The disgusting cost of "cable" (internet/television)

[Fingolfin269]

I'm sure this is a topic that has been discussed to death but I just got off the phone with the cable company and feel like exploring the topic once more.
Something is wrong. If I add up the cost of my electric, water, and gym memberships I still don't reach the amount on my cable bill... And that is with a promotional rate on my internet meaning its only going to get worse.
I called comcast with the intention of cancelling everything but internet, limited basic, and the hd/dvr receiver but apparently I must have a higher grade package in order to keep the dvr. What? I already pay a premium on the box relative to the standard hd box so wtf?
Ah well I'm just frustrated. I need a good, cheap solution that allows me to dvr my shows. I only record things I could get for free over the air so paying so much money is pretty stupid. The whole thing is a racket. Is cancelling my service, dealing with QAM, and/or watching my shows via other means the best way to go?

 

[theflyingpig]

You're paying for pirates. You see, piracy costs the entertainment industry billions every year, therefore it's logical that the cost of cable television rise to offset their mounting losses. Everyone knows this.

 

[lyssword]

hulu

 

[bignateyk]

Average electric bill: $50
Average gas bill: $50
Average water & waste water bills: $30
Average trash/recycling: $15
Comcast Internet/TV: $85
ATT Family Plan w/ 2 iphones: $170

= about $400 in monthly bills, over half of which is phone/internet/tv

 

[FoBoT]

maybe the govt. can take over these industry so we can have an affordable public option

 

[Gooberlx2]

Basic package + free QAM local HD channels + HTPC

 

[lupi]

The best part is when the cable companies put out adds that they are so much cheaper than fios/satellite cause you have to buy a box for tv with them-of course casually leaving out the fact that if you want comparable services through the cable company that fios/satellite offer as standard then you will also need a box at each tv. And with the rental fees cable probably then would cost even more than the alternative.

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

Seriously Cox cable is a joke.

My bill is 165 a month. 49 dollars for Internet and the rest is TV. I have 2 dvr and 1 of those is for HD. Only premium channel I get is Showtime.

I checked out Direct tv the other day and I can get 1 dvr 1 hddvr and more HD channels for 55 dollars a month for the first year. After that I think it is 15 dollars more. Going to keep my cox Internet and switch to sat tv

That is with free boxes and free showtime/starz for 3 months.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Average electric bill: $50
Average gas bill: $50
Average water & waste water bills: $30
Average trash/recycling: $15
Comcast Internet/TV: $85
ATT Family Plan w/ 2 iphones: $170

= about $400 in monthly bills, over half of which is phone/internet/tv

Is your comcast bill for just internet and basic cable?

 

[I Saw OJ]

Told them to go pound sand last year and havent looked back. It seems like they do business in a vacuum with their prices being so ridiculous.

 

[rh71]

torrents, dvr blah... don't sign up for tv packages just to catch your 1 or 2 shows.

Just signed my parents up with FIOS, they're at their house right now. Triple play for $69/mo. for 6 months, then $89/mo. for another 6 mo. Since it's for all 3 services (including 25/15 internet), it's a decent price. Just gotta renew to another deal after year 1. We're paying $110/mo. but it's a necessary evil... well except for phone but having just the other 2 at full price almost equals the cost anyway.

You know it's a huge profit for them when they can give you discounts & promos left and right.

 

[Modelworks]

They need to put the local lines that run the last mile to the home under state utility laws. Then anyone can sell you services like tv or internet. That is how other countries have these services cheaper. They don't allow the service provider to own the last mile to the home, that cable from the home to the head end is off limits. They have to lease the line from the government regulated ( not owned) utility and the government utilities are required to lease the lines to whomever the homeowner wants for a provider .

In place like Japan they have 15-20 competitors per home.

 

[bignateyk]

Is your comcast bill for just internet and basic cable?

Internet, first level of digital cable, and then the HD channels that come with that (networks, espn, discovery, etc...)

It will go up another $20 a month or something after my first year is up I think.

edit:

My order of preference as far as tv/internet go is:

FIOS
DirectTv
Comcast

Unfortunately, FIOS isnt available in my area, and there are too many trees around my house to put a dish in. Thus, I am forced to use comcast.

 

[PingSpike]

My favorite part is how they price their services so if you cancel almost everything you end up paying $1.50 less a month. Obviously you'd dump their ass for Dish if they didn't have the cable internet you so badly need if they didn't do this.

 

[sygyzy]

You think that's bad, I pay $60 a month for Verizon DSL (3mbits). The actual cost of the data line is something like $35 (which is still expensive). The other $25 are various fees and the phone line I don't use. I need it because naked DSL would be more expensive (strange, I know). To save money, I severely crippled the phone line. No long distance and even if I call a local area code, but it's more than a few miles away, I get charged.

 

[techs]

What you are paying for is the influence of money in politics.
The cable companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars on political donations to ensure they can rape you and you can't do shit about it.

Seriously, that's what it comes down to.
If you want cheaper cable bills, support campaign reform.

 

[shortylickens]

As a matter of fact, I just got a bill from Comcast yesterday and they jacked up my rates by adding basic TV to the cost of cable ISP.
Called them today and asked to have basic TV removed since I never watch it. They said OK, but they would have to increase the cost of internet service by pretty much the same amount as the TV. Told them I could get better quality internet service for less money with FIOS. The lady took her sweet ass time bullshitting with her supervisor, then said she could offer me economy cable for 38.99 a month. I said "cool, how fast is it?"

"500 K."

WTF? Fuck off and die, bitches. Now I replace shady Comcast service with shady Verizon service.

Anyone know if you get a small discount having Verizon Wireless alongside home phone and FIOS internet? Cuz one way or another thats what I'm doing.

 

[BoberFett]

What you are paying for is the influence of money in politics.
The cable companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars on political donations to ensure they can rape you and you can't do shit about it.

Seriously, that's what it comes down to.
If you want cheaper cable bills, support campaign reform.

I guess that's what you get when voting for Democrats.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=c2200

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

Free over-the-air HD with rabbit ears FTW!

I have phone and Internet through the local phone company. If I ever decided I wanted more than the dozen or so channels I get in HD with my rabbit ears for free (highly unlikely), I would never, ever consider going with Comcast. I'd probably get Dish or DirecTV instead.

 

[darkxshade]

I don't think you guys understand... the cable companies are trying to "protect" you.

 

[mugs]

Internet, first level of digital cable, and then the HD channels that come with that (networks, espn, discovery, etc...)

It will go up another $20 a month or something after my first year is up I think.

That's it? I have the same service minus the HD channels. Mine was $60 the first year, $109 after the first year.

 

[bignateyk]

I don't think you guys understand... the cable companies are trying to "protect" you.

Is that why they sit behind bullet-proof glass at my local comcast office?

 

[Brovane]

The best part is when the cable companies put out adds that they are so much cheaper than fios/satellite cause you have to buy a box for tv with them-of course casually leaving out the fact that if you want comparable services through the cable company that fios/satellite offer as standard then you will also need a box at each tv. And with the rental fees cable probably then would cost even more than the alternative.

Don't know about that one. My Mom bought 3 HDTV's for her house. She only has one box however the other 2 TV's get multiple channels in HD because Cox cable puts out the over-air broadcast HD channels with no encryption. So she can watch HD channels by just plugging in the coax straight into the back of her TV. If she had Dish she would have needed 3 boxes.

 

[LTC8K6]

$177 a month. Digital cable service and mid range cable internet. No HD or Phone. Charter.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I've been looking at directv as an alternative. It comes out cheaper than comcast (even when you consider having to keep net+basic) but its still borderline (edit: borderline... Ignore that word) ridiculous.
I wish I could just pay 100 bucks a month for internet,hd espn/espn2/discovery/locals and maybe two other channels but that would be far too much to ask I suppose.