Improved channel choices to go with Marpin2k4 price hike

“We are going to offer CNN Domestic on a regular line up..." - says Marpin Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Calvin Patrick.

Come October 1, Marpin 2k4 will not only be raising its prices for cable subscribers but it will also be adding to its channel line up.

“We are going to offer CNN Domestic on a regular line up; we are introducing a hyper-localized weather service,” said Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Calvin Patrick.

CNN Domestic is currently alternated with CNN International and customers have voiced their distress with the lack of reliability with this and other similar services.

Regarding the weather service channel, the Marpin CFO said “we have weather centers in different parts of the island so we will be able to tell you what the weather is at Portsmouth and Roseau”.

He said Marpin is likely to have the weather service on channel 91, where it is currently being tested. “It will provide a service to fishermen, farmers and other users who need to know the weather,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the matter of Marpin 2k4’s footing in the local market, CFO Calvin Patrick said: “I know that we have a lot of loyal customers out there that will understand the situation that we face and that we offer a top class, top quality and responsive service.”

Patrick said the company is in a competitive market place and Marpin2k4 will not knock the competition in service contrast or any other regard. He said the business is also about choice and Marpin offers customers “the choices that they want”.

“I know, as a network, what Marpin has to pay for. I know the kinds of contracts that we enter into; the kinds that we negotiate and renegotiate in terms of pricing and that’s what I can speak to,” he said.

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39 Comments

  1. well.
    September 15, 2010

    you all forget cable TV is a luxury. if you can’t afford it you live without it. now if it were water or basic food items or electricity than you all would have a point. you not going to die without your cable.

  2. Devoted Dominican.
    September 15, 2010

    Fellow Dominicans,
    Marpin is not the one to be blamed for this outragious increase, it’s the politicions who represents you all. You see, without their approval to this increase marpin cannot pass it on to you all. The way i see it is, someone else beside marpin is profiting from this endeavor. What we need in Dominica is more competition to those things. Marpin has you all by the short end because no one wants to make a change. The same goes for the politicions. Allot of them just go around driving in expensive (SUV’S) all day that the tax payers pay for, gets re-elected simply because of name recognition, and does not do a dam thing for their constituencies. Why are those people still in office? (KICK THOSE BUMS OUT AND ELECT PEOPLE THAT CAN DO THINGS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THEIR CONSTITUENT)

  3. No Name
    September 15, 2010

    Please research Comcast and Time warner cable charges in the US…in fact let’s keep it in the region and find out how much Cable costs in Jamaica (Flow for example)…it sure as heck is not $50.00EC…ok….they give you a basic package…and they more channels you want the more you pay….Never realize how easy you have thinks till you dont have it anymore….

  4. T. Winston
    September 15, 2010

    Thank God for the Internet where you can stream hundreds of channels for free Including Comedy Central and WB which MARPIN DOES NOT OFFER

  5. ND
    September 15, 2010

    LOL talk alone Dominicans have, Just talk. I’m sure that out of the 100 Marpin customs that are saying, “im going to change” only five will change. Just like when they ask y’all to rally after the increase in electricity costs, I can count on my hands how many people actually showed up. LOL yall too funny. Enjoy ur news channel!

  6. LYCAN CASIMIR
    September 15, 2010

    News is always good, we need to keep abreast with whats going on world wide and also to educate ourselves on the globalization stand point.

    People is Dominica need to see that the world changes as well.

    Thank god for Marpin, you are still the lowest cost cable provider in the region.

  7. samul diggs
    September 15, 2010

    canthose of you who speak and write english do it of better standard? please read over what many of you have written. its a ashame. remember you are not only talking/writing so your friends at home can see. you are on an international/worldwide medium. please write more sensibly and accurately. this is not an indication of “to the next level”. take your time, express your selves in the most appropriate vocabulary.

  8. GCY
    September 14, 2010

    People, people,,,,vote with your money: Let the Market decide!
    If Dominicans continue with their service then you have voted for the enormous price hike. That’s how much Marpin cares about ‘You’ or us customers – 40% increase all at once. These people really see Dominica as a cash-cow…yeahh fjkjing* milk it.

    Personally, I can’t afford $80. a month for cable. Just a bunch of violent movies, and…..well…..Irie TV, which has an aura of violence anyway. I doe watch much TV either, just for family members that do. If SAT does the same I am voting with my money, I will get creative.

  9. September 14, 2010

    $20.00 increase is about 43% of the original charge of $47.00. This is barbaric!

    If CFO, or Marpin Chief Financial Officer affiliates with the Television Company Itself, ( I do not know, I am not living in Dominica) do they hold the authority to increase a utility charge by almost 50% of its original price, because they are adding two simple channels? 43% increase????!!!!

    Isn’t anyone aware of that high figure in percentage, or does Dominica do that in all sorts of increases, like wages and pension increases for example?

    At $600 000.00 increase a month the television company will make an extra 7.2 million dollars a year! Unless there are not so many subscribers. That is possible too, living in a place like Dominica.

    But that increase is still to much for my poor mama over there, who only needs to watch the news on television before she goes to bed. Except that the grandchildren wants to watch television during the day or after school, and their parents will not help her to pay the bill.

    O dear God, delivery us from the crimes of greed and the lovers of money in this world!

  10. BELZBOB
    September 14, 2010

    As long as the quality of the channels improve. I mean the visual quality. I don’t want to see fuzzy movies and like the person wrote – more news channels – well I guess we know what this person don’t watch much of but I don’t want to watch fuzzy news. I want to see crisp channels for this hike in price.

    I think if the existing channels are not remove and with additional channels and better quality, the few customers that will run to the competition will soon return and those that are threatening will simply be quieted.

    As long as you know we’re going to demand quality and great customer service come October 1st so I would expect that these things are being worked on or have been improved already.

  11. September 14, 2010

    BEGINING OF A BAIL OUT FOR SOCIAL SECURITY OR SLOW DEATH ?

  12. yes i
    September 14, 2010

    stupz put movie channels and stop showing the same damn movies over and over again

  13. Typical Dominican
    September 14, 2010

    Lollllllllll.. a whole set off vey channels wii.. boring old news bagi.. i doe want to watch koshoni

  14. Please
    September 14, 2010

    Marpin should focus more on quality vs quantity.We need better quality signal on the existing channels. Most of the upper channels have rice only. So if Marpin can give me some nice crisp signal that would be nice. We dont need more news channels. More entertainment perhaps because most times you can barely find anything to watch on the tv.

  15. Well
    September 14, 2010

    Can’t complain because in Anguilla you paying $127.00ec for channels 02-78 which does not include channels 23,24,25,26,27,28 if you want these you have to pay $67.00ec for the box and $18.00 monthly for the channel you choose that is the ones from 23-28 so i am surely not complaining. I will wait and see what SAT doing and then make the switch cause it rough now to add $20.00 dollars for what S…t. Come on marpin.

  16. Saphire
    September 14, 2010

    Lets see if Dominicans are vertibrates or invertibrates…………….I will see if all you have back bone. Every one must make up their mind to just cut Marpin and thats it!!!!! We will see then if is not they them selves that will watch their nonsense!! Internet has every thing eh so I not worried

  17. cash strapped
    September 14, 2010

    How many Dominicans were shouting hooray when pressure was put on Ron Abraham by Dominicans themselves and ‘persons of high repute.’ Govt. sold DOMLEC to the US WRB Co.. The foreign US CO. maneuvered, connived with other locals and our local institution Dominica Social Security and bought over MARPIN.

    Ron Abraham, a Dominican, who worked his guts to have MARPIN operate at a reasonable cost was not treated with respect. DSS took people’s money without properly consulting Dominicans and bought 51% shares in that new foreign Co. They invested heavily in MARPIN 2K4. Many, many Dominicans did not understand at the time what was happening behind the scenes. Remember SAT was bidding also? Remember the ridicule and pressure SAT went through?

    DSS, a GOVT. entity is facing some financial difficulties now. Less people paying into DSS, because of increased unemployment. people migrating in droves. However DSS still has to pay Social Security benefits to its retirees. Dividends DSS expected from the investment into MARPIN 2K4 is not significant with the level of investment. The increase would be in both WRB and DSS favour. GOVT. would also collect its VAT But increase not in the interest of ordinary customers who do not have that kind of extra cash for the 40% or $20.00 increase. People now bawling. So when a section of Dominicans were praising who they wanted to praise, just the other day, not too long ago, for a good deal done and throwing Ron out of the way, they are now facing the music. Where ignorance is bliss ’tis folly to be wise.

  18. Marpinvoler
    September 14, 2010

    @Del: I know…Disney and Nickelodeon..is the old version with getting. Parchay old commess on nicktoons..i want to watch my spongebob! Marpin doh even have mtv…what people doing with bomerang and scifi. Stupes

  19. Thug mentality
    September 14, 2010

    More news channels again??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! marpin dow tire ive us news. 85% of marpin channel is news news and more news. we need more entertainment channels. I know i not paying marpin come monthen september, ket them cuttt it.. i will put SAT. The only reason i have marpin is because where i am not yet get SAT but i will come god is good. I had SAT when i was town and it was way better……..

  20. shatta
    September 14, 2010

    d shitty channels marpin hve 4 dem to removed and lower our bills ,shopping channel is an example wat is dat

  21. JOE GOOSE
    September 14, 2010

    So Only these two channels? My boy these channels cannot substantiate Garcon…Weh Weh Weh…….

  22. :-)
    September 14, 2010

    CNN Domestic? We doh have enough FAM BEFF by the market and sitting on the side of the road in Mahaut plus MARPIN News, SAT News and DNO??? What CNN Domestic we need again?

  23. tom
    September 14, 2010

    The only reason why i keeping Marpin is for Fit Tv where i can follow my regular diet and exercise programe. Sat doesn’t have fit TV. Well if sat ever put it and keep it i will be going to Sat. Marpin to Vouler

  24. kiki
    September 14, 2010

    Thank God for SAT…

  25. Hmmm
    September 14, 2010

    @Del: Learn some spanish. Stop being an ignoramus.

  26. SHANA
    September 14, 2010

    Choopes…………………………………..What marpin think we wearing ignorance as a badge of honour or money does grow in the gardens???? Choopes………………..

  27. Hmmm
    September 14, 2010

    @thinkaboutit: Totally agree with you!

  28. Arab
    September 14, 2010

    Please Don’t try to disguise the increase using the two new channels. The employees don’t want that, the public don’t want that and only management wants it. CNN Domestic is ridiculous. I would love to see the census that says that these two channels are wanted by 40% of paying home. To make it better 33%. RIDICULOUS

  29. Eyes Wide Open
    September 14, 2010

    Whatever makes you sleep at night Mr. Par Tricks…

  30. JAY
    September 14, 2010

    Well said Del!!!

  31. Fairplay
    September 14, 2010

    Is thief they thief!!!

  32. thinkaboutit
    September 14, 2010

    Any body has been any where else in the Caribbean or the world should realise that MArpin must have been working some magic in order to give us what we are getting now. HBO, Showtime and StarZ alone could cost 20ec and lets not talk about the Sports channels we get.

    Trust me SAT will not be far behind with an increase.

  33. dopwell
    September 14, 2010

    robbery , high way robbery no new channel with meaning….

  34. Lady
    September 14, 2010

    ok Calvin…. CNN Domestic channel, weahter channel….. still waiting to hear about the new channels that you are supposed to be introducing.

    Why dont you offer us packages and get us to choose. Sounds to me like u heard Skerrit finally gave us 3% and you want it….

  35. sweetness
    September 14, 2010

    SAT welcomes new customers with an open arm……$47.00 against $77.00 well well well…

  36. Anonymous
    September 14, 2010

    hahah 1 channel for a $20 increase

  37. the weather man
    September 14, 2010

    WITH A SUBSCRIBER ROLL OF APPROXIMATELY 30,000 {THIRTY THOUSAND] WITH A $20 INCREASE . PROJECTIONS FORECAST A $600000 {SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS] MONTHLY WINDFALL ISN’T THAT TOO BIG A BITE .ONCE AGAIN CORPORATE GREED HAS TRIUMPHED OVER DISCRETION

  38. GOLDEN DREAMS
    September 14, 2010

    CNN Domestic LOL

  39. Del
    September 14, 2010

    What about other channels???? Like Disney channel that has been in Spanish for some time now! Will we every get the original back??? Hello we live in DOMINICA and not DOMINICAN REPUBLIC!

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