Cable cord cutting stats - Page 2

feline groovy · ‎07-29-2014

People could just use broadband/DSL for their Internet connection.

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

@SeaMaiden wrote:
Wow! 59%? That might be good for the 51% still using cable as far as price deals. I will NEVER give up my cable.

no plans to give up my cable either @SeaMaiden.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Jordan2 · ‎03-16-2010

Yet Spectrum refuses to budge on lowering my cable bill! I hope in the near future more people will do this, the cable providers will then be begging for your business!

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

@feline groovy wrote:
@ValuSkr:
People could just use broadband/DSL for their Internet connection.

Yes, I forgot about DSL. I guess if cable charges for internet & router get too high, we can revert to DSL. But it would be a hard pill to swallow, accustomed as we are to high-speed internet. I wondered what the savings would be. Verizon charges $59.99 for phone + DSL; their charge for FIOS phone + cable is $91.99. So savings are $32 per month.

tropics21 · ‎05-02-2010

so uneducated about this. If you cut cable, how can one get their local channels as well as like qvc, CNN and Fox news?

Highlands72 · ‎06-04-2016

@tropics21 wrote:
so uneducated about this. If you cut cable, how can one get their local channels as well as like qvc, CNN and Fox news?

--

In most areas, you can get QVC and local channels free (over the air) with an inexpensive antenna.

As far as CNN and FOX, they are not available for viewing over the air. You can listen to these channels free (audio only) on Tune-In radio. Streaming is available through paid services.

Spurt · ‎03-20-2010

@tropics21 @proudlyfromNJ This is a good article regarding pros/cons:

How to Decide If Cord Cutting Is Right for You

What to know if you're thinking of dumping cable and getting a streaming service

By James K. Willcox

March 23, 2018

And while the average pay-TV bill is now about $106 (and rising), according to Leichtman, cable-replacement streaming services typically cost just $40 to $50 per month.

So why the note of caution? Most of these cable-style streaming services have limitations—and you may find that no single service can provide everything you need.

And while cord cutting has become the popular term, chances are you won’t really be cutting ties with your TV provider.

In most markets, that same company will provide your internet connection and maybe your phone service. And that makes pricing complicated to untangle.

The good news is that all the services offer free trials, so you can kick the tires before signing on. And you won’t get locked into a contract.

Here are a few things to think about if you’re considering cutting the cord.

MORE ABOUT CABLE AND STREAMING SERVICES

Guide to Streaming Services

Free Over-the-Air TV is Going to Get Better

Your Cable Bill Probably Went Up More Than You Think

Where to Stream Movies Free

And while the average pay-TV bill is now about $106 (and rising), according to Leichtman, cable-replacement streaming services typically cost just $40 to $50 per month.

So why the note of caution? Most of these cable-style streaming services have limitations—and you may find that no single service can provide everything you need.

And while cord cutting has become the popular term, chances are you won’t really be cutting ties with your TV provider.

In most markets, that same company will provide your internet connection and maybe your phone service. And that makes pricing complicated to untangle.

The good news is that all the services offer free trials, so you can kick the tires before signing on. And you won’t get locked into a contract.

Here are a few things to think about if you’re considering cutting the cord.

Charging It, Installing It, Protecting It

Get what you need to know when it comes to tech and gadgets.

Your Internet Service Might Cost More

Bundles are the glue that keeps many of us stuck to a pay-TV package, especially from cable companies or telco services such as AT&T U-verse and Verizon FiOS. In addition to the convenience of getting just a single bill for your TV, internet, and home phone services, you often get a discounted rate for internet service when it’s part of this type of package.

If you de-bundle broadband from TV, you’re likely to find that you’re paying more for the same level of internet speed.

For example, in my area an Optimum bundle that includes 335 TV channels, 200-Mbps internet service, and home phone service costs $90 per month. And I can lock that price in for three years.

The 200-Mbps broadband service alone costs $50 per month as a part of a promotion. The price then soars to $95 per month after the promotion, which means I’d pay more for just broadband than I would for the bundle.

Also remember that streaming more movies and series might spur me to increase my broadband service speed, and that is likely to cost more.

You Might Not Get All Your Local Channels

When cable-style streaming services first launched, one big drawback is that they often lacked local broadcast channels. While the situation has improved, you may not be able to get all your local channels from a single service.

You’ll have a better chance in bigger TV markets, where the networks own their own stations, says Dan Rayburn, principal analyst at research firm Frost & Sullivan. “Outside of the major cities, most live streaming services don’t have local channels due to licensing restrictions,” he says. “While some streaming services are adding more local channels each month, there are still a large number of local stations not available via streaming services for most consumers in the U.S.”

The best way to find out which channels you’ll get in your area is to go to each service’s website and enter your ZIP code to see the complete channel lineup.

With many of the services, even if all local channels aren’t included, you may still be able to get them on demand, which is fine if you don’t mind waiting a day or two to watch a favorite network show. But it does mean you’ll miss out on “appointment TV”—live events and shows such as NFL games and the Academy Awards.

This lack of local channels is one reason that more households are using antennas, pulling in free over-the-air high-definition signals. In fact, Parks Associates, a research firm, estimates that one-fifth of broadband households now use a TV antenna.

Streaming Isn't Always Reliable

One of the great things about cable TV is that it provides consistent, reliable signals to your TV set—you turn on your TV and expect to get a picture.

Streaming services aren’t always like that.

To start, the quality of the video you get depends on the available bandwidth, which can vary with the number of users in your neighborhood who are on the same connection you’re using. So you may get a great picture late in the evening or early morning but find that it isn’t quite as good right after dinner, when more people are watching. Companies such as Netflix will dynamically adjust the quality of the video based on the speed of your connection, and they may downgrade the quality of the video to avoid it freezing or pixelating.

Also, more of us are connecting our TVs and streaming players using WiFi, along with phones and computers. And if you have lots of people in your home streaming content to a variety of devices at the same time, the quality may suffer.

Even your wireless router can affect video performance. Older routers may be slower or use only one band, which is often shared by other wireless devices in your home, such as microwave ovens, baby monitors, and cordless phones. Newer dual-band routers have two bands—2.4 GHz and 5 GHz—to provide you with a second option. If there are dead zones in your home where WiFi doesn’t reach, routers that create a mesh network could help.

But sometimes the problem is with the service itself or the networks’ servers. Both DirecTV and Sling TV have had problems with their services freezing or crashing. For instance, some DirecTV Now subscribers missed part of the 2018 Rose Bowl when they were kicked off the service. And during this year’s Super Bowl, an unknown number of Hulu With Live TV subscribers missed out on the last few frenzied minutes of the game because of an outage. According to the PlayStation support Twitter account, some PlayStation Vue subscribers also missed some of the Super Bowl action.

And it’s not just sporting events. Streaming services or network servers can get overwhelmed when a lot of people are trying to watch at the same time. This problem has occurred with HBO during some high-profile episodes of “Game of Thrones” and “True Detective.”

The Number of Users May Be Limited

Depending on the service, you may find that not everyone in your home will be able to use it at the same time. Every streaming service we’ve reviewed has some limits on the number of users. For example, Sling TV’s Orange plan, $20 per month, allows for only one user at a time. The pricier Blue service, $25, allows access for three simultaneous users; adding a fourth user boosts the price to $40.

DirecTV Now and Hulu With Live TV limit you to two simultaneous streams. DirecTV recommends that you purchase an additional account if you need more. Hulu offers a $15-per-month Unlimited Screens option, provided users are on the same home network.

With YouTube TV, up to three users can stream at the same time.

Sony PlayStation Vue, with five simultaneous streams, offers the most of any streaming service, though it starts with three simultaneous streams, in and out of the home, when you first sign up. You get two more once you set up a home device. But only one PS3 or PS4 game console can be used at a time.

One Service May Not Be Enough

Although all the services regularly add new channels, there’s no guarantee that any one service will provide all the networks your family wants to watch.

For example, Sling TV still doesn’t have CBS; the network is available only on DirecTV Now in major markets, and affiliates are being added slowly.

Hulu With Live TV is missing AMC and BBC America, Discovery, and Viacom (Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon). PlayStation TV, which has probably the most channels, doesn’t offer A&E, and it recently lost Viacom stations such as Comedy Central, Spike, and MTV.

Finally, don’t forget to consider device support; not all the services are available on every streaming player or smart-TV platform. Because of a continuing fight with Amazon, YouTube TV isn’t available on Amazon Fire TV players, and YouTube only added support for Apple TV and Roku models last month.

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”

Oostende · ‎03-14-2010

@tropics21 We cut our cable years ago. We have high speed internet and a Roku. Roku is my favorite platform but Apple TV and others are out there.

The Roku is the platform that provides access to a variety of channels. Some of those channels are subscription channels and you must pay for them, like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Others, like QVC, stream for free with a Roku.

We have an antennae and we get the local channels and the alphabet channels through that. We also get a couple of PBS stations. If you want to know what iis available in your area, just google it. Lots of links will show you.

Our antennae was $35 from Home Depot but Walmart has some rabbit ear ones for $10. You could always unplug your cable and then plug in an antennae to see what channels you get.

Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC are not available to stream. You'll need cable for those. SKyNews is a British channel that we watch when major events happen. That's on the Roku. It's free.

Live sports are not available. You'll need cable if that's important to you.

Everything I've read suggests that YouTube will usurp cable fairly soon. The content length can be varied, the subject matter is varied, and there is immediate feedback from viewers in the comments.

Hulu will get you most current TV shows, if that's important to you.

I watch YouTube, Netflix, and Prime almost exclusively, but more YouTube than anything.

The Roku is about a hundred bucks. It's a one-time purchase. Prime and Netflix are close to 10 bucks per month. You sign up for them online and then log in through the Roku.

I hope that helps clear things up a bit. Best of luck!

Spurt · ‎03-20-2010

@sunshine45 @SeaMaiden

Im sticking with cable. With channels I like to watch and extra sports channels I like, cutting the cord would end up costing me $39 more a month. And that's not including the one time cost of an antenna to get local channels......

Sure with whats available with streaming you can find something to watch, but the question remains----- is that what you WANT to watch or are you making do with what you get after cord cutting, and are you missing some channels you liked to watch...?????

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

@Spurt wrote:
@sunshine45 @SeaMaiden

Im sticking with cable. With for channels I like and sports channels cutting the cord would end up costing me $39 more a month. And that's not including the one time cost of an antenna to get local channels......

Sure with whats available with streaming you can find something to watch, but the question remains----- is that what you WANT to watch or are you making do with what you get after cord cutting, and are missing some channels...?????

@Spurt

yes, you really have to totally price it out AND see what you are missing if you give up cable. i know that i have tried an antennae before and we just dont get good quality reception......we live in a valley and the quality of our local stations is not great.

i like having a wide variety of options and cable gives me that. i dont spend money going out to the movies (2 people going to the movies around here is a minimum of about $20 for the tickets). i prefer to watch them when they come to cable. one of my children is away at college. i know that SHE really appreciates my keeping cable. she gets to watch a bunch of stuff for free on her computer. LOL she doesnt even own a tv. she pays for hulu which i can use, she gets amazon prime at the student price which we can use, and another daughter pays for netflix which we can use.

i also have two telephone landlines that i need (one for business, one for leisure) PLUS add in the cost of getting high speed internet.

i know that peoples needs are changing and some want to cut those particular costs, but for me, it would not work.

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein