How Comcast Suckers You Back In

I recently experimented with reducing my Comcast cable television service. However, Comcast's service plan levels are ingeniously set up to sucker you back into higher and higher rates and services.

To begin, I eliminated my high-definition Comcast service and opted instead for low-definition basic cable service, which consisted of only about 30 channels. This seemed like a great idea until I realized that I had no way to watch my two favorite shows: the new Dallas and The Big Bang Theory.

So I then called Comcast to see what it would cost to get a slightly higher low-definition rate plan with TBS and TNT. Lo, and behold, there was a special promotional "Triple Play" rate plan available consisting of increased low-definition cable channels, faster internet service, and a digital telephone line. I explained that I did not need the digital telephone line and I have no plans to use it. But it was cheaper to take the promotional rate plan with the digital phone like than to have cable and internet without it, so I took the bait and signed up for the promotional Triple Play service (which, thankfully is still less than my high-definition service, just not by much).

Now I find myself longing for watching baseball in high definition, and using my now-returned DVR to record my favorite shows. Is my longing for ever-higher Comcast services a simple case of akrasia (weakness of will), or has Comcast carefully orchestrated this rate plan song and dance to keep suckering you in to ever higher services levels, all under the guise of irresistible promotional packages?