If you are one of the many who ignored the friendly recorded message from Cablevision advising you that the drop dead- dead line of July 12th, 2011 was fast approaching, or if you hung up before your heard the part explaining that in order to maintain your CURRENT service you would need a digital cable box or cableCard for each television in use in your home, you are in for a very unpleasant surprise when you turn on your TV set.
Cablevision has posted the following message on your television screen:
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Important Information About Your Service |
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A digital cable box (or CableCARDtm) is needed to receive this channel. Please contact us at (866) 580-0535 to have a digital cable box shipped to your home FREE of charge OR visit one of our Optimum Stores. |
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For store locations, visit optimum.net/stores. |
Effective today, if Cablevision is providing service to your home, you need to have a cable box for each television in use in your home. If you do not use the television regularly or you want only the basic channels 2, 4, 5, 7 etc. you will still need a cable box. And the cable box is going to cost you.
The price of a cable box from cablevision is around six dollars a month or $72 a year. If you use more than one television expect to pay the fee for each television. A customer service representative at Cablevision volunteered that FIOS and other cable companies have been charging per television for some time.
People I have talked with have indicated that Cablevision may be willing to negotiate on the cost. A man from Commack told me he picked up a cable box at the Motor Parkway site and the fee was waived for a year. In another case the fee on two boxes was waived .
It is up to you, the customer, to decide if you are willing and able to pay the additional costs. For some it is a no brainer, I am not going to give up watching my shows I will have to pay– for others it is NO WAY, NO HOW I’m not paying.
Know anyone who wants to buy some slightly used TV Sets?