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View Full Version : Just curious, what is your cable/satellite bill per month



weazel
12-20-2013, 11:58 AM
What is your bill per month, from who and what do you receive? How about internet, who is your provider, what do you pay and what bandwidth do you get?

Bronco9798
12-20-2013, 12:02 PM
Usually about 90 dollars a month and then when Sunday ticket kicks in for the year around 160.00

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 12:12 PM
I have a phone line, high-speed internet and virtually every channel offered (foreign channels excluded) with three HD-DVRs and an additional two HD receivers. $90.00/month. Comcast is great.

It doesn't hurt being an employee.... ;)

weazel
12-20-2013, 12:16 PM
I pay $130 a month for satellite + $200 a year for NHL Center Ice + $180 a year for NFL Ticket
My Cable internet is $65 a month
Our 3 cell phones are $210 a month
Landline is $45 a month with free long distance anywhere. To tell you the truth I dont think I have used the landline in years, only the wife uses it.

tubby
12-20-2013, 12:18 PM
Comcast internet and average cable with sports package.....$115

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 12:20 PM
My bill would be over $300 if I wasn't an employee.

My cellphone bill is $300/month, but I have five smart phones on the account.

Bronco9798
12-20-2013, 12:22 PM
My bill would be over $300 if I wasn't an employee.

My cellphone bill is $300/month, but I have five smart phones on the account.

5 phones?

weazel
12-20-2013, 12:23 PM
My bill would be over $300 if I wasn't an employee.

My cellphone bill is $300/month, but I have five smart phones on the account.

Yeah, I'm glad my work pays for my phone or we would be at 4 and at $280. My son went over on his data one month and they charged us an extra $700... I was pretty happy!

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 12:26 PM
5 phones?

Wife, me and three kids.

Bronco9798
12-20-2013, 12:28 PM
Wife, me and three kids.

Yeah I still have my youngest one on mine too. One day I'll shake her off, but she's in college full time so I'l pay for it as long she goes to school.

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
12-20-2013, 12:29 PM
I pay $75 per month for Dish's 200 channe package. I have the 2 room dvr that is HD in only one room. I don't pay for any extra movie channels. We pay $35 for wireless internet through Clear, which is an old contract. New signups with them is now $50. We pay $60 for my wife's cell plan with unlimited talk, text, and data through Cricket. My cell phone is provided by work...no landline. So I pay about$170 for everything.

MOtorboat
12-20-2013, 12:41 PM
Comcast internet and average cable with sports package.....$115

Basically this, but with a local company called Allo.

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 12:43 PM
Basically this, but with a local company called Allo.

It'll be Comcast soon. :eyebrows:

MOtorboat
12-20-2013, 12:44 PM
It'll be Comcast soon. :eyebrows:

Comcast is buying it?

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 12:46 PM
Comcast is buying it?

Well, not that I'm aware of, but we probably will in the future.

slim
12-20-2013, 12:49 PM
Direct TV - I think it's around $90/month, plus the annual charge for the ticket. Verison is around $90/month also.

No internet or landline at home.

MOtorboat
12-20-2013, 12:49 PM
Well, not that I'm aware of, but we probably will in the future.

The reason they exist is because Comcast, and several other big cable companies, hasn't wanted anything to do with rural areas.

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 12:56 PM
The reason they exist is because Comcast, and several other big cable companies, hasn't wanted anything to do with rural areas.

Well, to be fair Comcast started as a rural company who existed solely to bring service to those who couldn't get an over-the-air signal.

That said, we let them spend the $$ to get the homes wired then buy them.

OrangeHoof
12-20-2013, 01:46 PM
Time Warner Cable $140/mo for DVR HD service (one box) and "Turbo" high-speed internet. No premiums or specialty packages. When I worked for them, I got it all free but I got laid off in 2010.

NightTrainLayne
12-20-2013, 02:19 PM
Cox Cable.

2 HD DVR boxes, amped up internet access, and landline phone with unlimited long distance. I have HBO, and other premium channells. Basically everything except for Cinemax and Showtime.

$217/month including taxes etc. Probably $180 before taxes/fees.

Timmy!
12-20-2013, 02:23 PM
Directv. Sunday ticket, MLB extra innings, NHL center ice, NBA league pass, all movie channels. $0.00


I win.

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 02:25 PM
Directv. Sunday ticket, MLB extra innings, NHL center ice, NBA league pass, all movie channels. $0.00


I win.

Eh. What's your internet bill and phone bill?

PS - DTV sucks ass. :eyebrows:

Timmy!
12-20-2013, 02:34 PM
Eh. What's your internet bill and phone bill?

PS - DTV sucks ass. :eyebrows:

Internet through charter: $50.
Verizon phone: $85.

Our new genie box is the shit. Dont hate on a former Comcast employee Joe. I enjoyed my free Comcast service (especially the internet w/speed tier) but have less problems with DTV (as in none) and we own all of the boxes. Hey Joe, how's your free Sunday ticket? Oh, u don't have that? :priceisrightyoulosesound:

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 02:43 PM
Internet through charter: $50.
Verizon phone: $85.

Our new genie box is the shit. Dont hate on a former Comcast employee Joe. I enjoyed my free Comcast service (especially the internet w/speed tier) but have less problems with DTV (as in none) and we own all of the boxes. Hey Joe, how's your free Sunday ticket? Oh, u don't have that? :priceisrightyoulosesound:

Oh, our X-One box kicks ASS too. Owning your box is WAY overrated. You're screwed if they develop a problem... Why in the hell would I need Sunday ticket? I'll take RedZone (because of where I live) any day of the week including Sundays! Other than my gardner cutting my line once, I've had no problems either. Check back with me if/when you ever have a snow/ice storm. I'll expect a thank you soon since you get a ton of programming from us and our satellite's up in Montana.

Bronco9798
12-20-2013, 02:46 PM
Oh, our X-One box kicks ASS too. Owning your box is WAY overrated. You're screwed if they develop a problem... Why in the hell would I need Sunday ticket? I'll take RedZone (because of where I live) any day of the week including Sundays! Other than my gardner cutting my line once, I've had no problems either. Check back with me if/when you ever have a snow/ice storm. I'll expect a thank you soon since you get a ton of programming from us and our satellite's up in Montana.

I love red zone, wish I could buy it only. I have to get whole package to get the Bronco games every week. When I lived in Denver I never had to worry about missing a Bronco game. But I moved away for the job and have to resort to Sunday Ticket now.

WTE
12-20-2013, 02:47 PM
Phone, Internet, 2 HD boxes, 1 DVR box, 1 of the cheapo free boxes, All the pay channels except porn and foreign - $180.00

Bronco9798
12-20-2013, 02:49 PM
Phone, Internet, 2 HD boxes, 1 DVR box, 1 of the cheapo free boxes, All the pay channels except porn and foreign - $180.00

Why did you leave the porn out. You might as well get it all.

Timmy!
12-20-2013, 02:55 PM
Oh, our X-One box kicks ASS too. Owning your box is WAY overrated. You're screwed if they develop a problem... Why in the hell would I need Sunday ticket? I'll take RedZone (because of where I live) any day of the week including Sundays! Other than my gardner cutting my line once, I've had no problems either. Check back with me if/when you ever have a snow/ice storm. I'll expect a thank you soon since you get a ton of programming from us and our satellite's up in Montana.

Joe, we got the boxes for free. If something goes wrong with them we just get new ones, free. Plus, if we ever move and get a different provider I can unload them for about $200 a piece. Congrats on red zone, I have it too. Don't be a hater Joe, its unhealthy.

Dapper Dan
12-20-2013, 02:59 PM
No TV - $0
Internet - $60 6mb - Windstream
Cell phones - $220 3 smart phones, 2 dumb phones - AT&T (The bill is split)

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 03:05 PM
Joe, we got the boxes for free. If something goes wrong with them we just get new ones, free. Plus, if we ever move and get a different provider I can unload them for about $200 a piece. Congrats on red zone, I have it too. Don't be a hater Joe, its unhealthy.

I actually would be with DTV if I didn't work for Comcast. For TV anyway. No one beats our internet. I get 50/10. Dish is the one that SUCKS ASS.

WTE
12-20-2013, 03:11 PM
Why did you leave the porn out. You might as well get it all.

HBO & Showtime shows is pretty much soft porn anyway.

Timmy!
12-20-2013, 03:12 PM
I actually would be with DTV if I didn't work for Comcast. For TV anyway. No one beats our internet. I get 50/10. Dish is the one that SUCKS ASS.


I miss Comcast internet soooo much. Cable up here is a clusterfuk. Since 2010, it was Bresnan, then became Optimum, and now its Charter. Connection isn't near as stable as it should be (may too much packet loss.) Annoys me to no end. My folks (well mom now) and several friends have dish, pretty much garbage.

Thnikkaman
12-20-2013, 03:35 PM
All going to be irrelevant when Hulu, Netflix, Sony, and Microsoft succeed in making everything al a carte.

Dapper Dan
12-20-2013, 04:17 PM
All going to be irrelevant when Hulu, Netflix, Sony, and Microsoft succeed in making everything al a carte.

The only way I think they may be able to save themselves would be to offer better packages. They want you to get 200 channels, when you'll only watch 20 of them. I'd be more willing to pay $1 per channel. But I'm sure a lot of their money comes from these deals with the companies. Forcing you to get at least 120 channels may be the reason they make so much now. Some people like that. I don't know, but it's the reason I don't want any of them. The internet is all I need right now.

Slick
12-20-2013, 04:49 PM
Wow Joe! 50/10? I was going to ask you if putting a slingbox on your basement tv for me was going to screw up your internet service but it doesn't sound like it.

I don't have Tv at the house but I've got a dsl/ landline that we pay roughly $45 USD a month. 5 mbps down and 1mbps upload. Free long distance in Mexico with 100 free minutes to Canada or the US.

We've got 2 Iphone3s that we got for free for signing a contract about a year and a half ago. Unlimited Internet (it's 3g) and 20 free numbers-calls or text for $40 USD a month each phone.

BroncoJoe
12-20-2013, 05:03 PM
Wow Joe! 50/10? I was going to ask you if putting a slingbox on your basement tv for me was going to screw up your internet service but it doesn't sound like it.

I don't have Tv at the house but I've got a dsl/ landline that we pay roughly $45 USD a month. 5 mbps down and 1mbps upload. Free long distance in Mexico with 100 free minutes to Canada or the US.

We've got 2 Iphone3s that we got for free for signing a contract about a year and a half ago. Unlimited Internet (it's 3g) and 20 free numbers-calls or text for $40 USD a month each phone.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/JoeArthur/SpeedTest_zps475563a6.jpg

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
12-20-2013, 05:28 PM
HBO & Showtime shows is pretty much soft porn anyway.

Especially skinemax.

tubby
12-20-2013, 06:27 PM
Peep this Joe...

3932

OrangeHoof
12-20-2013, 08:06 PM
So what are sports channels like in Mexico? Futbol, Futbol, Futbol, Futbol, Futbol, Futbol, cockfighting, Futbol, Futbol, Futbol, Futbol, those weird masked wrestlers, Futbol, Futbol and half-nekkid weather girls. That about it?

Dapper Dan
12-20-2013, 08:13 PM
Loocha-doors!

BroncoJoe
12-22-2013, 10:23 AM
Peep this Joe...

3932

Nice. I top those speeds at work - mine was from home.

weazel
12-22-2013, 06:01 PM
Directv. Sunday ticket, MLB extra innings, NHL center ice, NBA league pass, all movie channels. $0.00


I win.

Didn't think you could hack DTV anymore... learn something new every day

GEM
12-23-2013, 09:39 AM
I have a phone line, high-speed internet and virtually every channel offered (foreign channels excluded) with three HD-DVRs and an additional two HD receivers. $90.00/month. Comcast is great.

It doesn't hurt being an employee.... ;)

Yea, that same package costs the common consumer about $250/mo. :laugh:

GEM
12-23-2013, 09:43 AM
The reason they exist is because Comcast, and several other big cable companies, hasn't wanted anything to do with rural areas.

We couldn't get Comcast in Downtown Denver for a few years, but that was 4 years ago. Craziest thing we ever saw....#1 provider in the state and we couldn't get the phone service package at 21st and Curtis. The minute we could, we moved over from Century Link.

GEM
12-23-2013, 09:46 AM
The only way I think they may be able to save themselves would be to offer better packages. They want you to get 200 channels, when you'll only watch 20 of them. I'd be more willing to pay $1 per channel. But I'm sure a lot of their money comes from these deals with the companies. Forcing you to get at least 120 channels may be the reason they make so much now. Some people like that. I don't know, but it's the reason I don't want any of them. The internet is all I need right now.

I like the 60 Spanish channels...when I don't speak Spanish. :laugh: I asked Comcast if I could take those off and get some channels I'll actually watch, they said no due to FCC rules. :rolleyes:

GEM
12-23-2013, 09:48 AM
$90 basic cable, $200 Cells (5 Smartphones), no internet as everyone uses their unlimited data on phones. :lol:

OrangeHoof
12-23-2013, 10:39 AM
I like the 60 Spanish channels...when I don't speak Spanish. :laugh: I asked Comcast if I could take those off and get some channels I'll actually watch, they said no due to FCC rules. :rolleyes:

Why aren't Spanish channels required to carry SAP with English translations? That's just wrong.

tubby
12-23-2013, 10:53 AM
Nice. I top those speeds at work - mine was from home.

I would challenge you to prove that. :D

BroncoJoe
12-23-2013, 11:06 AM
I would challenge you to prove that. :D

LOL. Next time I'm in the office I'll run the test.

Are you off this week? I'm technically working, but not.

tubby
12-23-2013, 11:37 AM
LOL. Next time I'm in the office I'll run the test.

Are you off this week? I'm technically working, but not.

Working today. Off rest of they week. Fly to MI tomorrow morning.

Pudge
02-13-2014, 11:56 AM
Comcast is buying out time warner, how will that effect you joe?

Ravage!!!
02-13-2014, 12:04 PM
I have the 50mbps high speed internet, no cable or satelite TV as I stream everything through xbmc (which means I get all the cable stations and all the ppv)...that runs about 70 per month, and my phone is 45.00 for the unlimited everything through straight talk ( love straight talk).

OrangeHoof
02-13-2014, 01:35 PM
Comcast is buying out time warner, how will that effect you joe?

Probably not much, at least at first. While they are both competitors in the same business, they are not competitors for the same territories (by design). So nobody is losing a choice. If, however, there are subtle differences in the channel lineups or the pricing structures, they'll come out within the next year.

From an anti-trust viewpoint, I can't believe the feds would okay such a merger but Comcast and Time Warner are both butt buddies for Obama so perhaps with a large enough campaign contribution, the feds will agree to look the other way.

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
02-13-2014, 03:30 PM
I have the 50mbps high speed internet, no cable or satelite TV as I stream everything through xbmc (which means I get all the cable stations and all the ppv)...that runs about 70 per month, and my phone is 45.00 for the unlimited everything through straight talk ( love straight talk).

Do you get all of the network's programming current, or are you many months behind? I'm not familiar with how any of the streaming works.

Ravage!!!
02-13-2014, 03:35 PM
Do you get all of the network's programming current, or are you many months behind? I'm not familiar with how any of the streaming works.

Sometimes just an hour behind the regular programming, but normally I would say 1 day. So when shows normally air on Wednesday, I plan on watching them Thursday, and on down the line. Anymore, I like to catch up on TV series and watch a whole season in a row. That's absolutely the BEST way to watch TV.

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
02-13-2014, 03:39 PM
Sometimes just an hour behind the regular programming, but normally I would say 1 day. So when shows normally air on Wednesday, I plan on watching them Thursday, and on down the line. Anymore, I like to catch up on TV series and watch a whole season in a row. That's absolutely the BEST way to watch TV.

That's interesting, I would probably save about 40 bucks a month if I did that.

BroncoJoe
02-13-2014, 03:40 PM
Comcast is buying out time warner, how will that effect you joe?

Too early, but it shouldn't. Still has to be approved by the FCC.


Probably not much, at least at first. While they are both competitors in the same business, they are not competitors for the same territories (by design). So nobody is losing a choice. If, however, there are subtle differences in the channel lineups or the pricing structures, they'll come out within the next year.

From an anti-trust viewpoint, I can't believe the feds would okay such a merger but Comcast and Time Warner are both butt buddies for Obama so perhaps with a large enough campaign contribution, the feds will agree to look the other way.

Well, even with the merger, we will still only have approximately 1/3 of all cable subscribers. Hardly worth the FCC's time. It's not like we're taking over the entire industry.

Yet.

Ravage!!!
02-13-2014, 03:47 PM
That's interesting, I would probably save about 40 bucks a month if I did that.

I don't have cable at alllllll...other than internet service. Considering I can get nearly every channel I want (including movie channels) and live sports..... I save more than that. But you have to be willing to set up a HTPC (Home Theatre PC) with XBMC on it. I just read an article that people are really using the Jailbroken Apple TV's for their HTPCs...and the new Mini-PCs are flying off the shelves for the same purpose (such as the Next Unit of Computing, or NUC). They have high capacity, HDMI, but no fans so they are tiny and silent.

It takes some time to learn how to set up if you haven't done it before, and I spent quite a bit of time reading and watching YouTube videos on how to get it up and running the way I wanted.....but once set up, you are up and going and no cable bill. It's pretty cool.

Magnificent Seven
02-13-2014, 04:43 PM
Get an illegal cable box for about 400 bucks. Just get internet and phone for cheaper price from Comcast or different companies.

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
02-13-2014, 04:57 PM
I don't have cable at alllllll...other than internet service. Considering I can get nearly every channel I want (including movie channels) and live sports..... I save more than that. But you have to be willing to set up a HTPC (Home Theatre PC) with XBMC on it. I just read an article that people are really using the Jailbroken Apple TV's for their HTPCs...and the new Mini-PCs are flying off the shelves for the same purpose (such as the Next Unit of Computing, or NUC). They have high capacity, HDMI, but no fans so they are tiny and silent.

It takes some time to learn how to set up if you haven't done it before, and I spent quite a bit of time reading and watching YouTube videos on how to get it up and running the way I wanted.....but once set up, you are up and going and no cable bill. It's pretty cool.

I spend about $97 for all of it. I have package through Dish that I pay $62 per month for, and my wireless internet is $35.

Devilspawn
02-13-2014, 06:34 PM
With Cablevision it ran to $178 a month because we had all the On Demand channels. When we cancelled those it ran to about $130-$140.

Slick
02-13-2014, 06:39 PM
I was real close to sending Joe a slingbox but now that I have heard about this streaming service, I need to investigate further. I might have to take to PMing you Ravage. Sounds interesting.

Skinny
02-14-2014, 07:52 AM
I spend right around $80 bucks for basic cable with the option for PPV movies if i want to get one for $3.99 a movie, and internet service.

CoachChaz
02-14-2014, 11:42 AM
I have 3 HD boxes with DVR on 2 of them, a pretty extensive channel package plus HBO and I pay about $170 a month. That includes internet I just wish their a la carte options were better. There are 2 or 3 channels I'd love to have, but in order to get them I have to pay an extra $15 for a package I dont want. I'd be happy to trade about 30 of the channels I get for those 3.

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
02-14-2014, 05:40 PM
I have 3 HD boxes with DVR on 2 of them, a pretty extensive channel package plus HBO and I pay about $170 a month. That includes internet I just wish their a la carte options were better. There are 2 or 3 channels I'd love to have, but in order to get them I have to pay an extra $15 for a package I dont want. I'd be happy to trade about 30 of the channels I get for those 3.

That's kind of the way it goes with any of the providers. Dish is the same way for me. I'm not going to spend and extra 30 bucks to get HBO and Skinemax. I'm not going to spend and extra $15 to get Fox Sports. However, there's a buttload of channels I never watch. I think the only channels I would really miss if didn't have it would be ESPN, History Channel, and Discovery Channel. Almost all of the shows we watch are on those two channels (my wife doesn't watch ESPN). Almost all of the Denver games are on free tv for me here.

BroncoJoe
02-14-2014, 06:00 PM
You all understand that the provider has to pay the channels they broadcast, right? Some come cheap, others are expensive as hell. As a company, you have to package a mix together at a reasonable price so they balance out.

a la carte is a pipe dream. It would be FAR too expensive to allow users to pick and choose. You'd end up spending more for less.

Al Wilson 4 Mayor
02-14-2014, 06:17 PM
You all understand that the provider has to pay the channels they broadcast, right? Some come cheap, others are expensive as hell. As a company, you have to package a mix together at a reasonable price so they balance out.

a la carte is a pipe dream. It would be FAR too expensive to allow users to pick and choose. You'd end up spending more for less.

Yeah, I understand that.

MOtorboat
02-14-2014, 07:35 PM
You all understand that the provider has to pay the channels they broadcast, right? Some come cheap, others are expensive as hell. As a company, you have to package a mix together at a reasonable price so they balance out.

a la carte is a pipe dream. It would be FAR too expensive to allow users to pick and choose. You'd end up spending more for less.

Come on Joe. Get 'er done!

atwater27
02-15-2014, 05:59 AM
Too early, but it shouldn't. Still has to be approved by the FCC.



Well, even with the merger, we will still only have approximately 1/3 of all cable subscribers. Hardly worth the FCC's time. It's not like we're taking over the entire industry.

Yet.http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/14/alarming-charts-show-just-how-much-power-comcast-will-have-over-cable-industry-if-time-warner-deal-stands/

4314

BroncoJoe
02-15-2014, 09:37 AM
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/14/alarming-charts-show-just-how-much-power-comcast-will-have-over-cable-industry-if-time-warner-deal-stands/

4314

I was including the satellite companies as well. Should have said TV providers.

atwater27
02-15-2014, 11:35 AM
Either way, it I is bad for our country and for us as consumers. It kills competition, reduces choices, concentrates power,will kill jobs and something tells me the rise in profits and efficiency from the merger will somehow not be transferred in even the slightest percentage to the customer in reduced fees.

BroncoJoe
02-15-2014, 01:39 PM
Either way, it I is bad for our country and for us as consumers. It kills competition, reduces choices, concentrates power,will kill jobs and something tells me the rise in profits and efficiency from the merger will somehow not be transferred in even the slightest percentage to the customer in reduced fees.

Not really. Cable companies don't cross each other's boundaries. It's not like someone could choose between Comcast and TWC now.

OB
02-18-2014, 11:53 AM
Too much for the 3 or 4 channels I actually watch (about $140 - no movie channels tho) - if it werent for the 7 or 8 kids channels for Kaleb I would probably just get a digital receiver or something - Netflix entertains me enough for now. I went with DirectTV because my daughter had it and I wanted the Sunday ticket option but thankfully most of the games were on network TV and I didnt have to and the Giants sucked so bad my son had no interest in it this year either

CoachChaz
02-18-2014, 12:02 PM
You all understand that the provider has to pay the channels they broadcast, right? Some come cheap, others are expensive as hell. As a company, you have to package a mix together at a reasonable price so they balance out.

a la carte is a pipe dream. It would be FAR too expensive to allow users to pick and choose. You'd end up spending more for less.

I wont claim to know all the details, but I'm curious why I get a ton of sports channels now, but if I wanted the Outdoor Channel, I'd have to pay an extra $15 for 12 more sports channels. Why not have an all inclusive sports package?

Ravage!!!
02-18-2014, 01:39 PM
I'm pretty sure it's illegal for any cable, tv provider, to offer al la carte choices. They coudln't even if they wanted, and they don't wanna.

Internet service SHOULD be considered a "utility" now, considering how much our society relies on it. The Cable companies should no longer "own" the cable and thus limit the internet use as they do on their whim. There are a lot of countries around the world that have FASTER internet service, and its FREE. We have to pay a butt load purely because of the monopoly that is cable. It's BS, and it should be fixed. Seattle's govenor, at one time, said that he wanted FREE Wi-Fi internet provided for the City of Seattle and I think the cable companies put a hit out on him (exaggeration of course, maybe).

They can say "they don't have a monopoly"..yet they don't cross each other's borders so that you only have ONE choice..... if that isn't a monopoly, I don't know what is. It's controlling the market, nothing different than price setting. They raise the prices every year, and you don't have a way around it because there are no other companies that can compete. Instead of our government doing something, they take their payoffs (lobby money)....and look the other way.

BroncoJoe
02-19-2014, 09:08 AM
I'm pretty sure it's illegal for any cable, tv provider, to offer al la carte choices. They coudln't even if they wanted, and they don't wanna.

Internet service SHOULD be considered a "utility" now, considering how much our society relies on it. The Cable companies should no longer "own" the cable and thus limit the internet use as they do on their whim. There are a lot of countries around the world that have FASTER internet service, and its FREE. We have to pay a butt load purely because of the monopoly that is cable. It's BS, and it should be fixed. Seattle's govenor, at one time, said that he wanted FREE Wi-Fi internet provided for the City of Seattle and I think the cable companies put a hit out on him (exaggeration of course, maybe).

They can say "they don't have a monopoly"..yet they don't cross each other's borders so that you only have ONE choice..... if that isn't a monopoly, I don't know what is. It's controlling the market, nothing different than price setting. They raise the prices every year, and you don't have a way around it because there are no other companies that can compete. Instead of our government doing something, they take their payoffs (lobby money)....and look the other way.

You can get the internet through a utility company - your local telephone company. Cable providers are not a public utility. They have developed and installed their infrastructures on their own, without government assistance or funding. The only thing we use are public easements to lay our fiber-optics and cable. What you're saying is the government should be able to take over any company in America that's built themselves up on their own and created a great product.

As has been discussed greatly in this thread, you have a ton of options for TV. You also have options for internet.

BroncoJoe
02-19-2014, 09:30 AM
I wont claim to know all the details, but I'm curious why I get a ton of sports channels now, but if I wanted the Outdoor Channel, I'd have to pay an extra $15 for 12 more sports channels. Why not have an all inclusive sports package?

This kind of addresses that:


But rest assured, if you want to pay for your cable channels individually, you will end up paying a ton more. A report from Needham Insights issued last month suggested that 20 million viewers would pay $30 a month for ESPN, which would give the network the $600 million a month it needs to keep functioning, because that's what it makes today. That's right: you currently pay only $6 a month for ESPN, because you and 100 million other people have the network, and they can afford to take comparatively little from you. Let's say that factor of five holds true across all the networks you watch: suddenly you're paying $6.06 for TNT ($1.21 a month) $4.10 for Fox News ($0.82), and so on down the line. In fact, if you factor in only the top 10 most highly-compensated networks (and ESPN is by far the highest, so they're all south of that $6 figure), you're up to $78 with only ten channels.

Granted, maybe you're not a sports nut. But the lower down on the totem pole you go, the fewer people are watching your favorite programs, and the harder it is to shoulder the burden of those sub fees. The Food Network reaps $20 million a month from subscriber fees—even if you and a million close personal friends decide to sign up for their a la carte service, you still owe them $20 a month.

"At the end of the day, the American consumer would not be well-served by an a la carte environment," said Lowe on the earnings call, and that's putting it mildly. Rights fees on ESPN, for example, cost a jaw-dropping amount of money—the network pays $1.9 billion annually just for NFL football. About $700 million goes to Major League Baseball.

The Outdoor channel doesn't have a "huge" subscriber base, but they charge a premium price due to their content. They have to package that channel with others to make it more affordable in the long run.

atwater27
02-19-2014, 07:15 PM
As has been discussed greatly in this thread, you have a ton of options for TV. You also have options for internet.

Not really. You can either go dish or go cable. and a lot of people can't get dish because of rental agreements, trees or other things blocking the satellite signal. So most people pretty much have 2 options and others only have one. Comcast and DirecTV know this, and they rape people with a smile on their face.

BroncoJoe
02-19-2014, 10:31 PM
Not really. You can either go dish or go cable. and a lot of people can't get dish because of rental agreements, trees or other things blocking the satellite signal. So most people pretty much have 2 options and others only have one. Comcast and DirecTV know this, and they rape people with a smile on their face.

Pretty simplistic and exaggerated viewpoint, but its yours at least.

Timmy!
02-20-2014, 02:41 AM
Pretty simplistic and exaggerated viewpoint, but its yours at least.

Haters gonna hate. Hey Joe, how's your bill, and that of your friends/acquaintances?