Why is my internet/cable bill so high?? $112/month (to buy, subsidized)

[Morpheuss]

Ok, so with all these streaming services I thought internet/cable would be cheaper. Really I DO NOT want the cable part. I just want Internet and to be able to subscribe to those cool streaming services (e.g. YouTube, Sling TV, Hulu, etc) if I feel like it. Can anybody make any suggestions to get my bill cheaper, or am I actually getting a deal?

A breakdown of what I'm currently paying is below:

TV Services......$21.99
Internet...........$74.99
Taxes/Fees.......$9.75
Other Charges..$6.00
---------------------------
TOTAL $112.73

[ChristieP]

You’re paying less than I am. The problem is that you have to have fast internet in order to stream tv. The cheaper, slower internet isn’t fast enough.

[mastershake575]

That's actually not a bad bill for internet and cable to be honest.

Combining cable and internet for a reasonable cost is actually a good idea. The whole streaming and cutting the cord is extremely over-rated in terms of trying to beat the system

People think there going to get a better deal and outsmart the networks but there really not. The networks are going to get there cut of the money at the end of the day (streaming services have risen in prices every year and more and more programs are getting spread out to multiple services meaning your going to have to buy 3 or 4 different streaming services to get all your channels).

Unless you plan on cutting down what you watch or have a specific niche your better off doing what your currently doing. Give it 3 years and these streaming services like YouTube TV are going to have half the channels of cable but cost the same price

[Morpheuss]

...yeah, to quite honest with you the only cable channels I want are CNN and ESPN. Other than that pls just give me a big pipe internet. I hope to somehow find a discount given that I don't want that many cable channels.

[mastershake575]

Originally Posted by Morpheuss

...yeah, to quite honest with you the only cable channels I want are CNN and ESPN. Other than that pls just give me a big pipe internet. I hope to somehow find a discount given that I don't want that many cable channels.

You could probably get a good intro 12 month rate (all in with tax and fees $55 to 60) for internet

Problem is to get a stream service with both ESPN and CNN will probably cost you 25 to 30 bucks. By the time the intro rate ends they will jack your internet bill up to the 75-80 dollar a month mark so total cost you'll be back where you started

[numbersguy100]

Originally Posted by Morpheuss

...yeah, to quite honest with you the only cable channels I want are CNN and ESPN. Other than that pls just give me a big pipe internet. I hope to somehow find a discount given that I don't want that many cable channels.

If you watch ESPN you are already getting a great deal. You are consuming the most expensive content that exists and being subsidized by the people who don’t care about sports enough to pay what they truly cost to produce. If ESPN goes a la carte the estimates for what they would have to charge are in the $20-30 per month context. I personally think it would be more. Beyond that, you’re getting a pretty decent deal on cable and internet anyways.

[Morpheuss]

Originally Posted by mastershake575

You could probably get a good intro 12 month rate (all in with tax and fees $55 to 60) for internet

Problem is to get a stream service with both ESPN and CNN will probably cost you 25 to 30 bucks. By the time the intro rate ends they will jack your internet bill up to the 75-80 dollar a month mark so total cost you'll be back where you started

You know I've always had the devious thought to flip-flop between cable providers. I would sign up to take advantage of ones intro 12 month rate, use it all up, then at the 12th month flip over to the next provider to take advantage of their offer.

I guess I've never tried it out but their's always a tiny red devil on my left shoulder whispering to me to do something like this.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by Morpheuss

You know I've always had the devious thought to flip-flop between cable providers. I would sign up to take advantage of ones intro 12 month rate, use it all up, then at the 12th month flip over to the next provider to take advantage of their offer.

I guess I've never tried it out but their's always a tiny red devil on my left shoulder whispering to me to do something like this.

...Except generally you can't. Most providers give you the low rates for 1 year, but it's a 2 year contract and you pay higher rates for the 2nd year. If you cancel early there's usually a penalty.

[Morpheuss]

Ouuchh!!!

[Philip T]

Jumping back to the starting point.

btw, that was a great point to start.

Originally Posted by Morpheuss

Ok, so with all these streaming services I thought internet/cable would be cheaper. Really I DO NOT want the cable part. I just want Internet and to be able to subscribe to those cool streaming services (e.g. YouTube, Sling TV, Hulu, etc) if I feel like it. Can anybody make any suggestions to get my bill cheaper, or am I actually getting a deal?

A breakdown of what I'm currently paying is below:

TV Services......$21.99
Internet...........$74.99
Taxes/Fees.......$9.75
Other Charges..$6.00
---------------------------
TOTAL $112.73

Yeah, few-to-none want the cable part.

Largely just low-quality, high-volume crap produced to just produce crap.

Meanwhile, at this point, everyone NEEDs the Internet.

So the industry has settled on Price-Gouging for the Internet.

They figure you do not have options, so they have targeted that choke-point to maximize Cash Flow.

But those are all just the re-re-statement of the obvious.

Question for you? Maybe think of this like a Market Survey?

What would be a reasonable price (to you) for High-Quality, High-Speed Internet?

(with none of the cable, phone, etc., that few-to-none seem to want anymore)