The only channel I wanted out of that very pack was H2 because regular History channel has gone to ***, much the same way as Discovery and the old TLC have (still remember when TLC actually had something of value on it?) with all the ignorant reality shows.
Speaking of bundling, the whole concept seems to be a scam. I have no need or desire for home phone service from Cox as I already have a cell phone. In fact, the nuisance calls from telemarketers and groups asking who I planned to vote for became so annoying I unplugged my home phone and tossed it in the closet where it remains. Now, when I added H2 I wanted to cancel home phone service thinking it would be as simple as Cox no longer providing a service therefore the cost would simply be subtracted from the bill. This was not to be however, because without phone service (representing almost $30 a month to do nothing) violated the seemingly arbitrary terms of the "bundle deal" causing the whole cost to go up $46 a month. I can not seem to come up with a reason for this - the cost goes up to provide less service.
I am not a buisness major so maybe there is some aspect of their business model of which I am not aware that accounts for this but it certainly seems to be nothing more than an arbitrary way to obligate customers to cover Cox's own infrastructure costs. I.e. the wires are there whether I use them or not thus I have to cover their cost.
To summarize, I don't feel like I should have to pay for a service I have no desire for in order to conform to some arbitrary set of rules defining this "bundle" concept. If some reason does exist I certainly would like to hear it.
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