Marianne Paskowski

Yo, Blondie --

It's a capitalistic market, and sparring over prices is part of the game -- up to a point. Sustainable market shares aren't won by price cuts (though broadband/cable service is "sticky" with high switching costs to the customer). Watch for a dramatic service/feature increase from one of the current players, or a new interloper, to attempt to rewrite the rules of engagement.

Hint: It won't be smell-o-vision!

Cruisin not bruisin

Cruiser,
For now cost is the pivot. TWC is flirting with HDTV, big deal, doesn't rock my socks.

The only sticky things about the cable stocks and teclo stocks is inertia.

Thanks for your post,
Marianne

Dear Ms. Paskowski --

Whenever we at The Institute see a looming price war, we activate our econometric models in order to predict winners and losers. Unfortunately, our model is showing that both Verizon and Time Warner will be losers in this new price war. The answer lies in the Loyalty Algorithm correlates we've developed, exclusively, through our logit analysis of historical data of media supplier switching in Manhattan. Lately, we've included cell phone service switching data to the model. Our data, which include the entire history of Manhattan, go back to subscription cancellations for Jeffersonian vs. Hamiltonian broadsheet newspapers in the 1780s.

One conclusion is inescapable: the FIOS vs. Time Warmer battle will enervate both parties, as proven by our log-linear cluster analyses of t-distributions. The big winner will be Cablevision, if Jimmy Dolan can get his picture replacing Hamilton's on the $10 bill.

Again, looking historically, earmarks the Mugwump party won during the late 19th century administration of Grover Cleveland depended heavily on heavy pro-Cleveland support from Mugwump-owned media: the "Muggies" in the parlance of the day.

For Jimmy Dolan to get his cameo on the 10-spot will depend on his support for the John McCain candidacy-- specifically by providing news coverage on Cablevision that totally ignores Barack Obama.

Hey -- It's all in the numbers, if they're longitudinally decomposed.

Sincerely,

Dr. Foster K. Williamson, PhD

Oh Doc,

You're charts blow. Cablevision is losing subscribers in Westchester, where Verizon FiOS is picking up steam.

Cablevision's problem is it is pig, won't lower prices. That's why Bobby left. I suspect others.

About TWC, smart move.

Regards, I think,
mp

Dear Dr. Williamson,

The more I read you the more I wonder if you and I don't hail from the same "Institute."

I'm bipolar.

You?

Hi Cory,
The doc said one good thing, not figuring mobile into the price equation, for any of them.
Thanks for your post,
Marianne

I am a left coaster where Verizon Fios has been available for over 6 months. As a subscriber there have been a few positives, mainly the ability to "bundle" features. I know that's not new by any stretch; Charter Cable and Time Warner bundle internet, cable tv, and VOIP. But where Fios shines is in the technology - fiber can carry so much more data, resulting in faster net speeds, and get this - less compressed HD channels. Cable and DirecTV have to throttle their signals while Verizon can offer the cleanest picture out there.

Marianne, it will be interesting to see how your friend fares, because out here while the price on the services are locked in, the prices on the infrastructure is not. I bet that's the first line item they increase in monthly fees.

Hiya Rob,

Let me know what you're bill looks like, after the lock down period is over. I think they make these words up like tariff, whatever cost they can conjure up.

My next blog is going to be about my Comcast bill and it's left footws explanation about why MSNBC and several other nets are going off of analogue and to junior training wheels digital, that's not the real name of the new level of service, I can't remember, just sorta making that up.

Bottom line, I don't like it, still checking it out.

Thanks for the post,

MP

I've just made the switch from fios to twc myself. Regarding price, I've been with twc since 2002, by 2006 my bill hit $200/mo. I had to get rid of one stb, exchange another stb for a cable card, I never had a dvr or on demand, I slowed down my internet, and only got my bill down to $130/mo after taxes.

verizon is giving me everything, including 3 stb, multiroom dvr, faster internet, and more HD channels than I had for about $80 after taxes for first 6mo, and $115 after taxes for next 6 mo.