Cable/Internet Packages? (price, verizon FIOS, stations)

[ecurito]

Anyone have Comcast out here? I'm up to $130/month for cable ($17 for HD/DVR)...After talking with a customer service representative to see why the price has gradually gone up...It's $85ish for new customers, then 6 months in it becomes $105ish...then 6 months after that it becomes $130ish forever.

This seems like a lot for just cable/internet, no? Any better alternatives out there that would be worth the hassle of changing?

Thanks!

[Hopes]

Sometimes if you threaten to change services, you can get a Comcast customer service reprepresentative to give you a better deal. Also, you must have one of the higher speed internet options. Have you considered reducing the number of channels and the speed of your internet service first? I've always considered leaving Comcast but it seems like a hassle to switch around because all introductory rates go up for all companies.

[ecurito]

Yeah, I'm not really into the idea of switching providers unless I can get a really good deal somewhere else. I have the basic cable package, with HD and DVR added. I'm pretty sure I have the basic internet as well. I was just trying to see if anyone else pays this much for their little double play package of internet and TV. I'm thinking about calling them up tomorrow and saying I'm going to switch to Fios or Direct TV and see what they say...certainly couldn't hurt.

[ferraris]

I got tired of playing the cable TV game about a year ago. I'd always have to call and threaten to change providers, in some cases actually changing providers, then get charged for things after the free trial or introductory rate was pulled without warning. The best I found was Dish Network; their customer service is amazing. But ultimately I just went to Radioshack and bought a $14 antenna. Ever since the digital switchover, antenna TV has drastically improved in quality; I get HD with no fuzziness or anything. There's also the digital substations, so instead of just getting the 4 big networks I actually get about 22 channels showing different things at any given time. I supplement that with $7.99 Hulu and I'm quite happy with the setup.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Ever since the digital switchover, antenna TV has drastically improved in quality; I get HD with no fuzziness or anything. There's also the digital substations, so instead of just getting the 4 big networks I actually get about 22 channels showing different things at any given time. I supplement that with $7.99 Hulu and I'm quite happy with the setup.

That's interesting. I had no idea there were additional channels available without cable.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I got tired of playing the cable TV game about a year ago. I'd always have to call and threaten to change providers, in some cases actually changing providers, then get charged for things after the free trial or introductory rate was pulled without warning. The best I found was Dish Network; their customer service is amazing. But ultimately I just went to Radioshack and bought a $14 antenna. Ever since the digital switchover, antenna TV has drastically improved in quality; I get HD with no fuzziness or anything. There's also the digital substations, so instead of just getting the 4 big networks I actually get about 22 channels showing different things at any given time. I supplement that with $7.99 Hulu and I'm quite happy with the setup.

I've met a lot of people who are doing the same in the SF Bay Area where I'm from. I have DirecTV and I like it a lot, but it's not especially cheap. When I got it, to get the best price you had to sign up for a two year contract and you got the great price for the first year and the not so great price for the second year.

[PB&J O'Rourke]

FiOS all the way.

[TheMoonMan]

Last year I was paying similar to what you are. I called to cancel my tv service, but keep my internet. However it was actually a couple dollars cheaper to bundle it with the most basic cable service than to have the internet by itself.

Now, for about $65 I have high speed internet and 32 channels. One of my tv's is even pulling in hd from the cable by not using the tiny box Comcast gives you. My other, older, hd tv will not work without the box. So the signal is not in hd, but I can still get hd from an antenna that is even more clearer than the cable.

I also supplement my tv with a Roku box that has hundreds of free channels, and I subscribe to Hulu plus.

[wanderlust76]

Comcast internet service is hard to beat but it might be worth it to check out Verizon FIOS. They have a package like the Comcast triple play one. If you can save 400+ bucks over the period of a year year by switching and the internet service is comparable imo it would be worth. When my Comcast package price expires that's what I'm going to look into. That's just me though I'm a numbers cruncher and a tightarse that takes advantage of competition between companies. I never do a cell phone contract so I can switch whenever I want.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I got tired of playing the cable TV game about a year ago. I'd always have to call and threaten to change providers, in some cases actually changing providers, then get charged for things after the free trial or introductory rate was pulled without warning. The best I found was Dish Network; their customer service is amazing. But ultimately I just went to Radioshack and bought a $14 antenna. Ever since the digital switchover, antenna TV has drastically improved in quality; I get HD with no fuzziness or anything. There's also the digital substations, so instead of just getting the 4 big networks I actually get about 22 channels showing different things at any given time. I supplement that with $7.99 Hulu and I'm quite happy with the setup.

I'm curious. What are the 22 channels you get?

Does it pick up the steeler and penquin games? That's the main thing that hinders me from eliminating cable because of hubby.