🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Sep2.170848.10491@mcc.com> amck@mcc.com (Alan McKendree) writes:
>In article <Btxpp4.C98@cmptrc.lonestar.org> andy@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Andy Hart) writes:
>>   Do you KNOW that they would like to charge me an ADDITIONAL FIVE DOLLARS
>>   for each TV set hooked up in the house?  No additional services, just
>>   more extensions.
>
>Your position is self-contradictory.  If having cable on more than one
>TV _weren't_ an additional benefit (i.e., service), there would be no
>reason for you to desire it.  And yet you complain about having to pay
>for it.  Do you think you should get free rugs in all your rooms after
>paying for the first one, too?

Ah.. a favorite gripe of mine, I agree with those that believe there should
be a single fee for a single residential home regardless of the number of
sets one has.  Why, because the cable company delivers a single composite
signal and the internal distribution/use of that single shouldn't be any
concern of there's.  The telephone company made the same claims about
extension phones and inside wiring.  Today, no one pays for extensions
and anyone can run there own inside telephone wiring.

I've heard the argument that with 2 or more sets the user is getting
extra benefit.  That's true, but not at any additional cost to the 
cable TV provider.  There are those that say you have only "contracted"
for reception of one channel at a time.  If that is so, then why is there
no additional charge for a VCR that is connected in series so I
can watch channel X and record channel Y.  (I am aware that some
systems apparently want you to pay for a VCR connection also as an 
extra TV fee).  Likewise, what if the user pays for the basic service
plus one or more premium services?  Shouldn't the paying of any extra
premium service fee imply that you should be able to watch at least
2 channels simultaneously (a basic channel on one TV and the premium
on another)?

Food for thought.....

Oh, and the rug example above is not an accurate analogy, in that case
the store that sells you a rug clearly would need to supply additional
material to you to cover additional rooms.

Standard Disclaimer- Any opinions, etc. are mine and NOT my employer's.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)
Morristown, NJ             email via UUCP      bcr!dancer!whs70
201-829-2879 Weekdays      email via Internet  whs70@dancer.cc.bellcore.com