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I've just become totally fed up with Optimum after channels I pay for suddenly stopped working and other unwelcome changes to their CATV service. We watch just a handful of TV channels these days yet pay close to $100/month for just above basic CATV service. Their telephone tech support is virtually useless.
What have other people done to deal with similar problems?
Also, if I dump Optimum for CATV I'll try to dump them for Internet also. How are other ISPs (AT&T, etc)?
I now separate internet from TV - have AT&T fiber (Verizon Fios is the equivalent on LI) and Directv Now. A few cheap Amazon Fire Stick 4K devices and no more cable box fees, and no provider lock in.
I pay $60 a month for gigabit fiber ($80 a month after 1 year), and $75 a month for the top DTV Now package. If I used less channels I could go with a package for as low as $40. If I didn’t want sports or local network channels Philo would do the trick for $20 a month.
You might also look at the cheapest Cable internet/TV package and supplement with streaming. I did that before and it was cheaper to get one box and basic channels with internet than internet alone. You could then add something like Philo while still getting the basics through Cablevision.
I now separate internet from TV - have AT&T fiber (Verizon Fios is the equivalent on LI) and Directv Now. A few cheap Amazon Fire Stick 4K devices and no more cable box fees, and no provider lock in.
I pay $60 a month for gigabit fiber ($80 a month after 1 year), and $75 a month for the top DTV Now package. If I used less channels I could go with a package for as low as $40. If I didn’t want sports or local network channels Philo would do the trick for $20 a month.
You might also look at the cheapest Cable internet/TV package and supplement with streaming. I did that before and it was cheaper to get one box and basic channels with internet than internet alone. You could then add something like Philo while still getting the basics through Cablevision.
DirectTVNow works great here in NC, but it was atrocious in LI....They were working on a new beta version when I left. If the platform works out, it's definitely the best streaming option on LI...especially if you like sports...but if it's anything like it was a year ago (constantly buffering), I'd run...
You might also look at the cheapest Cable internet/TV package and supplement with streaming. I did that before and it was cheaper to get one box and basic channels with internet than internet alone.
I currently have a non-promo with Cablevision that comes to $132/month including all the fees and taxes. That covers one box and one modem. The TV package is their "Economy" which is the first step up from broadcast basic. It includes Broadcast Basic which is:
ABC HD
HSN
Antenna TV
ION HD
Public Access
Movies! Network
JewelryTelevision
QVC HD
C-SPAN
Kids Thirteen
Thirteen (PBS) HD
C-SPAN2
This TV
CBS HD
Live Well HD
Trinity Broadcasting Network
Cozi TV HD
UniMÁS HD
CW HD
My9 HD
PBS HD
News 12 HD
WLIW World
Estrella TV
News 12 Traffic & Weather HD
WLNY HD
MeTV
NBC HD
WMBC
ExitosTV
NYC Life HD
Telemundo HD
FOX HD
Univisión HD
plus:
Animal Planet
ASPiRE
Bloomberg TV (HD)
Boomerang
Cartoon Network (HD)
CNN (HD)
CNN Headline News
C-SPAN 3
Daystar
Discovery Channel (HD)
Discovery Family Channel
EuroNews
EWTN
Food Network (HD)
fuse (HD)
HGTV (HD)
History (HD)
MSNBC (HD)
National Geographic (HD)
OWN (HD)
ReelzChannel (HD)
Turner Classic Movies (HD)
TV One
WE Tv (HD)
During 2016 I had their Value package on a promo and the only three channels I noticed were there that aren't in the Economy package were Bravo, Lifetime, and Fox News. And the only thing I watched on any of those three channels was Project Runway on Bravo. I liked that show but not enough to be worth paying the difference between the Value and Economy package prices.
I can access Netflix on my desktop computer via my son's account for free and that's all the streaming I use. Not much interest in what's on the streaming services anyway, except for the odd show or movie now and then. No interest in the movie channels (HBO or Showtime) either, nor sports.
I currently have a non-promo with Cablevision that comes to $132/month including all the fees and taxes. That covers one box and one modem. The TV package is their "Economy" which is the first step up from broadcast basic. It includes Broadcast Basic which is:
ABC HD
HSN
Antenna TV
ION HD
Public Access
Movies! Network
JewelryTelevision
QVC HD
C-SPAN
Kids Thirteen
Thirteen (PBS) HD
C-SPAN2
This TV
CBS HD
Live Well HD
Trinity Broadcasting Network
Cozi TV HD
UniMÁS HD
CW HD
My9 HD
PBS HD
News 12 HD
WLIW World
Estrella TV
News 12 Traffic & Weather HD
WLNY HD
MeTV
NBC HD
WMBC
ExitosTV
NYC Life HD
Telemundo HD
FOX HD
Univisión HD
plus:
Animal Planet
ASPiRE
Bloomberg TV (HD)
Boomerang
Cartoon Network (HD)
CNN (HD)
CNN Headline News
C-SPAN 3
Daystar
Discovery Channel (HD)
Discovery Family Channel
EuroNews
EWTN
Food Network (HD)
fuse (HD)
HGTV (HD)
History (HD)
MSNBC (HD)
National Geographic (HD)
OWN (HD)
ReelzChannel (HD)
Turner Classic Movies (HD)
TV One
WE Tv (HD)
During 2016 I had their Value package on a promo and the only three channels I noticed were there that aren't in the Economy package were Bravo, Lifetime, and Fox News. And the only thing I watched on any of those three channels was Project Runway on Bravo. I liked that show but not enough to be worth paying the difference between the Value and Economy package prices.
I can access Netflix on my desktop computer via my son's account for free and that's all the streaming I use. Not much interest in what's on the streaming services anyway, except for the odd show or movie now and then. No interest in the movie channels (HBO or Showtime) either, nor sports.
How does that compare to broadcast basic pricewise?
Wish they would do ala carte.
I only watch Animal Planet, Discovery, Nat Geo, A&E, Travel, Motortrend and occasionally HGTV.
That's it. And I don't even watch TV all that often.
Sucks I only watch less than a dozen channels but I gotta pay for a package. Whatever.
We're cord cutting soon anyway. I'm good but had to gradually ween the rest of the fam off.
How does that compare to broadcast basic pricewise?
Broadcast Basic is $24.99, plus $10 for the box and $4.99 for the 'broadcast surcharge' that everyone pays = $39.98 for tv for one set.
Economy package is $47.95 plus the box and surcharge = $62.94. They do not advertise Economy on their website along with the other packages; the lowest price currently shown there is Value at $64.95 so I think you have to specifically ask for Economy from a rep)
So $22.96 more for the least expensive package of cable channels (Economy). Internet is $59.95 plus $4.95 modem = $64.90.
However, having Turner Classic Movies, CNN, Animal Planet, NatGeo and Discovery Channel are alone worth the $23 to me. For any of those I'd need a streaming service which would cost more than than that to add to Broadcast Basic. Plus I could only watch it on my desktop computer, not the big screen tv (long story, don't ask.)
Last edited by BBCjunkie; 01-08-2019 at 08:09 PM..
Broadcast Basic is $24.99, plus $10 for the box and $4.99 for the 'broadcast surcharge' that everyone pays = $39.98 for tv for one set.
Economy package is $47.95 plus the box and surcharge = $62.94. They do not advertise Economy on their website along with the other packages; the lowest price currently shown there is Value at $64.95 so I think you have to specifically ask for Economy from a rep)
So $22.96 more for the least expensive package of cable channels (Economy). Internet is $59.95 plus $4.95 modem = $64.90.
However, having Turner Classic Movies, CNN, Animal Planet, NatGeo and Discovery Channel are alone worth the $23 to me. For any of those I'd need a streaming service which would cost more than than that to add to Broadcast Basic. Plus I could only watch it on my desktop computer, not the big screen tv (long story, don't ask.)
They make it just worth it to stick with them. Hopefully more streaming services will take off so that will put some pressure on the cable companies.
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