The average household now pays more for cable package than utility bills combined

[Khanonate]

Here in the Seattle suburb, got a 1000/45 Mbps for $110.50 but it's only good for one year. No cable. Got Amazon, Netflix, Roku, Library and Redbox.

 

[cfbcfbcfb]

I've been told on promotional pricing that they aren't going to give me any discounts. Probably because Comcast is the only provider.

However t-mobile home 5g internet is opening up shop and voila, comcast cut my internet price from 80 to 60, when the t-mobile product is going to be 50 and doesn't have the 1tb cap.

What I HAVE been able to do, at least with comcast, is to look at their "shop/upgrade" section. They often offer a contract price deal about 20% less for a year, and they've continued to offer those for the last ~4 years.

 

[ZedRM]

Holy crap! What a rip off.

 

[bobc4012]

People actually still use cable? Streaming is where its at.

For you maybe, but when you only have 2 ISPs, both charging an excessive price for internet, you might as well take their TV bundle, depending on what you watch. For my family and relatives, shows we watch are provided on the standard cable package, to get those 5 or 6 shows requires two streaming services (which also raise their prices periodically) and suddenly you are paying more than you were for internet and standard cable. In addition, having to switch "channels", standard cable, just punch in the channel number, streaming service, go to the guide, scan down/up the list (shorter scan if they provide a "Favorites" option) plus, in some cases, the next show has already started (because no commercials between finish and start of some shows - they move them to run during the show).
I get it, a lot of cord cutters watch only movies and/or the services in-house shows - they can stay with one service plus $70 or so for internet. For them that's fine, but not so for others.

 

[bobc4012]

You must not have Spectrum.

Same here except without Disney+. We pay $65/mo - including internet. In the not too distant future, we will have fiber - at $5 more per month than our current promo rate through Spectrum.

@Shawn Knight IMO, all articles like this should suggest OTA as an alternative - even if people need to buy an antenna.

What kind of deal do you have with Spectrum to get Cable TV and Internet for $65/Mo.? Is it Spectrum Choice? Even new subscribers can't get that deal, minimum for Standard cable plus internet is $99/Mo. plus additional if you have to rent their box (unless you have a Roku or similar device). In addition, after the first year as a "new subscriber", your price goes up and, AFAIK, Spectrum and Comcast won't negotiate anymore for future service (I've tried it for the past fwe years). The only way is to switch to ATT (or Verizon), who charges even more for a contract that requires a 2 year agreement for one service and a 1 year agreement for the other - which then has a big price increase for the 2nd year. Then after 2 years, switch back to Spectrum/Comcast.

 

[bobc4012]

Well, keep laughing. My wife and I simply delay gratification, and get those "must have" shows when content providers, in their unending quest for more money to siphon out of their customers, release their content on disk. Our public library system is like Netflix's disk subscription and Redbox combined, but often free and only $0.50 per disc (for a hold if our branch library does not have it on shelf) that can be renewed many times at no extra cost. We are currently working through the entire series "The Americans" that way.

You are fortunate your library does that. Most don't because of the cost. I live in a fairly large city (~500K) and checked into that and was told they won't participate because of the costs involved (even if they charged users some minimal fee) .

 

[bobc4012]

Americans have been the most exploited consumers on Earth for over forty years now, partly because we're one of the few nations that doesn't artificially devalue its currency but also because our elected leaders are allowed to have large interests in the same industries they create policy for. With a few exceptions they can even be involved in managing those those companies while in office. Its known as the revolving door of the ruling class.

Actually, its your local and state politicians who allow it. Both cable companies and telcos have a state/local allowed monopoly. The federal government used to be tough on allowing monopolies, but in the last 30 years or so, ignored it and allowed to happen again.

 

[bobc4012]

I pay about half of what the author says people are paying for standard cable and internet. I average more per month for my utilities which includes a landline phone than I do for cable, but again, less per month than what the article suggests. I don't have a smart phone, but do have a flip phone which costs $10/Mo., which I include as part of my utility bill.

As for negotiating with the cable company, I don't think the author did his homework. They don't negotiate anymore. I, and others I know, have tried, even with the threat to switch and they no longer budge. Of course, switching means a 1Yr+2Yr contract with a price increase for the 2nd year on the DSL connection.

And, as TomSEA mentioned above, for a "cord-cutter" to get a streaming package to provide all that they want, usually ends up with 2 or more packages and a cost comparable to or more than what they paid for cable. In addition, those streaming packages also get their prices raised.

 

[Gotit4cheap16]

For you maybe, but when you only have 2 ISPs, both charging an excessive price for internet, you might as well take their TV bundle, depending on what you watch. For my family and relatives, shows we watch are provided on the standard cable package, to get those 5 or 6 shows requires two streaming services (which also raise their prices periodically) and suddenly you are paying more than you were for internet and standard cable. In addition, having to switch "channels", standard cable, just punch in the channel number, streaming service, go to the guide, scan down/up the list (shorter scan if they provide a "Favorites" option) plus, in some cases, the next show has already started (because no commercials between finish and start of some shows - they move them to run during the show).
I get it, a lot of cord cutters watch only movies and/or the services in-house shows - they can stay with one service plus $70 or so for internet. For them that's fine, but not so for others.

There is always the option of 4g cellular streaming for the price of your monthly phone bill you already pay. There are ways around paying all that money for cable.