Has Comcast eliminated TCM from upgraded basic package?
One of my favorite channels.
Just attempted to view-“Not Authorized”
The straw that broke the camel’s back if true.
Stymie 
Bug3
GC i used to have triple play for like $80 initially. then it slowly went up to $180+ a month for a little more than basic cable.
I had unlimited calls and they took it away from me without my knowledge (!), saying that I wasn't Grandfathered in. another issue. why do companies screw you over with and w/o your knowledge.
now I have triple play limited for $130 a month. and no long distance on my h0me phone.
Hackresident Hi
I called Comcast and on their recording you will have to buy a sports package
If you want Tcm.
Another way of getting more money out of us.
justwondering I also found that I am not authorized to view TCM. First it was CMT and now this. We are screwed when it comes to tv unless everyone goes back to the dark ages of channels two through thirteen. We could put antennas back on our chimneys. Or we could be living in the dark in California and have to talk to each other and read books by candlelight. I found that TOM is available on my Kindle Xfinity app but will I watch?. I say not to give in by purchasing the better versions of the channels we already have.!!
Robert J Rowe 
Havaclue They upgraded broadband speeds and backed off the data cap too
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2019/10/10/comcast-increases-broadband-speeds-in-philadelphia.html
Go to On Demand, Free Movies, By Network, there is TCM. Still available to watch the oldies but wonder for how long. It is still on the Xfinity app on my nook too. Wish we had a choice beyond Comcast for cable.
I just called Comcast because TCM is the only channel I watch. I couldn't believe this and there was a recording about the new line up for TCM going to sports. Really!! I cancelled my TV and my internet. I am keeping internet because I just switched cell service to Comcast and that service is a great deal.
Thanks for the posting.
Amy
Amy Where I live in Ohio, The town owns everything. Water Electric Gas and a cable co. This assisted living where I live is switching to Wadsworth cable and getting free Wifi I don't know how it will work out but you can be sure complaints will be heard. Everything is under ground here, I watched them boring all the way down the street and I never saw any men sitting on shovels. Many times the super grabbed a shovel
Old Gent 
BC Id like the $9.90 off my bill for changing my channel list not paying extra already pay $186
a month.
New cable company laying cable on my street looking for new subscribers....
.
Jeff Just wait til they do the same to the internet. You want to go to Facebook AND Amazon? Well that means you need the PREMIUM SELECT package for an additional $25/month...
Some Guy (Art) I wasn't aware of TCM, but I checked my Direct TV (AT&T) grid and I have it on channel #256. But, of course, we never know when Direct TV (AT&T) will decide to take that channel hostage like they did recently with CBS and are now threatening to do with ABC/ESPN/Disney channels.
Lonesome Dove And we have NO Fios in my area.
The problem is, there is no simple competition with Comcast Cable.
Embryodad Dropping COMCAST cable service and streaming shows is also an option to satellite. A Roku and Hulu looks like a pretty good option. Still need INTERNET access, which in this area means COMCAST.
There are plenty of streaming services. Personally we use Payson vue on a fire stick but there is direct tv now, Hulu live, YouTube TV, and sling. The only thing there is no real competition to combat internet so you will still be stuck with them on that
Parent of 2 Lots of upset people expressing on xfinity forum https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Channels-and-Programming/WHY-IS-COMCAST-CHANGING-TURNER-CLASSIC-MOVIES-TO-SPORTS/td-p/3256093
OnTheEdge Comcast will do anything to suck the last dime out of their customers. Since many younger tec savvy customers have been fleeing Comcast. This seems to be targeting the senior and retired customers who are probably 75% of TCM’s audience.
Indy The wife called Comcast, and the representative apologised for the new lineup removing the TCM channel.
My wife asked why are we paying for something, and then like pulling the carpet from under our feet.
The rep said, it was the uppers that decided to do that.
That means they aren’t even spiffing people who call ad a retention device. Best you can do is call and tell them competitors have comparable prices, including tcm and maybe, just maybe.....
And you are right, it’s nickel and dime targeting of the elder set. If we wanted sports, we’d have it already.
Strangerdanger Maybe just maybe Comcast will be coming out with a new streaming service and are trying to force people off traditional cable
Hitz is a subscription network for a fee. Call Comcast and continue to complain about taking TCM. They took CMT a bit ago. They took the Military History channel, and I think the Outdoor Channel too. All channels we oldsters enjoy. This is getting out of hand. They told me that the viewership was too low to offer it on regular plans. So they put TCM on a pay plan (Sports Entertainment) Are they not thinking the obvious...Now it will get less viewers. Seniors are the people who are staying with cable. The youngsters are the ones who are dropping cable and streaming. Try to start pleasing your customers! Call, Call, and Call.
USAfirst Yes I will be looking into other companies, magic stick etc. I have had enough.... will be cancelling Comcast all together soon!!!!
Anthony paul schalab Anthony, what will you get that will work without internet? Otherwise Comcast will still be a thorn in your side.
MK Got my ROKU Ultra today. Streaming TCM from hulu is looking good. Will be contacting COMCAST to cancel cable service. Keeping INTERNET only will cost around $75.00 per month, a savings of around $100.00 by ditching cable service. The hulu package I chose is add free for around $45.00 per month. All in all a savings of around $55.00 per month compared to COMCAST cable.
Plc- you can totally ditch Comcast if you’d choose.
I have a Verizon Hotspot Internet access. I take it everywhere with me- use it at home-no landline phone
$20 a month.
Stymie, isn't that the cellular network? A family of five streaming over my phone is slower than DSL. A hotspot I imagine would be good for a couple of people but families might have issues.
The issue is getting noticed:
https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2019/10/viewers-angered-after-comcast-exiles-turner-classic-movies-to-sports-package.html
I went to the Xfinity forum that Over the Edge recommended, and you can read the comments that are extremely telling! Hundreds if not thousands of people are very upset. I think Comcast/Xfinity is really going to feel the bite this time. I for one will be looking into alternatives. They took off MGM, moved CMT to Sports Package, removed Weather Scan, in addition to the TCM fiasco. Speaking to a representative, I was told "low viewership." was cause for the move. Are they kidding? What's next, take away CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. Honestly sick and tired of paying a high price for services that I have no say in, with a company that doesn't really care. With all the takeaways, has anyone seen a reduction in their bills? I wonder how much could be saved by taking ALL the music channels off. Is there a study to see the viewership of those channels?
Just so you know, I'm venting here, but I also called, written corporate, and mass e-mailed friends and family all over the country to be vocal on this topic. Also asked TCM to help their loyal followers. Haven't heard back yet.
So low viewership was the reason for the move to an upgraded Package. That makes no sense at all and they must think that people are that stupid to believe that. All cable companies suck.
kb2755 “Still need INTERNET access, which in this area means COMCAST”
That’s the problem right there imo. The Sherman Act was supposed to prevent monopolies but it doesn’t seem to apply to cable companies, I guess because of physical wire issues.
The right way to fight this is with the FTC imo, complaining about anti-trust laws being broken because we lack competitive choices for internet access options.
I would ditch Comcast in a heartbeat if there was a decent alternative...
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/antitrust-laws
justintime Verizon just might be deploying fixed 5g wireless to Hackettstown...thats as close to fios it will ever get....fixed wireless is not the same as 5g cellular
+1 JIT.
I'm almost never for "more govt", but in the case of monopolies (and in this case, de facto monopolies), something should be done.
I've hated Comcast for years, and their virtual monopoly is the only thing keeping them alive.
JeffersonRepub You people are crazy.
I'm still paying $30 a month for Storer cable. Factor in the $15 a month I pay for AOL with the local dial up number, and I come out ahead.
NJTROLL I still have TCM, but I just noticed last night that Cinemax is now a subscription. I've ALWAYS had Cinemax, in fact I have ALL the cable channels. Suddenly, now they want more money for somethign I've been paying a LOT for all along? And they snuck it out from under me when I wasn't looking.
Well, I'll be making a strongly worded phone call this afternoon.
MYD MYD
Cinemax has been gone for at least two months. They gave you some other stupid channel instead (forget the name at this moment). Many people we upset, it's not an equal trade. They pretty much didn't care when I called. They gave me a $10 one time credit on my bill for the following month.
Breathe.. There may be a path.....
Was DSL for internet, Telco for landline, Comcast for TV for years until DSL told me 2-weeks to fix their issue and I had Comcast for all three the next day. Phone was basically free, cost more to drop, that's why the phone. It was a SD plan because I am too cheap for the $6/mth HD charge. They told me that was for the "special HD box."
Got above basic plan, about $150 a month on a 2-yr promo.
When they dropped TCM, my plan was also going to end and the loss of promo would add $40 a month.
I called, I cried $40 extra a month and you're giving me less, no TCM and voila, transferred to "solutions center" or something just as silly, believe it was their old "retention squad." Made my lament, gent went to work and now I basically have my plan, with TCM, but lost WE and something like TVLand, unfortunately the "three and a half me" and "law and order" marathon channels which did make me cry but with hundreds of repeats under my belt, I will man up and take it.
Bottom line: dropped my bill by $2, kept TCM, added HD (same box, they lied), and apparently have a lot of sports but don't know if I can really watch the water polo channel. Girls college volleyball was fun though.
If you promo is dropping you can try. OR, given there is a way, you might try 1) find a satellite guy's package price that beats yours and includes TCM (wink, wink, they will never check), call and say "hey, you took my TCM and these guys say "pay less, get TCM," I want to stay with you, but...…… maybe you get lucky.
Comcast doesn't care, they don't even bother answering the people paying the bills.
https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Getting-Started/Why-are-there-so-many-unanswered-incorrectly-answered/td-p/3172687
Plus they don't:
1. They don't trim and maintain their lines like JCPL and they have caused electrical outages.
2. The grammar in their show info is dreadful and getting worse.
3. In saved searches I have Sergio Leone. In the last year I've put in reminders for his movies and they're in Spanish. Yet no where does it state what language the show is in. My TV converts English to Spanish but not the other way around. I guess you can't be toxically masculine if your don't speak Spanish.
I pay $4.95/month for the tennis channel to get Sportsman and Outdoor channels.
One-Eyed Poacher Now dropping Starz unless new deal arrived at, from Xfinity:
"Beginning on December 10, 2019, we will be reducing the number of Starz channels we offer while continuing to offer the main Starz channel and all Starz On Demand content. Starz will continue to be available to you a la carte through the end of December, and we are working hard to reach a deal with Starz to preserve the right to offer you that option beyond December 31.
On December 10, the following Starz channels will be removed from our channel lineup:
Starz Edge
Starz in Black
Starz Comedy
Starz Cinema
Starz Kids & Family
Please note that all Xfinity On Demand content for these channels will remain available until December 31."
I'm sure our bill won't change even though it will be less channels. They just got rid of Cinemas a couple months ago and now this....and my bill remains the same.....
The only show I watched on Cinemax is the Bruce Lee inspired Warrior about the Tong wars in SF circa late 1800s . Season one - available soon on dvd at your local library . I can't imagine what Starz is offering after the long gone Black Sails pirate epic that would interest people in great droves .
https://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Season-DVD-Digital-Copy/dp/B07VGTXWXG/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=warriors+cinemax+series&qid=1573522964&sr=8-2
97XBAM Latest COMCAST announcement regarding STARZ:
"We also wanted to remind you that beginning February 11, 2020, Starz will no longer be included with your package. If you'd like to keep Starz, you can do so at a special rate of $5 per month for the next 6 months and then $8.99 per month after that. Beginning February 11, you can order Starz through the Starz channel on your Xfinity TV box, or by calling 1-800-xfinity. Please note that this special $5 per month offer is only available through February 28."
Glad I'm getting a Roku and getting rid of Comcast. Wish I could for internet as well.
Yesimpc Yesimpc I cut the cord too, last month. Enough was enough for next to no watchable channels, no premium channels and standard box for a 4k TV.
Weebiekins Wonderful. I'm under a year into my 2 year "guaranteed" pricing and they already raised the price about $7/month and now will be cutting more channels unless I fall for their extortion. So much for "guaranteed package pricing". Of course I'm already paying for a "Sports Package fee", even though no sports that I watch are really a part of the "package". What a bunch of lying shysters, yet the public utilities commission lets this stuff go on with ALL the various cable companies.
Just wait until my 2 years are up. It'll be one more loss to them for all but internet services. Of course by then I fully expect them to say they're losing too much to "cord cutters" and the internet fees will go through the roof...boy am I getting cynical, but then I dealt with that same crap from Cablevision already. Same garbage, different vendor.
Phil D. Phil D. I get it, I had the two year locked in price too, and my rate went up over $3 before I even received my first bill! I was told it was because they were offering a certain sports package and because they are offering it, everyone had to pay a fee. Long story short, I never once paid the $92 I was quoted. By Dec 2019 when my package deal ended I was up to $118 with the exact same service I had had since 2017. Good stuff right there. I have Prime, Netflix, Hulu and IMDBTv. Perfectly happy with those and saving well over $300 a year
Comcast is getting ridiculous. Last year they took Cinemax off my package, now Starz will be gone... I pay over $200 a month for cable and internet give me a break.....
Metsman Like I said, I got the new package for the old basic+ package price so I retained TCM, added many sports channels, and have been enjoying the Australian Open live. Noted how to do it above, but my timing was good in that the increase hit at the same time as my last promotion ended -----> so, something had to happen anyway. Comcast chose to give me another promo. Oh yeah, I was on SD, now I have HD for free, no $6 uplift. Pay just over $150 for internet, phone, and cable -----> phone is just for those who I forgot to update to my cell number. Should be rendered useless soon. NoMoRobo takes care of the crank calls there.
I too will be looking to stream, again. but since last time was a bit primitive, think I will wait for some shake-out, merger, or bundling to make this current version more workable for me. Hoping, actually, to get all those services via Comcast in some sort of bundle like I get Netflix, YouTube, and others through them today.
Media-wise, we are in good times where so many more shops are producing entertainment. Frankly, I am in overload.
That said, after my 4 months in, they hit me, and I think all of us, with a 4% increase last month under "cost of living" type rationale. How in a 3% inflation world, they can gig us for 4% is beyond me.
Comcast has taken away the ID channel and all the Starz Channels, yet my bill isn't getting any cheaper. I don't want to losed cable, but it is getting to that point.
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