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Do you have cable?

#23
Heard from a friend who had directTV that his rates were jacked up 6 months after his 24 mo original agreement (so, essentially after 30 months and the expected price change at 12 months). I see nothin on the DTV site/contract stating this.

Anyone else experience this?
 
#24
My wife and I ditched our cable company for satellite about a year ago.We just ditched satellite for a Netflix subscription through our blu-ray player. $9.99/ month, and darn near any show we could want streamed when we want it. Some stuff needs to be sent on DVD, but that's no big deal. We'll probably pick up an internet TV box of some kind to watch the shows we're missing now, or watch them on our computer.We sure as heck don't miss paying $60/month for just-slightly-better-than-basic service.
 
#25
I have cable. Satellite still has that whole "no TV when it's raining" problem and is therefor a deal breaker for me. Truth be told I mostly use the internet more than I watch TV and if it weren't for the MLB, college football, and a select few TV shows I'd only use the cable company for internet access.

That being said, our cable company (Charter) has jacked our rates a few times in the past six months so now we're paying $30 more a month than we were a year ago.
 
#26
Nope. Dumped it and don't miss commercial and crappy programming. Between Netflix and streams why bother to spend the $80-100 a month.

Yes, I know there is Tivo, but I still can't stand even 1 second of commercials.
 
#29
Yep. High-speed internet is worth the price, and I'm happy with what what I can get on Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, etc., plus broadcast! What? Broadcast TV? Yeah, for $200 I had a big antenna installed in my attic, and it picks up about 30 channels loud and clear. No fees, ever.
 
#30
what I do not understand is the constant rate hikes. I mean they (the Cable Companies) produce NOTHING. They peddle the wares of others. The infrastructure is already there. Coax is coax. It either sends and receives signal, or doesn't. At least in my area, it is rarely improved on barring routine maintenance, if any. I don't buy into "satellite adjusting fees" or the ever popular, even more vague "other fees" portions of the bills. Every time Charter would send me one of the "preferred customer, lock in this special bundle rate" each instance would offer an increased rate total, which leads me to one of two scenarios for explanation: a) their costs are truly going up (I doubt), b) they are losing subscribers hand over fist, and need to pass on their losses to the people still enrolled (most likely). Well I for one will not be paying more and more for essentially unmodified subscription. In 3 year's time, my rate, for the same tier two plan, went from 47 a month to almost 75. And they won't budge on that, but of course will offer lower rates to new subscribers...talk about deferring (putting the screws) to your long time customers... It's ludicrous to do so, but they do it.
 
#31
Our cable package has added channels over the last few years, and I'm not talking about the religious or shopping channels. For example, we didn't always have NHLN. A couple years ago, it was added.

While you may not see trucks on your street pulling new cable, there are upgrades to the transmission equipment, satellites, and towers that need to be paid for.

-Mike
 
#33
Consider yourself lucky. Many of the channels I enjoyed got moved to upper tier plans.

I had trouble with my converter box. I asked for a new one, got another used one. That one had issues too (kept locking up). Got a third. Also used. Still issues. Finally had a tech bring another box I presume was used too. None of these 4 boxes were the same model. My Mom-in-law lives on my street. Her cable box is not the same as any of the others I had. I asked, and the person at the desk said "yeah, all we get are used or refurbed boxes". Even for new subscribers? Sure thing.
 
#34
Right now I have a Verizon/DirecTV Bundle...$60. But, I do realize that I don't watch all that much that I can't get somewhere else. A lot of the stuff I have I can watch on Netflix or elsewhere because it's all re-runs. Though there are some shows thtat I can't get elsewhere and I always have the "in case something else comes up..." fear. I'll probably never get rid of it but I definitely evaluate my need for certain things.
 
#35
hover said:
Consider yourself lucky. Many of the channels I enjoyed got moved to upper tier plans.
Click to expand...

We did lose the Speed Channel to an upper tier we don't subscribe to. That was kind of a bummer for my son. I didn't care since I got NHLN and another food channel, called.....drumroll....the Food Channel. :)

-Mike
 
#39
I haven't had cable for more than 3 years. At first, it was due to sheer inertia--I moved out of a building that provided basic cable for free. Then I found I wasn't missing it that much, although it would have been nice to keep up on a few shows and catch certain events.

In about 5 months, though, I expect to get cable again. My girlfriend's moving in with me, there are certain shows she's hooked on, and the cost isn't so bad when it's split by two people. Honestly, it'll be a positive in some ways, because I'm on the Internet way too much. I feel like less of a captive in front of the TV, since I can more easily practice, read things during breaks, etc. But we'll explore our options as far as tiers, Netflix, etc. No way I'm shelling out for HBO.
 

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