Anxious/Nervous about dumping cable - Page 7

SouthernBee · ‎09-16-2010

@gardenman : Received email to contact WOW because our discount was expiring soon. DH is a huge sports fan and doesn't like change. I don't like our cable bundle of $230 month. So talking yesterday with WOW our bill will increase $30, not willing to negotiate but decrease internet speed and channels for only $15 difference. Suggested YouTube special. We have 3 TVs and one is LG purchased in 2011 and will need Amazon fire stick. DH needs the Bally Sports channel to watch the Atlanta Braves.

DH very upset. I ordered the Amazon fire stick to try on the LG tv. Friend told me that she has the latest Amazon fire stick and can watch Bally Sports.

I am really interested in the Direct TV streaming service.

Trying to keep all the channels for DH is stressful. He watches SEC football, NFL, BIG 10, all the ESPN channels and MLB. We have Amazon Prime and a few apps on the Amazon fire tablet but he prefers to watch everything on the big screen tv. I have until 5\16\24 to notify WOW.

DH was also upset that the other night he had to use his radio for the Braves game.

We are both disabled and tv is our major entertainment. Plus you have previously been so kind in helping me with so many tech issues that I struggle with.

Trying to tell DH that the cost of everything is increasing and why pay $270 per month when something else is available. I don't like change but something needs to be done.

@gardenman wrote:
Pretty much everyone will be dumping cable TV because the cable TV companies are dumping cable TV. Frontier stopped providing cable TV a few years back and others are joining them in dropping it. The cost to run a cable TV system has become prohibitive. New cable boxes are expensive and prone to failure. Maintaining the equipment required is expensive. Constantly negotiating new contracts with program providers, cities, etc., is expensive. It's nearly impossible for traditional cable companies to compete with streaming services.

Spectrum is switching from traditional cable to streaming. Mid-Rivers Communications ended cable TV services last December. Wilkes Communications and RiverStreet Networks are dropping cable TV. Sparklight Cable/Cable One is dropping cable. WOW! is dropping cable.

Cable TV is going extinct. You might as well hop onto a streaming service now as you won't have a choice in a bit. Even the big guys like Comcast are talking about quitting cable TV and going into streaming.

A big part of the issue is the franchise contracts cable companies are required to negotiate with each city/community. A lot of the franchise contracts specify which channels must be carried. They might require that live coverage of certain local events be available. They must provide a local studio for local programming. They may require that cameras and microphones be provided. Negotiating franchise deals with every community you serve gets a bit insane and expensive.

The profit just disappears after a while in cable TV. You have to keep raising your rates to make any money and then you lose customers because you raised the rates. Equipment breaks down or gets stolen. It's just not a profitable business these days.

Streaming services avoid most of those issues as the customer provides the equipment. There are no franchise fees to negotiate or haggle over. There's no need for local studios or local productions. It's a much simpler arrangement than the older cable TV model.

We could see cable TV revert to the old mom-and-pop model that it started with and each community having a small cable TV system run by locals. The mega-cable companies are all getting out of the business though.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

@SouthernBee

I have YouTube TV and it's fine for me and costs under $75 for the package I have. I get 300 MBPS internet through Comcast for $25 a month until June 2025 when that deal expires. So, for me, $100 gives me TV and Internet. This package does what I need it to do. The Internet will go up in price in June 2025 and I'll explore my options then. Putting together a package that keeps the channels you want can be a challenge, but it's doable.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

SouthernBee · ‎09-16-2010

@gardenman : You have a good deal. The WOW YouTube TV would be about $57 per month for a year and the phone and internet $112 with the 600 MBPS. The Amazon fire stick was $39.99.

ladychas · ‎08-15-2018

@JudyL wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
Cable and satellite TV services are old school using old technologies. Their prices will only go up b/c people are leaving that behind and that leaves the remaining subscribers to pay for the losses. Time to move on to more current technologies whether you like it or not.
@SilleeMee - I appreciate your response but don't appreciate the "scolding" tone of "time to move on....whether you like it or not.". My concerns are legitimate - whether or not you understand them - and are not to be discounted by you or anyone else.

Cable TV is going away. No interest from the under 50 crowd and very expensive to keep going. My ATT repair personn told me last year that they will stop cable within 5 years. Can't sign up for uverse anymore and can't go back if you quit. They'll just keep jacking up prices until ypu can't afford it anymore. One of the reasons they won't negotate now they really want you to quit. Same going on with landlines. Neither is very [rofitable to the cable companies.

ladychas · ‎08-15-2018

@AZfem wrote:
Theres really nothing to worry about as you will get most of the channels you have on cable on live stream tv. If a channel you like is not on it, you may be able to find an app to load. The only problem is its not as easy to quickly surf between channels. If you don't like it, go back to cable as a new customer with the the new customer deals.

Cocast may let you return currently but Uverse will not.

ladychas · ‎08-15-2018

@gardenman wrote:
Pretty much everyone will be dumping cable TV because the cable TV companies are dumping cable TV. Frontier stopped providing cable TV a few years back and others are joining them in dropping it. The cost to run a cable TV system has become prohibitive. New cable boxes are expensive and prone to failure. Maintaining the equipment required is expensive. Constantly negotiating new contracts with program providers, cities, etc., is expensive. It's nearly impossible for traditional cable companies to compete with streaming services.

Spectrum is switching from traditional cable to streaming. Mid-Rivers Communications ended cable TV services last December. Wilkes Communications and RiverStreet Networks are dropping cable TV. Sparklight Cable/Cable One is dropping cable. WOW! is dropping cable.

Cable TV is going extinct. You might as well hop onto a streaming service now as you won't have a choice in a bit. Even the big guys like Comcast are talking about quitting cable TV and going into streaming.

A big part of the issue is the franchise contracts cable companies are required to negotiate with each city/community. A lot of the franchise contracts specify which channels must be carried. They might require that live coverage of certain local events be available. They must provide a local studio for local programming. They may require that cameras and microphones be provided. Negotiating franchise deals with every community you serve gets a bit insane and expensive.

The profit just disappears after a while in cable TV. You have to keep raising your rates to make any money and then you lose customers because you raised the rates. Equipment breaks down or gets stolen. It's just not a profitable business these days.

Streaming services avoid most of those issues as the customer provides the equipment. There are no franchise fees to negotiate or haggle over. There's no need for local studios or local productions. It's a much simpler arrangement than the older cable TV model.

We could see cable TV revert to the old mom-and-pop model that it started with and each community having a small cable TV system run by locals. The mega-cable companies are all getting out of the business though.