GOLFERS..what about the new 8 dollar charge?
 

Is there anyone out there that is angry about the "new charge" for all of us that use our computers to make a teetime? Do you know there will be an additional 8 dollar charge to do so. I think if there is enough STINK about it from users, maybe the VIllages will quit trying to "tap us out."
Can you imagine how much extra money this brings in to do this? Someone is getting richer, and it is not we that use the teetimes and are going to be charged for it.

Yes, everyone I know- No one is happy about it.
But like the Buffalo, not much the residents can do about it.
But I warn you, this site has people that will always defend the developer.

From my understanding, it is ComCast this time, not the developer. TV had a contract with Comcast to try using the system online with Comcast. TV paid the fee. I've heard variouis rumors from Comcast inisted on a very hefty new contract to the original agreement stated that once the first year was up, it would be up to subscribers. I don't which is true. Either way, the contract with Comcast is up and the developer did not renew it, so the cost is now on the consumer. I'd suggest people write both the devleoper and Comcast about this. Those who are Comcast subscribers might be able to get the fee removed. Can't hurt to try.

Thanks Red. First I had heard that.

Are you a resident?

If you don't like the $8 fee, access the system for free with your phone.

Is that $8 per month?

Yes, that's $8 per month, beginning next summer. If you do some math with the number of Comcast customers there are in TV, some of us think this is an outrageous amount, way more than the actual cost to The Villages to provide the tee time service as part of Villages.net. After all, The Villages already has huge computer capability, servers, personnel, etc. The tee time software was purchased a few years ago because it was far more efficient than using the phone. It may cost a little more to run that program now that there are more residents, but does that warrant an increase from an annual fee of zero to $100!

One of our members is researching this matter and I for one can't wait to read what she discovers.

When I lived up north, there was no telephne or computer system.
Just call the course and make a ressie a week in advance.

Of course as technology became available a telephone system and computer system started up.

It wasn't free - they charged a yearly charge for access TO BOTH,

I think $96 a year is a little excessive but the telephone IS FREE.

Again, carefull what you ask for !

That is not correct. The Villages was trying to create their own cable company. They had originally picked Clearlink. Clearlink became the cable provider in Marion county and had costumers in Sumter county. I am not sure what happened but the Villages gave up on Clearlink and went to Comcast. The Clearlink customers had free Villages.net. When Comcast took over, they made a contract with the Villages.net to provide free access for all broadband customers to the villages.net until June, 2009. Personally i am not sure why they extended it to all Villagers as only the ones that had to be moved from Clearlink had the free access . But, that was a business decision.

So, in June, 2009, we will all have to pay the $8 a month for the online Tee Time system. For us that really use it, it is and expense bit it is not that bad. Personally I do not want to pay it but I will because I use the system and the few times I have had to use the telephone system, I never got what I wanted.

My only question is why did the Villages.net decide to stop the annual charge and go to a monthly charge?

are you saying that ALL comcast customers will be charged $8/month or is it a charge to only those that use it to schedule tee times?

Only those who use the golf sign-in.

I have been disappointed w/ Comcast TV, phone and internet... we all should threaten to drop comcast. That'd:boxing2: get their attention

RS,

I agree....that is one way to get some attention to this. Getting tee time system for 'free' is one factor for me in retaining Comcast (the company you love to hate). Once it is no longer free, I'll be more inclined to switch to DirectTV and DSL. I plan to alert Comcast to this upcoming choice long before the June deadline.

I stopped in at the Villages.Net office on Thursday and spoke with the receptionist....she didn't provide a lot of information...basically saying that the Villages (meaning the developer and his various companies) owns villages.net and the tee time system and sets the fees as they see fit (read a level at which people will pay). It is totally separate from the amenities we all pay for. She did not know how many comcast subscribers will be hit by the new fee nor was she privy to the overall operating budget for villages.net/tee time system.

I plan to also speak with local comcast, amenity authority committee and a few others to try to get some more info on this.

My basic gripe is that $8/month = approx $2M/year for 20,000 households....that seems like a lot of profit for the services provided. $4/month I could see..... $8 seems way too high.

The research continues....

You may have to go higher in the food chain than a receptionist to get answers to questions like that.