Comments
clrmoney
6/26/2017 10:26:48 AM
User Rank Platinum
OTT and Pay TV
Well Pay TV has ridiculous prices at times and sometimes they have good deals in the beginning but I think that OTT/Over the Top would be better in a way with what they have to offer etc.
afwriter
6/27/2017 12:41:27 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: OTT and Pay TV
The price of traditional TV does continue to be an issue (the main driver?) of people cutting the cord.
elizabethv
6/27/2017 8:38:36 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: OTT and Pay TV
@afwriter - price is definitely a key factor in cord cutting, but for me it also boiled down to customer service. DirecTv refused to listen to me - I cut my losses and ran. Two years later I don't regret a thing. So while price might be a big issue, I have to wonder how frequently a bad experience is the straw that breaks the camel's back.
afwriter
6/28/2017 12:41:50 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: OTT and Pay TV
I have to agree, but I think that is why customer service is so bad. Up until a few years ago your choices were bad or worse so they didn't care. Now, they are facing some serious competition and it is forcing them to up their game, but I think it is too little too late.
elizabethv
6/28/2017 8:28:19 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: OTT and Pay TV
@afwriter - for a lot of people I would imagine it is too little too late. I know DirecTv has tried to contact me multiple times to get me to sign back up. Every time they ask me why I left, and if they could do anything. The first few times I repeated the whole story, but by now I know nothing is going to change and the story is way too long for me to care anymore. So I just tell them not to worry about it. They leave it be and call me back 4-6 months later. I might at some point consider going back if there were enough incentives and the price was low enough, but I doubt it. And it probably would never be DirecTv.
JohnBarnes
6/26/2017 2:31:16 PM
User Rank Platinum
The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
Consumers just keep finding ways to move closer to their true goal, seamless delivery of a la carte content on demand. So the balance will be struck at whatever point some combination of regular subscription channels and OTT will get as close to that for the lowest possible price. Then the balance will be struck again and again, always moving toward best approximation of a la carte on demand or lowest price or both. Eventually we'll get there.
The institutional arrangment that allows carriers/content providers/telcos/whatever to provide a la carte on demand at a low but sustainable price, first, is the only one there will be after a while. This is a classic case where a known endpoint is going to be a corner solution: all one thing, all the way, for everybody.
dcawrey
6/26/2017 5:04:22 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
This is all about listening to the customer.
People clearly don't want to pay $100 for cable anymore. This has paved the way for streaming services to come in with less content but a better price. Paying attention to the analytics of the customer is paramount today.
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
@dcawrey: FWIW, I don't mind paying $100 or so for an advanced cable package...so long as it stays at that instead of skyrocketing up $30-40/month within the year or two.
dcawrey
6/26/2017 7:45:05 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
@Joe Stanganelli Isn't that what those packages do regardless?
With OTT, people have choice. If a provider tries to jack up prices, people can leave. No contracts, no lock-in. It's great.
JohnBarnes
6/27/2017 12:31:22 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
Basic game theory. Price cartels are hard to maintain because the incentive to cheat is strong, and the more players who join the cartel the harder to maintain it gets.
mpouraryan
6/27/2017 2:50:20 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
A strong incentive to maintain a sense of choice--although the conslidation that seems to be the order of the day is of profound concern in many respects....
JohnBarnes
6/29/2017 10:04:36 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
MPouraryan,
And to be sure, consolidation of control is one way to keep a cartel from breaking down. However, that really only works when there are significant barriers to entry -- and the technology of OTT is all about reducing the entry barrier to insignificance.
mpouraryan
6/27/2017 2:50:21 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
A strong incentive to maintain a sense of choice--although the conslidation that seems to be the order of the day is of profound concern in many respects....
mpouraryan
6/27/2017 2:52:09 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
..As I wind down this "walkabout" I could not help but note how he talked about a "Roku like" box--DirectTV Now has a promotion that gives you a free FireStick or ROKU--so the move is already happening--whether it turns into a true Tsunami remains to be seen!!
mpouraryan
6/27/2017 12:30:02 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
I have been in the midst of checking out DirectTV NOw--the idea of being able to watch it from anywhere is pretty good--but when I, for instance, also can see either SkyNews or Al Jazeera "on Demand", YouTube Red--it will be interesting--and now I'm seeing Facebook wanting to get into the act w/a budget for scripted TV Shows...fun times!!!
afwriter
6/27/2017 12:48:58 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
@Mpouraryan it is already getting overwhelming and there are even more companies trying to get in on the game.
mpouraryan
6/27/2017 12:52:28 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
That can be good for the end user--or at least that's my hope at any rate. :)
elizabethv
6/27/2017 9:02:00 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
@dcawrey -I suppose technically there is less content, but the content that customers really want, can generally be found on OTT. (Except Early Edition, but don't get me started on that.) So the way I see it, OTT has more content. There is far more for me to watch with OTT than I ever found to watch when I still had cable.
dcawrey
6/27/2017 3:23:45 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
@elizabethv It really depends on what content you watch. For example, I would argue that live events are still woefully underrepresented with OTT. Cable still is dominating that space. And it still feels overall cable has more content - it is just horribly distributed.
elizabethv
6/28/2017 8:30:07 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
@dcawrey - I didn't even consider live events. I suppose that goes hand-in-hand with the fact that I don't watch a lot of sports. When we watched the Super Bowl this last year, it was just with our antenna. So for the big events I think you still don't need any kind of cable. But some people really like their sports, and aren't satisfied with just the ones you can see on local channels. Such is life I suppose. Cable can at least count on those customers - for now.
afwriter
6/27/2017 12:44:34 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
In my opinion, the endgame is something that only a few stations do right now. Allow us to download their app (free or paid) and watch their content in real-time or at a later date. The one that comes to mind is The CW.
JohnBarnes
6/29/2017 10:10:42 PM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
afwriter,
Well, I suspect you will get your wish. With all the various TV delivery technologies right now, the incentive is to steal customers from the competition by offering slightly better (typically meaning "You Don't Have to Buy the Geometry Channel, the 24 Hour Linoleum Laying Channel, or the Raising Roots and Tubers in Flower Pots Channel"), slightly more convenient, or slightly cheaper. But there's always another level of better/more convenient/cheaper just over the horizon, for the competition to reach for. I think it's really just a matter of a (very) short time.
afwriter
6/27/2017 12:44:35 AM
User Rank Platinum
Re: The path is unpredictable, but the endpoint is describable
In my opinion, the endgame is something that only a few stations do right now. Allow us to download their app (free or paid) and watch their content in real-time or at a later date. The one that comes to mind is The CW.
elizabethv
6/27/2017 8:35:46 AM
User Rank Platinum
Wow
It sounds like they are really working to make as many customers happy as possible. Offering various types of services is sure to attract customers who might otherwise feel like they are stuck with limited options otherwise. I personally still worry about the quality of the product CenturyLink is offering. But that's my own personal experience. If they can offer a better quality product in some markets, they are going to be offering a great opportunity for those customers.
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