comcast bulk cable

Started by DeborahT1 • 6 replies • 2458 views

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DeborahT1 (Florida)
Posts: 1

Posted:

we have a contract with comcast untill sept 2012,we had a board meeting to get a new contract when this one was up, our old board pres. gave the comcast issue to the owners of the park with out even telling any one he was going to do this,no one was asked if this was to be ok with the association, nor was there a vote between the board, as not all members were presant, he did this on his own. when asked of the owners to let us do it our selves, reply was comcast we are doing it from this point on no more dissucion also that it is private property they can not enter with out there permission, but it has been done for 30 yrs pluse we have a new board now voted in 2012 is there any thing we can do to get it back, i also called the person who handled the bulk cable for us and i got now where with her she staded that it was being handled with her office and our park owners please let me know if they can do this and what our righst are.thank you

JoeM10 (California)
Posts: 2

Posted:

Hello DeborahT1,

With out knowing the terms of your agreement, it's tough to give you specific advice. In theory, if your contract is up, you can either renegotiate OR leave the contract.

Unfortunately, a lot of these bulk agreement contracts are set to continue with out notice at the termination of the contract. In that instance, you may need to submit something writting in advance of the expiration of the contract.

I do a good deal of work with BulkCable agreements, if you would like to get in touch with me, e-mail me at jmoore(at)elauwit(dot)com.

Best of luck!

--Joe

BruceF1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 2,535

Posted:

Deborah,

I am a member of our local county cable advisory commission. I am not in favor of bulk cable contracts because I believe they are anti-competitive.

JoeM10 (California)
Posts: 2

Posted:

Bruce,

You probably know more about it than I, being on a cable advisory commission, but I'd appreciate some further commentary if you don't mind. Can you explain how they are anti-competitive?

All broadband providers (national/local) have the ability to put in a bid for the services, and it's up to the residents to voice which one they prefer and why. If the board/management chooses a provider someone doesn't like, they can still use whichever competitor they wish.

Ideally, a bulk agreement means that people are getting a steeply reduced rate, bundled into rent/association fees, etc... for services they'd other wise purchase for much, much more money.

I do agree that there are some agreements out there that are out of this world - insanely long long-term contracts that automatically renew with built in price increases for sub-par service. But I'd say most of the time those agreements were signed by trigger-happy boards/management company's who didn't do their due diligence and jumped at the first bargain they were offered. But I don't believe that makes them "anti-competitive."

If thats the case in the original posters dilemma, than that's unfortunate, but maneuverable. It sounds to me like they are dealing with some awful customer service... and if the contract is dropped after expiration as it likely should be, they will go back to paying $140+ for services they were receiving for considerably less, or go without the services all together.

I could be wrong, but they are no more anti-competitive as a community offering an on-site gym... people can choose to use it, not use it, or maintain a membership at an off-site facility if they prefer. Either way, it's something the community offers, and the residents for. If your arguing that cable services are "expensive," well then that's a whole different conversation.

But I think anti-competitive is a pretty strong descriptor of bulk broadband.

Thanks.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Is not part of this discussion the fact that OP lives in a mobile home and rents the space from the mobile park owner thus is not the mobile home park owner in control of what comes into the park?

I think this is the controlling issue. Who owns what but as I am not familiar with mobile home parks and I think they might be an exception to HOA (common ownership), I could be off base here.

Thanks

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Quote:

but I'd appreciate some further commentary if you don't mind. Can you explain how they are anti-competitive?

Sometimes its not physically possible in some association buildings/neighborhoods to have more than one cable company. Thus only one can be chosen.

BruceF1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 2,535

Posted:

Joe,

Bulk cable arrangements are billed to all homeowners as part of their assessment. Usually, these arrangements only provide for basic service. Premier services are usually billed separately to each homeowner who desires them. There are other means for providing television entertainment other than cable; satellite, for example. If a homeowner wishes to choose an alternate source, he still would be required to pay for the cable service he is not getting, thus inflating the actual cost of providing TV service beyond what it would cost if he could simply choose one over the other. This discourages homeowners from seeking alternate sources of providing entertainment and is thus anti-competitive.

One would need specific examples to compare to see this. It may not be true in all cases.

You don't believe cable companies offer bulk contracts because it benefits the consumer, do you? It's good business for them. Otherwise, they would have no incentive to do it.

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