Posted on 01/13/2017 3:13:52 PM PST by Weeble
I've seen several posts here about cable cutting and thought I'd chime in and rant. I have been considering cutting the cable and am salivating over switching to Sling or PlayStation Vue. I already have Kodi. Content isn't the problem, internet is the problem (though my Dish bill has skyrocket over the years). My DSL from CenturyLink has increased 75% over the past few years. I have the fastest speed they offer in my area, a blistering 5 mbps, though I am paying for their 12 mbps service, which isn't available because they haven't laid the fiber optic in my area. They offered me a 2nd DSL line for at a discount for 12 months, then regular price thereafter. So, they want me to pay double for 5 mbps, but at least I could have 2 devices buffering at once. We get lots of buffering delays on Kodi and Netflix and sometime our internet is slower than dial up. My only other option is Comcast (Xfinity - they changed their name because their reputation is so bad) which would be double what CenturyLink charges now, but I'd get 25 mbps. But, I really don't want to be at Comcast's mercy because my past experience with them is that they will raise rates significantly on a regular basis. Not that CenturyLink is much better. Let's run 21st century tech through a 1950s copper phone network. You would think that in order to justify the territorial monopoly they have been granted, they would at least have to provide a decent network before extorting their customers. That's what happens when you have government dealing favors to corporations in the People's Republic of Minnesota. I have heard that the satellite internet options are even worse. Hard to justify cable cutting when your internet options are so sucky. Maybe I can join the Hollywood elites and move to Canada. I hear their internet is pretty good.
If you iive way out in the boonies of SW Arkansas then all you would get with a fishbone is a poor quality public access station out of Texarkana that has a local repeater and the PBS station out of Arkadelpjia. A few months ago I had a run in with the Channel Master people, and finally got them to admit that fishbones are not the answer for everyone.
A mountain.
I live about 8 miles from the largest city in South Carolina. Before the switch to digital, I could get at least 6 stations with rabbit ears on top of the TV. More on a good day, sometimes from as far away as Atlanta. Now with digital TV and an amplified antenna I get one channel. One channel. OTA digital TV sucks.
I lived about 50-60 miles from the broadcast antennas, I put an antenna in the attic and picked up over 30 channels.
I currently live on the side of the mountain where the broadcast antennas are located but get 0, nada, squat.
Frontier? Are you near Rochester? Check on NYSYS Air Access.
http://www.nysysairaccess.com/
I have a request for info in to them and will come back with more info.
Comcast business also offers TV service.
It also works with Residential TV service.
Cost is more for business class. I pay $150 for Internet with 5 IP addresses and with a single phone line.
The BIG difference is that business class service gives guaranteed bandwidth while residential Internet is shared with your neighbors.
*sigh* I broke and just ordered Century Service at 61/mo plus fees. I have my own DSL box. The price is guaranteed for fives years. Comcast is a major con operation.
That’s close to what I pay AT&T in SoCal for internet and phone service alone, no TV. I used to have DSL but AT&T stopped supporting it and fiber was the sole option for broadband. Of course they keep jacking up the price despite the absence of inflation. Obviously they don’t care how much we despise their price gouging.
Comcast had an “economy” internet for about $25. Speed was not too bad, around 15 MB down, I think. Been 8 years or so since I had it so may not be available now. But you had to ask for it,,, they never advertised it, so most people didn’t know about it. You might ask for it, see what they say.
I cut the TV cord a few years ago, just have OTA, Netflix, and Chromecast. I do pay Charter $60/month for internet, but the speed and dependable connection are worth it. Never any buffering.
I have a minimal TV package which I hardly watch. Everything is streamed through the Apple TV.
Same boat here - I’m in a pocket of stone-age technology and surrounded by 100mbs areas. Stuck with satellite internet and TV and unable to use any of the modern options.
Thanks again for your posts. In my area I’d need two separate contracts to get the services I need, but will reconsider Comcast Business in the future if I drop cable TV.
No, not near Rochester. Upper Midwest. And rural also, which limits who will serve us for internet. We seem to be stuck with Verizon Wireless for internet.
But, can you watch Fox Business, live (with this set up)?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.