Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) a whipping boy? Say it isn't so. Here's today's cable news roundup.
Some Netflix customers are dropping their subscriptions after the company overhauled its subscription plans, which included hiking the monthly fee for unlimited streaming plus one monthly DVD rental by 60 percent to US$16. While the Netflix streaming-only subscription remains $7.99, Jefferies & Co. Inc. predicts the move could produce a bigger than expected subscriber exodus in the second half of 2011. The Netflix blog post explaining the move is chock-full of customer vitriol.
News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) abandoned its bid to acquire top U.K. pay-TV firm Sky , amid the phone-hacking scandal.
Level 3 Communications Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) and Cox Communications Inc. have expanded their IP and transport service deal to include a wholesale element that lets Cox use and resell Level 3's services. Cox is also purchasing additional dark fiber to help beef up its backbone.
Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) says its Xfinity Signature Support service -- the MSO's version of Best Buy's Geek Squad -- is available to more than 22 million customers upon completing its national rollout.
Concerns from regulators about a lack of cable TV competition in Kraków is delayingLiberty Global Inc. (Nasdaq: LBTY)'s acquisition of Polish cable operator Aster.
Oprah Winfrey is taking the helm as CEO of the cable channel she launched with Discovery Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), a month after telling attendees at The Cable Show in Chicago last month that they shouldn't bet against her.
— Steve Donohue, Special to Light Reading Cable, and Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable
Dillusional, definition, Comcast executives who believe meat with eyes customers will pay good money for the worst customer service in the world, ie Xfinity Signature Services. Hey Comcast, pay attention this advice is free, you can't sell a premium service if you can't deliver basic support services. It's a rule and it hasn't changed to my knowledge. Whoever is even remotely thinking of signing up for this service do this instead, go to the toilet in your home or office, take your money and flush it down the shitter, same result as Xfinity support! Now for fun call Xfinity and get on hold while still watching the toilet. See if someone answers the line before the money comes back out of the toilet. (hint the money is more likely to come back out of the toilet before someone answers the phone at Comcast).
As a netflix subscriber, I sincerely don't mind paying more for their services. What I think motivated the revolt, is that they rolled out a price increase as a feature. Instead of selling it as "The $10 plan will be now $16, BUT you have the option of going only streaming or only DVDs for half the price", they went "Hey! Good news, we decided to split plans to make everyone happy! Your plan will be invalid and you'll have to pay more! And everyone will switch over in September".
If there's one thing customers don't want is that you make them look like idiots, and tell them to pay more with ultimatums. That's like 3 strikes on a single blog posting.
Yeah, not many folks are accepting Netflix's spin here. I'm considering making an adjustment... go with unlimited streaming and get DVDs at Redbox and (gasp!) keep a closer eye on cable VoD for titles offered in the DVD release window. The Netflix DVDs I have on hand have been collecting dust for months. JB
Dillusional, definition, Comcast executives who believe meat with eyes customers will pay good money for the worst customer service in the world, ie Xfinity Signature Services. Hey Comcast, pay attention this advice is free, you can't sell a premium service if you can't deliver basic support services. It's a rule and it hasn't changed to my knowledge. Whoever is even remotely thinking of signing up for this service do this instead, go to the toilet in your home or office, take your money and flush it down the shitter, same result as Xfinity support! Now for fun call Xfinity and get on hold while still watching the toilet. See if someone answers the line before the money comes back out of the toilet. (hint the money is more likely to come back out of the toilet before someone answers the phone at Comcast).