Dropped DTV satellite 3 years ago. Currently have: Netflix & Amazon Prime (mostly for the free shipping....movies / TV show selection meh) Antenna + TIVO DVR OTA + Laptop setup with TV to view Reddit sports streams and other TV/movie streams Total = a little over $20 a month Any show or movie I can't see on cable, I'll just find a stream for it. So let's see.....pay $20 a month or pay $110 with taxes/fees for base DTV package 3 years ago (I'm pretty sure it's more than that now after the promo runs out). I'll sacrifice cable and use the $90 elsewhere.
What do you guys think about the argument that the cable industry will just a la carte everything, and we'll be paying higher prices eventually like for cable?
It's true but that will force networks to really deliver when it comes to content. Look at all the filler in TV packages. "120 channels for $39.99!". it's really like 20 good channels and trash.
The cost of Xfinity's home security, 250mbps internet and every single channel combination is $150 a month.
I'm getting it at $180 with landline with a locked in 2 year contract. I haven't used a landline in 15 years. I can't break the contract or I'll have a termination fee. After 2 years, then it goes to the regular rate, which I'm guessing is another $100 more per month. That huge paragraph is giving me a headache. All those fees and stipulations ..... Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stick with what I have.
Right you added a landline so your price went up. After 2 years you are renegotiating, moving to another carrier or cord cutting. If you were to do a similar setup as a cord cutter you'd be paying: $50-$60 for internet $10 for HBO $10 for Amazon Prime $10 for Netflix $40 for a monitored home security system That's $130 to $140 right there and isn't adding anything like Hulu Plus or other pay tv services. As long as you are eligible for new customer deals, the cable companies are pretty competitive and they come up with the convenience of "familiarity" and no need to use streams. The big driver is internet as far as I can tell. If I could get high end internet for $25 a month the numbers would start skewing heavily away from cable companies. I don't have xfinity right now personally, waiting for my ATT contract to run out. My current ATT deal is just over $100 a month for internet and full tv with all channels. I WANT to be a cord cutter. I don't honestly feel like I watch enough tv anymore to justify the cable bill, but I don't see how I can get down to $20-$50 a month realistically.
I had been using DIRECTV NOW but will probably switch to YouTube TV. The DIRECTV NOW stream is inconsistent, does not have a DVR, and has a mediocre interface compared to the other services. It is good for people who are switching from cable and want something similar to what they had, as it is the most like a normal cable service. DIRECTV NOW is in the process of adding DVR and fixing the interface, which I have beta tested for them. It is an improvement but does not reach the level of the other services. My main concerns with YouTube TV were the inability to use a Roku device and the lack of the Turner networks, like TNT, TBS, CNN, and Tru TV, which I mainly use to watch basketball. Well, YouTube added Roku devices to the platform on February 1, and they added the Turner networks on February 14. It has a nicer interface than DIRECTV NOW, a decent DVR included, more concurrent devices, more consistent streaming, and more sports channels. I am going to switch soon.
Xfinity also has a program now to get 250mbps internet, 10 basic tv channels in HD + HBO for like $60.
~$75. Don't have HBO (can find a stream of a HBO show) and I don't have a home monitored security system.
For those with smart tvs- download the pluto tv app- its free. You can also download the app for your computer.
I'm in the same boat. My DTV is set to expire soon from the ATV promotion. It'll be nice to catch the NBA games on replay with YTV. I've been catching them on youtube highlights but it's obviously not the same. I have access to most of those channels because I'm using my cousin's u-verse account but 1) it's annoying when the access expires and you have to log back in again. 2) Sometimes I have to do it MULTIPLE times because I switch to another station app. 3) no NBA on demand. I wish they included youtube red into the subscription. THAT would have been the icing on the cake and would have made it a no brainer.
My current prices as a cord cutter are $100, would be $110 with HBO. But really, I would likely pay for Netflix and Prime even if I had cable, so if I don't count those I'm paying 62 for the same services I would pay ATT/Comcast for. Even if I could match that with a bundle through ATT/Comcast (which I don't think I could after taxes + receiver fees + hd fee etc etc), I got so burned out after years of calling every 6 mo to a year to haggle that I couldn't bring myself to go back. And I'm not going to go through the hassle of moving to a new carrier every year or two if it came to that. I'm sure some people do it but that's not worth my time. $42 for internet (45 mbps ATT) $20 Sling TV $10 netflix $10 Prime (though I don't count this as we would pay for this regardless of TV) $18 Monitored Security (Smith Thompson)
So right now you are paying a hair less than me with better internet (ATT internet in my area isn't very good. Main reason I want to switch) but fewer "good" channels. I've got to check out Smith Thompson for home security. I'm interested in the Youtube TV program. The killer for me is internet though. In my area it has to be Comcast/xfinity if I want better than 25mbps (all ATT has) and it's basically $65 just for the net. So at that point the cost for any other tv service nearly makes it the same as just going to Xfinity.
