Optimum review: Overpriced and does not care about long time customers

I have been a cable customer since 1979. Optimum raises my bill very often. In my opinion cable boxes they provide are a rip off. All modern TVs handle High Definition TV without a box. I will never use pay per view so why do they require me to have a cable box to watch the channels I pay for? There alone is around $30 they could knock off my bill. I was answered by their customer service in a foreign country while we have customer service centers in my home state. They refused to transfer me to the retention department. When my bill was raised a few months ago they told me a discount "package" had expired and I should wait a few weeks and call back in because there would be new discount packages available. This month they raised my bill again! You should be able to choose the channels you wish to pay for individually too.