Do cord-cutters pay more everywhere?

[brucethebroker]

If you want really good cell service for a reasonable price, look at Cricket. Cricket is owned by AT&T, and uses their network. We have 2.5 gigs and unlimited calling. $35 a month, each. We dropped Verizon (saving $61 a month for both of us) and notice very little difference in coverage. We also purchased "last year's model" cell phones (iphone 5) for 1/2 price of iphone 6. Happy so far!

 

[brucethebroker]

Opps-forgot the rest of my post! We cut the cord about 5 years ago. Use library DVD's, Netflix and free TV (with HDTV rabbit ears-major networks and PBS) the rest of the time. (Just finished last season of Mad Men from the library!) Miss a few sports games on TV, but would rather spend the $75 a month in savings on other things. Watch Fox TV and Bill O'Reiley on line, next day. It has worked well for us.

 

[youbet]

My cord cutting setup:
1. OTA antenna for local networks. Got a big one up in the attic. (One time cost about $100)
2. Amazon Firestick for each TV (4 total) (One time cost $20 to $30 each)
3. HD Homerun box connected from antenna to wireless router. Broadcasts the OTA over WiFi to my Firesticks and any other tablets and phones. (One time cost $120)
4. Sling TV (Monthly $20)
5. Netflix (Monthly $10)
6. Amazon Prime (don't consider this a monthly cost, because we would have amazon prime without the streaming services)
7. Kodi loaded onto the Firesticks for streaming any movie, tv show, or sports event (although most in SD) (free)
8. Internet (monthly $65)

Upfront costs $320. Monthly costs $95. My combined cable/internet before was $170.

Although the initial setup was more complicated and required installing Kodi on the firesticks, the end result is simpler watching day to day. Everything runs thru the firesticks. Also, no more cords, everything is wireless. My TV's can be placed anywhere within WiFi range. I could do without the Sling and Netflix, they are mostly for the DW and kids as they find it easier to locate and find shows. For me, almost everything streams thru Kodi.

Can you watch ESPN and the Big Ten network?

 

[RenoJay]

I'm a cord-cutter for tv, but use the cable company for Internet. Every year I call their cancellation line and let them know I'm switching to someone else's intro offer, and they magically find a way to keep me at their promotional rate for another year.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[aja8888]

I'm going to have DH call again, he already did it once. The best he could get was $15 to $20 off if we signed on for 2 years. Dropping the phone doesn't help as are getting a "discount" for having it and it would all be more without it. At the time he called they wouldn't let us have the cloud DVR without having the triple play. I want to keep our internet speed, go to a lower tier of TV channels and still have cloud DVR. He was told that this couldn't be done, but I want him to call again. He did say we would cancel and they didn't really care.

We are in the same area where you are and Comcast has the market (only provider) and is gouging everybody based on other nearby neighborhoods that have the ability to sign on with AT&T.

At our last house (moved 2 years ago) which was 5 miles away, we bounced between T and Comcast and settled on T for about $125/month with 4 TV's/DVRS/Internet/no landline. Price was not floating up like Comcast does twice per year.

So we are in the same boat as you, paying over $200/month and not liking it. The only way out is threaten to move to a Tivo service and just keep internet/low tier of channels and a cable card with Comcast. That's our strategy next month when they slam us with a price increase.

 

[pb4uski]

I would love to be a cord cutter, but can't find a way to make it work without giving up a lot of stuff.

I have 1 cable company available to me. We got an OTA TV antenna and the reception was terrible. We might get slight better with an attic antenna, but I still wouldn't get the shows I really want. I know I can subscribe to various channels through things like Sling TV, but you can't record shows.

Things I keep going round and round on:

1. We have Comcast triple play. When the 1 year teaser was up, it went up $55 a month! We can bring it down $15 or $20 a month, but it requires a 2 year commitment. We may end up doing that.

2. OK. We could go get Dish TV and TV would be a little less. But we would still have internet through Comcast and the cost of internet would now by $80 a month (plus buying or renting modem). And, we might not be able to get the best speed. So, it doesn't really save any money.

3. OK. Cut the cord and get something like Sling TV and get a Roku and just stream stuff. That is a lot cheaper. Well, wait our internet still goes up. And, if Comcast starts enforcing streaming limits we are hosed. Sigh. And, I like to DVR shows and watch them while I'm on the treadmill or exercise bike. Can't do that with Sling TV. For streaming Netflix, that is fine. But I like putting some HGTV shows on DVR and watching them while exercising. I have to give that up if I go this route.

4. Hmm...Cut the cord and get an OTA TV. I don't have to stream quite as much so maybe I don't have to worry about Comcast. I have a to pay extra to get an attic antenna since we don't get good service here otherwise. And, there are all sorts of shows I can't get doing this. Sigh.

We've been trying to decide on this for a few months now. I hate paying $240 a month for the triple play (especially since I don't use the phone part at all). And I watch only a few of the channels, but I have to get the triple play to get the Cloud DVR. And, I like the Cloud DVR. I like being able to watch TV on my computer. Every other option makes me give up stuff that I don't want to give up (like being able to DVR shows I want to DVR).

We are similarly situated and will be facing this issue in mid-2016 when our Dish contract runs out. We have less OTA than you... zilch. One cable company available is expensive, especially with a DVR and 4 tvs.

I may look at using the cable tv or Dish just to get my locals and go internet for everything other than locals, but I'm not sure if it would be less in the long run.

Do you have access to a cheaper internet provider? Around here we have cable, DSL or satellite but they all cost about the same ($50-$75/month).

The other thing changing would do is we would have to change our email addresses since our email is currently through out DSL provider... can be done, but will be a bit of a hassle.

 

[misshathaway]

+1 on the HD HomeRun digital recorder. I have a Mohu Leaf antenna that is taped on to an upstairs window where it gets great reception. The Mohu is a small flat plastic sheet. The Mohu out goes in to the HD HomeRun. The HD HomeRun plugs in to the router via an ethernet port so it is available to any device on the WiFi network. I DVR on my Mac using EyeTV. Mohu + HDHomeRun + EyeTV cost me $235.

I bought this setup after Verizon started throttling streaming from Aereo, which was excellent, cheap, convenient cloud OTA and DVR. Aereo later got ruled illegal and died.

I mostly watch TV on a second monitor mounted next to my Mac. I find the OTA programming through a free TitanTV account. You can customize the listings to just the OTA channels you get and it has a record button on listings that sets up the recording in EyeTV when you click it.

 

[bUU]

So about $575 with tax.

For $648.99, you can get a TiVo Roamio (OTA-only) with lifetime service, and you'll have a fully-baked, consumer-oriented (i.e., "don't make me think") solution, which doubles as a streaming box too. It's an alternative for folks (like me) who find the whole idea of building and supporting my own DVR to be more work than I want to do.

 

[Dawg52]

I've never been big on recording programs. I can see the benefit in FF through commercials, but just never got into it. Glad it was not a factor in my cord cutting. OTA channels and Sling.....Im good.

 

[easysurfer]

I've never been big on recording programs. I can see the benefit in FF through commercials, but just never got into it. Glad it was not a factor in my cord cutting. OTA channels and Sling.....Im good.

I'm constantly recording. But like you said, mainly to FF past commercials. Every weekday morning, I tape the national news which, well, is too early for me (7-9am). Plus, the program probably contains about an hour of total commercials and local news that I skip over.

 

[GTFan]

For $648.99, you can get a TiVo Roamio (OTA-only) with lifetime service, and you'll have a fully-baked, consumer-oriented (i.e., "don't make me think") solution, which doubles as a streaming box too. It's an alternative for folks (like me) who find the whole idea of building and supporting my own DVR to be more work than I want to do.

It was $300 recently for a Roamio OTA at Amazon with lifetime service. I wouldn't pay more than that but it is a great box.

 

[bUU]

It was $300 recently for a Roamio OTA at Amazon with lifetime service. I wouldn't pay more than that but it is a great box.

I doubt you'll see a deal like that again anytime soon. The lifetime service, alone, usually costs more than that. To get lifetime service and the device is one of those amazingly lucky occurrences that waiting for will as likely as not lead to disappointment.

Having said that, that Roamio OTA with lifetime service costs $439.99 at Amazon.com instead of $648.99 retail.