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    Suddenlink Changes its Pricing

    11/27/2008 09:27:00 PM

    While we constantly strive to keep our costs low and maintain
    reasonable prices, a number of factors require price
    adjustments on certain services, including the high cost of fuel
    for our vehicles; the rising cost of cable TV programming
    (especially sports programming); the costs incurred to prepare
    for the government-mandated digital broadcast transition; plus
    increases in what we pay for equipment, insurance, and more.
    As a result, starting with your November 2008 bills, high-speed
    Internet service will increase $3.00 per month; and taxes, fees,
    and surcharges will be adjusted to reflect current assessment
    rates.

    Does anyone see something funny about this?

    First of all, the government-mandated digital broadcast transition has little to do with SuddenLink. If I understand the transition correctly, it ONLY effects over the air signals. Cable companies can still broadcast standard definition signals over their lines. If they are picking up the signal for station over the air and then re-broadcasting on their lines it could have a slight effect on them. But this would be VERY minimal.In fact, here is a quote from their web site:

    The digital transition in February 2009 applies only to TV signals that are broadcast and received over the air. In contrast, TV signals that are transmitted over cable lines — namely, the channels on Suddenlink’s basic and expanded basic line ups — will continue to be delivered, from us to you, in a format that works with your current TV sets.

    Rising Costs of cable TV programming, ok fair enough.

    BUT, wait, both of those items are very specifically pointed towards Cable TV, in which I do not have any Cable TV service... The increase is on Cable Internet. Hmm...

     

    I guess the bright side is they informed everyone through a paragraph of text on the October bill... Guess I should read that stuff.

    2 comments

    DC Trip

    11/10/2008 06:44:00 PM

    I recently went to Washington DC for an interview.

    My session had about 8 people at it including students of all engineering disciplines. The morning session had about 20  people at it.


    They had us watch an about the company video, then went into a series of interviews with different groups from within the company. Each group read through the resumes before hand and decided who they wanted to have an interview with. I had 2 groups pick me to interview with.


    The first interview was a little rough. Not really any specific questions that I struggled with, I just didn’t feel at ease when I was talking to her which I think showed.
    After the first interview I got a bit of a break while I got a security questioning, which was just going over the paper work I had filled out. They just had to make sure the answers were accurate as well as making sure I am who I said I am.


    My second interview went much better than the first. It felt much more like a conversation than an interview.


    After that, they had a quick exit interview asking me just some basic (fact) questions, like how many hours I will have at the end of the spring semester, and items like that.
    They said I should hear back with a response with in a week.


    As far as how my vacation portion of the trip went…. It was lots of fun. My legs are killing me from so much walking, but I hope to be able to go back some time soon.

    Pictures from my trip are posted at http://flickr.com/kellenjb

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