That Cable Bill went up again !!

[aja8888]

Or just to have hand sets at different locations...

I plug in my VOIP to a phone plug and it energizes the whole house.. have a base unit downstairs that has 5 handsets...

US mobile has a home unit that uses the cell towers but does the same thing... I might be going that way... like $10 per month...

I'm just sticking with my cell phone.....why have two phone numbers? You may forget what they are!

 

[karen1972]

I kept just the cheapest cable package spectrum offers (which you select the 15 channels you want) plus the local channels. By doing so I get upgraded internet for like $60 off. We only watch about 10, so I have absolutely everything we need, fast internet for the same "introductory" price they offer. I threaten to quit every year, and then slightly tweak the package and get the discount again. Though they are laying google fiber in my backyard next weeks o then I will actually have competition.

 

[Walt34]

What's a landline?

Not everyone has reliable cell reception, and therefore keeps their landline since it is much more reliable. We are one of them. Nor do we drag a cell phone around the house - it sits on a shelf and if we're nearby and can hear it, we'll answer. But if someone really wants to reach us, call the landline.

 

[FiveDriver]

I kept just the cheapest cable package spectrum offers (which you select the 15 channels you want) plus the local channels. By doing so I get upgraded internet for like $60 off. We only watch about 10, so I have absolutely everything we need, fast internet for the same "introductory" price they offer. I threaten to quit every year, and then slightly tweak the package and get the discount again. Though they are laying google fiber in my backyard next weeks o then I will actually have competition.

Karen --
Is that Spectrum's 'Choice' package ?? Which I think is streaming the channels. Not sure of the diff between that and true cable.

I'd prefer their 'Select' cheapest cable plus Internet.....if I can find it within my Zip Code.

 

[Piper20]

FWIW with our 2019 Sony Bravia you can install the Roku app for a dry run.

 

[Car-Guy]

Not everyone has reliable cell reception, and therefore keeps their landline since it is much more reliable. We are one of them. Nor do we drag a cell phone around the house - it sits on a shelf and if we're nearby and can hear it, we'll answer. But if someone really wants to reach us, call the landline.

Same here. Nearest cell tower is about 10miles away so cell service is spotty at best. I put in a cellular booster about ten years ago and it helps some but it is still not reliable enough so we keep a landline.

 

[Midpack]

I got fed up with cable and then satellite costs in 2018 and switched then - and we’ve been very happy with streaming only since - while saving thousands! Savings aren’t as great nowadays, but they’re still significant for any household with more than one TV/viewsr. We have been Roku users (not Roku TV) since 2018, though if you’re an Amazon Prime fan there’s nothing wrong with Amazon Fire. We get our live broadcasts thru Hulu+Live, but YouTube TV is comparable. We also have Netflix and Disney+ and ESPN+ is included in our Hulu+Live package. We’re paying $50/mo for AT&T Fiber at 300mbps, more the enough bandwidth for our needs.

 

[audreyh1]

Same here. Nearest cell tower is about 10miles away so cell service is spotty at best. I put in a cellular booster about ten years ago and it helps some but it is still not reliable enough so we keep a landline.

We don’t need a strong cell signal at home. We use WiFi calling which works super well.

 

[wearefinishedworking]

We need to cancel Xfinity, but my whole world is connected to our comcast email, every account verification and I am dreading changing all that.

 

[Dawg52]

We need to cancel Xfinity, but my whole world is connected to our comcast email, every account verification and I am dreading changing all that.

You can keep email with Xfinity. I was able to when I dropped them.

 

[MichaelB]

You can keep email with Xfinity. I was able to when I dropped them.

That’s useful, thanks. I learned something new today and have a friend who will benefit from this.

Form Comcast Use Xfinity Email if you've disconnected your service

As a former Xfinity customer, you can still use your Xfinity Email address if you logged in to your account using the Xfinity Email website in the 90 days prior to disconnecting your service. Your email account will remain active if you access it using the Xfinity Email website at least once every nine months.

 

[wearefinishedworking]

Wow, now this is good news! Thank you so much!

 

[Midpack]

You can keep email with Xfinity. I was able to when I dropped them.

+1. We dropped Comcast in 2019, but I still use my @comcast.net email address daily. It’s now a secondary email I use for businesses and throwaways. I reserve my other email address for friends, family and others I trust.

 

[Car-Guy]

We don’t need a strong cell signal at home. We use WiFi calling which works super well.

The deal is, until about 2 years ago, the only internet access (and associated WiFi) we had was 3meg DSL. And usually it was less than 2meg and it just didn't work well with my cell calls. But then they came out with better equipment and supported bonding. Now my DSL is rated at 12meg and sometimes I see~14meg. But since I use DSL I automatically get a land line, so no real need to change. (I once asked about getting dry DSL but my local phone company didn't understand what I was taking about, so here I am.)

 

[MBSC]

Do the streaming plugins like Roku have all these hidden charges ?? Local Broadcast fees and such ??
Is Youtube TV a monthly fee of $73 ??

Streaming devices like Roku are a one-time purchase with no ongoing cost. You add streaming apps to it (like adding apps to a phone) and some of those have a subscription. Local broadcast fees are included in the price of cable replacement apps like Youtube TV ($73/month), but South Carolina charges sales tax.

As Karen1972 said, Spectrum Choice comes with local channels and you choose 15 cable channels from a list like this one.

Finding my 15 channels (Spectrum TV Choice)

An antenna for locals plus the $10/mo Frndly streaming app for History channel and Military History would get you everything except Nat Geo and TCM for $10. As someone mentioned above, there are plenty of free apps with old movies. If you like Frndly, you could switch to $96/yr annual billing (equals $8/mo).

This site (link) says you can watch Nat Geo on demand content, not the live channel, with the Hulu streaming app. It also has movies. Hulu is usually ~$1/mo if you wait until Black Friday to sign up.

 

[FiveDriver]

Thanks for that link MBSC (are you in Myrtle Beach ? We live in a suburb of CHS).

I see on Spectrum's Choice 15 List that they do offer Nat Geo, TCM and History. I called their 800 Cust Service, but couldn't get a straight answer from the phone rep. If my question wasn't on her script - she had nothing.

I'll pursue this approach on Monday. Any reduction from $316 is a good thing

 

[karen1972]

Karen --
Is that Spectrum's 'Choice' package ?? Which I think is streaming the channels. Not sure of the diff between that and true cable.

I'd prefer their 'Select' cheapest cable plus Internet.....if I can find it within my Zip Code.

Correct Spectrum Choice. You are correct, we don't have true cable (ie no cable box/connected cable line), its is all streamed thru the app via our Roku. TV Choice+Internet Ultra (600 Mbps), wifi/roku all in is $106.

Select gets more channels that we dont' watch and a few premium channels, but like I currently get several premium channels at massive discounts due to black friday sales coupled with Amex cash back deals they were having at the same time, so like Hulu/Disney+ bundle for $3.28/month, peacock for a year for $12, and Paramount+ was free for 4 months and hoping to pick it up again next black friday sale.

 

[foxfirev5]

DW and I continue to use Comcast/Xfinity and have not cut the cord. We find it handy when we visit our off the grid lakehouse. Simply log on to Xfinity wireless with an old laptop and HDMI to the smart TV. We've even logged on in the middle of the lake on our boat. Cheaper than separate services for two or more locations.

 

[RetiredHappy]

DW and I continue to use Comcast/Xfinity and have not cut the cord. We find it handy when we visit our off the grid lakehouse. Simply log on to Xfinity wireless with an old laptop and HDMI to the smart TV. We've even logged on in the middle of the lake on our boat. Cheaper than separate services for two or more locations.

That's what streaming services do, you can access to all channels wherever you travel to.

 

[foxfirev5]

Not exactly. I would still need a separate internet provider, either a hot spot or seperate internet. Anything beyond this and you will have to speak to my 10 yo GD. Anyway this is why I can do whatever since I no longer fly first class.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Not exactly. I would still need a separate internet provider, either a hot spot or seperate internet. Anything beyond this and you will have to speak to my 10 yo GD. Anyway this is why I can do whatever since I no longer fly first class.

My home 1GB internet costs $70 per month. I pay the premium streaming package with Hulu and access Hulu from anywhere. I use Hulu for my Live TV and other needs no matter where we travel to. I save more than $100 per month.

 

[Tom52]

We dropped cable years ago. Our current set up is Spectrum internet for $19.99/month including tax for 300mbps plus YouTubeTV for $82.40/month including tax. You can go online to YouTubeTV to see their channel lineup. We use a ROKU TV so we don't need the separate box.

We occasionally buy some other streaming channel when they run a special. We then watch what we want, then cancel and move on to another when they have something we want to see.

 

[FiveDriver]

Update as of September 10 --
ATT has a good price on their 1Gig Internet and Basic Cable package with no rental fees on DVR or Modem. Not an introductory 12 month offer, but locked in prices. Thinking about adding the AMZN Fire Stick for additional channels.

All of this has to be approved by our Chief Technology Officer (Dear Daughter) before we return all that rummage to the Spectrum storefront.

 

[Rianne]

We have 3 TVs and still have AT&T UVerse. We went into an Xfinity store to see what they offer, no one had heard of UVerse. Paying $250/month. Our thing is we get all the side channels without having to figure out how to puzzle them together. Big 10 Network, Tennis channel, golf channel, all the ESPN channels, local news. We can switch back and forth easily to add ons like Netflix, Prime, etc without a thought. I don't think we'll cut the cable. When we calculated all the add on channels + YouTube or Sling, we can't seem to get the channels important to us for a cheaper cost. We can go to YouTube and sit through 4 seconds of a commercial and see blips of comedy or news. If we drop UVerse, we'll never have a chance to go back. They no longer offer it.

 

[Jerry1]

I see on Spectrum's Choice 15 List that they do offer Nat Geo, TCM and History. I called their 800 Cust Service, but couldn't get a straight answer from the phone rep. If my question wasn't on her script - she had nothing.

They don’t make it easy to get the Choice 15 package. Plus, I don’t think it’s $30/month. I think they add a broadcast fee to that of around $25/month. So, it’s still not “cheap” tv. If you really want it, I’d call them back. It may not be on their script, but they do sell it and can answer your questions.