Cable Television "Sticker Shock"

[Glorfindel7]

Just need to vent somewhere. I just got a bill from Comcast Cable that was over 100 dollars a month

All I'm getting for this is the following:

1. One premium service (I removed one otherwise my bill would be 15 dollars more)
2. One High Definition Cable box and one regular cable box.
3. High Definition Service (next year, 2010 I'm hoping that they CANNOT charge for this since ALL channels will essentially be HI DEF)
4. Digital Premium (includes ON DEMAND service)

My biggest gripe is that I CANNOT pick and choose which channels I want to watch and some of the channels I'd like to watch (such as NFL network) are NOT available

Is this more or less what everyone is paying that has cable? I think its about time that this industry gets regulated so that they can stop screwing us, the consumer. Unfortunately I don't HAVE any other options available.

I'd quit cable altogether, but there's at least one other person in my household that watches a LOT of TV and she would find it very difficult to find OTHER things to do

:::: getting off my soapbox now.....

[buffettbride]

We decided long ago that paying for TV was silly. I miss it sometimes, and perhaps one day we'll get DTV, but the package we want would still run us close to $100 per month.

I think $100 for what you're paying is probably about average. Maybe call your cable company and threaten to cancel and you can get a good promotional deal for a few months. Trust me, as a person in telecom (and a cable competitor) they want to keep your business BADLY.

[Wino you know]

I guess I shouldn't complain.
I'm getting pretty much what YOU'RE getting for $61.00 a month. (Media Com).
When I moved back to Iowa in 1996, it was $25.00 a month, and climbing steadily every year. It'll probably be $100.00 a month before too long, and I should probably set a cut-off point, but I did that with Buffett tickets LONG ago, and I'm still going to his concerts.

However, I get QUALITY at Jimmy Buffett concerts.
All the crap on TV, however, is NOT worth what I'm paying.
I can easily do without all the G.D. reality shows, American Idol, South Park, Family Guy, and the ga-zillion hours a day of infomercials.

[RinglingRingling]

Just need to vent somewhere. I just got a bill from Comcast Cable that was over 100 dollars a month

All I'm getting for this is the following:

1. One premium service (I removed one otherwise my bill would be 15 dollars more)
2. One High Definition Cable box and one regular cable box.
3. High Definition Service (next year, 2010 I'm hoping that they CANNOT charge for this since ALL channels will essentially be HI DEF)
4. Digital Premium (includes ON DEMAND service)

My biggest gripe is that I CANNOT pick and choose which channels I want to watch and some of the channels I'd like to watch (such as NFL network) are NOT available

Is this more or less what everyone is paying that has cable? I think its about time that this industry gets regulated so that they can stop screwing us, the consumer. Unfortunately I don't HAVE any other options available.

I'd quit cable altogether, but there's at least one other person in my household that watches a LOT of TV and she would find it very difficult to find OTHER things to do

:::: getting off my soapbox now.....

a bit more here. but that is three services plus the digital (lots of music in the upper reaches) and roadrunner.

[TommyBahama]

Thats why i'm on the Dish Network( i can bundle my cell..home phone ..computer with it) and i did like Directv....i pay 39.00....but i agree there are a couple of channels i wish i got...golf..sleuth and versus....but i do get the NFL network....and right now i don't have a HDTV!!

[ejr]

Dave-my bill is very similar with Comcast, with 2 premium channels, and one digital cable box and one set on regular cable.

I am investigating what I am going to do before next February, and I think I may switch to DirectTV--I think I can get better options for a little less.

And there is a lot of crap, but there are enough things I do like and watch that I can't imagine eliminating all these options (though some further choice would be nice)

[Skibo]

1. One premium service (I removed one otherwise my bill would be 15 dollars more)
2. One High Definition Cable box and one regular cable box.
3. High Definition Service (next year, 2010 I'm hoping that they CANNOT charge for this since ALL channels will essentially be HI DEF)
4. Digital Premium (includes ON DEMAND service)

You can get the bill down to $60 pretty quick if you drop
1. the premium service. I assume HBO. If it is worth it to you keep it. Drop it and you will save.
2. Get rid of the HD. You can get the standard digital box for free and you won't have to pay for the HD service.
3. Drop digital premium. Is there really anything on there that is worth watching? OK NFL network maybe, but Fball season is over on sunday.

Your cable bill doesn't all go to Comcast. A lot of that goes to the programmers. I have been out of CATV for a few years now, but I do remember that programming was very expensive. Also look at the bottom of your bill. You probably have $20 in taxes. That franchise fee is a tax that goes to your local govt. When it is brought up your officials will act like they are sticking it to comcast, but really it is an adder on the bottom of your bill. It doesn't cost comcast anything.

[jimsig]

3. High Definition Service (next year, 2010 I'm hoping that they CANNOT charge for this since ALL channels will essentially be HI DEF)

That is incorrect, all channels will have to be broadcast in Digital, not HD sometime in 2009. There is a big difference between Digital and HD broadcast. Check out Digital TV Home Page for more info

So look for more ways for the cable company to get us

[CrznDnUS1]

We are paying $115 a month but that's for TV and Internet. The TV alone is like $60-$65 w/o and premiums.

[thebeachbumm33]

I'm embarrassed to say we give $180 a month to comcast. For the price we get the internet, phone, and cable along with HD/DVR box + 2 digital boxes and every channel they offer. Funny thing is when it's actually time to sit down and watch, there's nothing on TV

[buffettbride]

I'm embarrassed to say we give $180 a month to comcast. For the price we get the internet, phone, and cable along with HD/DVR box + 2 digital boxes and every channel they offer. Funny thing is when it's actually time to sit down and watch, there's nothing on TV

$180 for internet, phone, and cable with all the goodies really isn't a bad price. It'd be even better if it included your cell phones, too, but other than that, that is probably about average. No embarassment needed.

[chippewa]

$95 a month thru Comcast for basic TV and internet. I'd like to switch to satellite TV, but my internet rate would jump from 44 to $58 if I'm not a cable TV subscriber.

[OystersandBeer]

Kill your TV.


I still have one but only have basic cable and I have no clue what we pay because my wife pays it. I told her I could do without, but she refused to have bunny ears on our TV. She wouldn't let me ditch our cell phones either. Or my house. She refuses to live on a boat. Or my clothes. She said it is unacceptable to walk around naked in public. Sheesh, can't do anything anymore.

[Wino you know]

JEEZ, I should look into some of the options some of you have.
My cable, internet, and telephone are with three different companies, and, added together, they cost me $106.00 per month.
Internet is dial-up, and it's slower than molasses, cable is just the basic/expanded-no H.B.O. T.M.C., or other premium stations, although every so often we'd get a month of H.B.O. for free, the company thinking it would get people to subscribe to it, but when nobody did, they quit adding it 2-3 times a year to everyone's basic service.

My next project is to find a DECENT high speed internet service and a DECENT cell phone company. Verizon Wireless and I are long overdue for a parting of the ways.

[ScarletB]

I was paying $104 for internet and TV, I didn't have any premium channels or HDTV etc. For the next year I'm on a "special" with Comcast, bundled internet, digital phone and cable (with the box and HBO and movies on Demand) for $99. When the year is up I'll drop all the fancy stuff on the TV side. I have a gazillion channels now and there's STILL nothing on!

[Wino you know]

I was paying $104 for internet and TV, I didn't have any premium channels or HDTV etc. For the next year I'm on a "special" with Comcast, bundled internet, digital phone and cable (with the box and HBO and movies on Demand) for $99. When the year is up I'll drop all the fancy stuff on the TV side. I have a gazillion channels now and there's STILL nothing on!

That's the problem-there's MEGA-gazillion TV channels, and there's absolutley NOTHING worth watching.

[msu#1]

Drop Cable!!!! It will be the best thing you ever did. Comcast is a evil giant just like Wal-mart.


I have AT&T Uverse. Its a brand new system for Tv runs thru your phone line into your house. Not cable, not satellite. I pay 75 a month for the U200 package with broadband internet. I get way more channels than I did with cable and pay 10 less now per month.

The only problem is its brand new and they are rolling it out slowly, not available in alot of places right now, but its coming.

They give you a dvr plus 3 other tv box tops for free before you have to pay for additional set top boxes. Its all digital, includes video on demand, plus coming soon a mediashare option that will let you access files from your computer on your tv.

ps the switch to hd, will only affect you if you use only over the air broadcasts to watch tv and you have a tv that cant decode hd signals. The government will give you 30 dollars this year to buy a convertor box to fix that, you just have to request it.

[Triathlete-Parakeet2]

Last year, we switched from Comcast cable to a Verizon package that included DIRECTV. Couldnt be happier. Lots of HD channels for not that much more. If anything, switch for the service. Both times I called them up and a human answered immediately. The next day, the DirecTv guy showed up at my house. Nothing like we got with cable.

[ejr]

Drop Cable!!!! It will be the best thing you ever did. Comcast is a evil giant just like Wal-mart.


I have AT&T Uverse. Its a brand new system for Tv runs thru your phone line into your house. Not cable, not satellite. I pay 75 a month for the U200 package with broadband internet. I get way more channels than I did with cable and pay 10 less now per month.

The only problem is its brand new and they are rolling it out slowly, not available in alot of places right now, but its coming.

They give you a dvr plus 3 other tv box tops for free before you have to pay for additional set top boxes. Its all digital, includes video on demand, plus coming soon a mediashare option that will let you access files from your computer on your tv.

ps the switch to hd, will only affect you if you use only over the air broadcasts to watch tv and you have a tv that cant decode hd signals. The government will give you 30 dollars this year to buy a convertor box to fix that, you just have to request it.

My understanding is that the switch is not a switch to HD, but a switch from analog to digital.

The government will give you up to 2 coupons for $40 for the converter boxes. Here is the link to request yours:

https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx

[moog]

That's the problem-there's MEGA-gazillion TV channels, and there's absolutley NOTHING worth watching.

Well, I like my Turner Classic Movies, IFC and Sundance channel. Even Starz and HBO. Cablevision is pretty good. Rated high for their internet and phone service. Phone cost about 19. Internet slightly high at 45. And I'm doing about 70 or 72 for the silver package. So at 145 a month (after the extortion costs), it's still less then when I was paying for Verizon and cable together.

The value is only good if you need or want the services. If you don't want HBO or other movie channels, then the package deals may not be cost effective.