FYI on those considering dropping their cable and going internet

[Mulligan]

I have been thinking seriously about getting the Roku or Apple Tv to save some money on my ever increasing satellite bill. But, now I've read that ATT, my internet provider will be imposing a surcharge of internet use starting in May. I guess I have resigned myself that there is no way around it. They are going to get me one way or the other. Between apparent coming of surcharges for streaming all this, Hulo, and or netflix plus their fees, I dont think the savings will materialize unless someone has an idea. The reason for this rant was Direct Tv jacking my bill up another $5 a month. I find it ironic that I'm under contract to them and cant leave without a penalty, but they are under no restrictions to not raise it while we are "under contract".

[Sue J]

Yep, it seems every year DirecTV increases their prices. Mine also went up about $5 and is now creeping close to $90/month and we don't have any sports packages or movie channels.

I wish we could break free but we do enjoy the channels that we couldn't get OTA and this really is our only "entertainment" expense. So far we can afford it so we keep it but I'm aware that before cable and satellite services TV used to be "free" and we all manged just fine without this extra utility bill.

Our internet is cable modem via Roadrunner. Now that our older son moved out I bet we have plenty of bandwidth for Roku or Apple TV.

It's all about choices. I'll reevaluate when our DirecTV contract is up in about 18 months.

[Katsmeow]

We've long had Cable TV. DH and I watch virtually no actual TV. I do watch a lot of netflix and hulu on my computer and buy a couple of TV series from ITunes.

I've been trying to get DH to agree to drop cable TV but he always felt it would start a war with the kids. The son who was a sports fan recently moved out leaving our teenagers.

We are about to move to a rental while building a new house and I told them I wasn't planning on getting cable TV. My son said he didn't care because no one watches it. He does use the TV but uses it for video games or to stream Netflix.

My daughter mostly streams video on her iPhone (on Wifi ofc). They used to record shows but that has really gone by the wayside the last couple of years.

Just shows how things have changed with so much video available on the internet.

[Mulligan]

My biggest problem is sports, that is what I watch mostly besides news. I was going to pay the cheaper online package of Mlb.tv and NHL and get the Roku, but Ive read the streaming hd broadcasts eat up alot of internet usage, so if I'm watching a bunch of that, I will get hit with surcharges that render my savings to neglible amounts. I'm sure other internet providers will follow suit once ATT gets it implemented. Kind of like the airlines and the baggage fees!

[carnivalday]

I have Dish Network, which is running me close to $90 a month. I dont mind paying that, as I never go out to a movie. I spend a lot of time at home, so for me, $3 a day is pretty cheap entertainment.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnivalday I have Dish Network, which is running me close to $90 a month. I dont mind paying that, as I never go out to a movie. I spend a lot of time at home, so for me, $3 a day is pretty cheap entertainment.

The rational side of me agrees with you (mine is $100), but it has went up I bet 50% in the past 6 years. And they just slap the increase on without warning or justification every year. Then they have the nerve to offer deals to new customers way better than any loyal customer could get. I dont want to go to Dish because I dont want more holes drilled in my roof. Its just the way they do business, I guess that burns me. At least ATT is giving 2 months warning and explaining why they are doing it.

[aaronc879]

Good timing on the thread. My "price lock" with Time Warner expires on March 21st and i'm planning on dropping my cable instead of paying $162/mo up from the $117 i've been paying. That also includes roadrunner which I will be keeping. Most of what I watch is available on network web sites such as NBC, and CBS. If there's a major sporting event I "need" to watch I can go to a sports bar and watch it free. Maybe nurse one drink for the duration.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan My biggest problem is sports, that is what I watch mostly besides news.

Sports are my issue too. DW and I are not home entertainment hobbiests but we do enjoy sports. We suscribe to Comcast "Extended Basic". Living in surburban Chicago, we get about 20 channels OTA including 3 public TV outlets. So when we're just looking for some mind-numbing programming to gaze at, we're as likely to be watching a station available over-the-air as an exclusive cable channel. Except for sports. The Bulls, Cubs, Sox, Fire and Blackhawks outlet most of their games cable-only. Most of the
Bears games are OTA. Plus we like the Big Ten Channel and on weekends like this, most of the NCAA Div I BB games are on cable only.

It really amounts to paying almost $70/mo just so I can watch sports....... I can afford it but it just feels "expensive."

[gratefuled]

Every time Comcast hits me with a rate increase and every time I get a flier in the mail offering a better deal from another company, I call Comcast, ask to be transferred to customer retention because I'm thinking about quitting the service, complain, and accept goodies. Usually it's something like a $10 a month credit for six months and six months of a free movie channel. This has never failed me yet.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefuled Every time Comcast hits me with a rate increase and every time I get a flier in the mail offering a better deal from another company, I call Comcast, ask to be transferred to customer retention because I'm thinking about quitting the service, complain, and accept goodies. Usually it's something like a $10 a month credit for six months and six months of a free movie channel. This has never failed me yet.

I need you as my agent! The $5 increase made me decide to call them and get a 3rd HD reciever, to go with my 3rd tv as payback. Last time they gave me my second one for free. This time they wanted me to pay $100. Then because I was a "loyal" cutomer they offered to send it if I paid $20 shipping AND signed on for two more years contract. I told them no because I would be able to hear them laugh at the fool who took that deal all the way to my house. I might just juice up my bandwidth and hook my laptop into my computer and watch all the pirated major league sporting events that are all over the internet and take my chances with my bandwidth usage, and let my contract run out.

[gratefuled]

You need to read we will be live soon more often, then. Cable Fu like the tip I just gave you is considered rookie level to those people...they're Jedi masters at getting what they want out of corporate behemoths.

[gratefuled]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefuled You need to read we will be live soon more often, then. Cable Fu like the tip I just gave you is considered rookie level to those people...they're Jedi masters at getting what they want out of corporate behemoths.

That website I quoted that I'm apparently not being allowed to link to is the consumerist dot com. "The consumerist" is one word.

[FIREd]

Our Cable TV + Internet bill has gone up from $125 to $150 a month over the past 2 years. I am now thinking about dropping the premium and HD channels. With netflix and the Apple TV, we don't watch the movie channels much anymore. If they start charging more for downloading movies over the internet, we will go back to getting DVDs via netflix and watching our pretty extensive Itunes movie collection.

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefuled That website I quoted that I'm apparently not being allowed to link to is the consumerist dot com. "The consumerist" is one word.

I tried to go to your link and my browser blocked it. Maybe it's just www.consumerist.com (the link above is to "theconsumerist dot com" which might have some content issues that cause it to be blocked?)?

[lets-retire]

I have Dish network. It seems every 6 months or so they add some other free channels. Whenever they do that they raise the price 5$. I've gotten to the point that when they raise the price I call, complain and have them take the "free" channels off and reduce the price.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefuled You need to read we will be live soon more often, then. Cable Fu like the tip I just gave you is considered rookie level to those people...they're Jedi masters at getting what they want out of corporate behemoths.

I couldnt get the link to work for some reason. All I could get from it was that it was from the consumerist. Hadnt been there before. Very interesting site though that I will continue to read.

[Lakedog]

I dropped cable in December and now use Roku/Netflix -- haven't really missed cable. When I dropped cable TV, also dropped cable for internet and went with DSL (which was cheaper and has been more reliable). Get ESPN3 for free through my DSL provider but lots of ways to catch specific sporting events not available online (sports bar, friends, relatives, etc).

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FD Our Cable TV + Internet bill has gone up from $125 to $150 a month over the past 2 years. I am now thinking about dropping the premium and HD channels. With netflix and the Apple TV, we don't watch the movie channels much anymore. If they start charging more for downloading movies over the internet, we will go back to getting DVDs via netflix and watching our pretty extensive Itunes movie collection.

What your going through is whats ticking me off. Why should you have to drop your HD to save money when new subscribers get it for free!(at least the satellite companies) I thought they would want a loyalty program that saved money for the loyal customer, not charged more! You would think the bean counters would convince them that it is cheaper to retain customers instead of losing them and trying to get other ones to replace them.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakedog I dropped cable in December and now use Roku/Netflix -- haven't really missed cable. When I dropped cable TV, also dropped cable for internet and went with DSL (which was cheaper and has been more reliable). Get ESPN3 for free through my DSL provider but lots of ways to catch specific sporting events not available online (sports bar, friends, relatives, etc).

What bandwidth speed did you get for your DSL? Do you have any problem with it "freezing up" while using the Roku, Lakedog?

[Lakedog]

I have 3 Mbps, and it has worked great with the Roku, no freezing up or buffering issues at all. Hopefully, my DSL provider won't implement surcharges for streaming at some point.