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When is a monopoly not a monopoly? Why, when it's a monopoly, apparently.

This is beyond idiotic and dovetails nicely into the recent news that Comcast and other ISPs have decided that Americans "pay too little" for their broadband, which is an outrageous claim. Maybe we pay too little for road access too, why not just make all roads toll roads?

http://www.fiercecable.com/cab...

Well, they've been banned by the FCC for now, but here's what they used to be:

http://www.fiercecable.com/onl...

One version may have been banned but they have been replaced by things like "zero rating" which is just the same thing by a different name.

Well, they've been banned by the FCC for now, but here's what they used to be: http://www.fiercecable.com/onl...

CBS All Access" ... is a network TV channel's obscure streaming site

It's not really obscure. They already have about a million subscribers and it may already profitable, though they don't seem to have released individual numbers for the HBO and CBS streaming services so it's impossible to tell. The new content will almost certainly help increase those numbers.

For decades there have been people saying that wanted cable TV to let them buy individual channels instead of a bundle because the increased cost for the handful of channels they want would still be cheaper than the bundled price for 300 channels that they don't want. This gives them what they asked for and it turns out that about a million people weren't just talking out of their ass.

It's pointless to talk about numbers we don't actually know so I'll just address the fact that CBS is not a cable channel, they are a national network of OTA TV stations that anyone in the US can already watch for free. You can even buy a cheap USB TV tuner and record it if you want to watch something later. The only way I'd ever consider paying for it is if I were living abroad but they say they restrict access to only the US and I don't know how much VPN wack-a-mole they do.

CBS All Access" ... is a network TV channel's obscure streaming site

It's not really obscure. They already have about a million subscribers and it may already profitable, though they don't seem to have released individual numbers for the HBO and CBS streaming services so it's impossible to tell. The new content will almost certainly help increase those numbers.

For decades there have been people saying that wanted cable TV to let them buy individual channels instead of a bundle because the increased cost for the handful of channels they want would still be cheaper than the bundled price for 300 channels that they don't want. This gives them what they asked for and it turns out that about a million people weren't just talking out of their ass.

However you might feel about people like "The Donald" keep in mind that he has not been bought and paid for by the cable industry. http://www.fiercecable.com/cab... Or the banks http://www.salon.com/2016/05/0... Or even the Russians http://www.nytimes.com/interac... She is just one candidate that you could choose not to support, I'm not suggesting you vote for "The Donald" but at least you're not voting for a criminal. Additionally look at where the vast majority of political contributions flow to and from before you cast your next vote for your local city and state officials. Tired of the government fucking you over? Stop asking them to do so with your votes. And yes, on this site, I expect this comment to be removed completely or down modded into oblivion because diversity of thought is not allowed.

due to the crushing costs of upgrading their systems

Is that the actual reason for their financial problems? Not the executive compensation?

CEO Tom Rutledge saw his compensation nearly quadruple to $16.1 million in 2014, up from $4.5 million the year before, according to Securities Exchange Commission filings .... a number of other Charter executives also received big pay increases in 2014: CFO Christopher Winfrey made $36 million, up from $848,122 in 2013; COO John Bickham banked $8.6 million, up from $2.8 million; and executive VP and president of commercial services Dom Detampel took home $3.6 million, up from $913,707.

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Yes, I'm sure I'll be modded as a troll but the fact is the democrat party is bought and paid for by the big cable lobby http://www.nationalreview.com/... It's no wonder that Comcast (CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, etc. etc) all endorsed Clinton. Follow the money. http://stopthecap.com/2015/06/... http://bud-meyers.blogspot.com... http://www.fiercecable.com/sto...

Netflix has already done it with Comcast and AT&T, so it's not surprising that Verizon wants in on this action as well, and will continue to be douchebags about it.

Netflix already did it with verizon too!
Back in APRIL even!
And yet they are still being douchebags.