To Cable or Not-Cable - that is the question

[mschrisgo2]

I personally have not had cable for so long that i don't remember when I had it last. That being said, I have to question the reliability of cable, as I see Comcast and Dish and Frontier trucks in my neighborhood daily and our NextDoor app is always full of complaints about the local telecommunications. IMHO there is nothing much worse than paying significant money for something that is unreliable.

[SteveinMN]

I have to question the reliability of cable, as I see Comcast and Dish and Frontier trucks in my neighborhood daily and our NextDoor app is always full of complaints about the local telecommunications. IMHO there is nothing much worse than paying significant money for something that is unreliable.

The same trucks that show up to fix also show up to install equipment and lots of people "churn" between the providers because that's the only reliable (heh) way to save money when the providers keep bumping up the costs. So I'm not sure that the number of trucks you see is an indication that the service is unreliable. It may be, but there is no way of knowing from that data point.

Nextdoor (and Facebook and Twitter) is loaded with people complaining about service because all of these companies suffer from horrible customer service -- poster children for why the private sector isn't always the model for doing things right. We've had Comcast for many years (primarily broadband Internet, not TV service) and it's been pretty rock steady. The problem comes when things break -- Comcast seems little able to determine why they're broken and fixing them often is a matter of waiting several days or even a week for someone to come out and check out their home-side equipment. For a service that's largely treated as a utility, that's not enough of a response and generates the ire of customers who see themselves forever paying more for the service.

[Tybee]

Funny, I read this thread title as being about knitting--like cabled or non cabled socks. Which got me thinking of how much knitting we used to do, prior to cable television.

We have not had cable for several years--just use an antenna in attic for local shows and roku to stream Netflix.

[Gardnr]

I personally have not had cable for so long that i don't remember when I had it last. That being said, I have to question the reliability of cable, as I see Comcast and Dish and Frontier trucks in my neighborhood daily and our NextDoor app is always full of complaints about the local telecommunications. IMHO there is nothing much worse than paying significant money for something that is unreliable.

Internet service via satellite is dicey. Wind interrupts. Snow/Rain interrupt. Our cable internet has not failed us in the many years we've had it.

[Rogar]

I've never had cable. There was a time when the cost seemed high and it could turn into a time sink. Anymore Netflix and antennae TV satisfies most of my video entertainment desires. That said, I pay about the same for internet and landline as the OP mentioned for cable bundle price of $84. I've had the cable salesmen come to my door and offer a price to match my current expense, but I've always felt like there was a catch some how.

[Teacher Terry]

The catch is it goes up every year. Then you are used to it and harder to give it up.

[Greg44]

My wife and I have never had cable - I guess we don't miss what we don't know what we are missing! Our kids did get us a ROKU and we watch a little NetFlix, but that is it. My wife says if she got cable she would be watching football all the time this time of year! I think in our area Comcast (Xfinity) is $ 69.99 a month. We have always said that when the last kid moves out we are going to get a pet and cable! Two things we avoided!

[Geila]

Does anyone use Tivo? There's several shows I like on network tv, but I HATE commercials and the shows come on so late, usually 10 pm which is my bedtime.

If I could record them and see them without commercials and at my convenience, it would reduce my desire for cable. I was surprised at how expensive it seems to be, but I guess everything is expensive. I've heard that it's a quality product.

[sweetana3]

My husband may have finally figured out how to use the new technology to allow him to cut cable. He got a lot of info off Cord Cutter Tech on Facebook and a variety of other Cord Cutter sources. Way too technical for me but first we got the antenna and then Amazon Prime with a Fire stick and now it has DVR capabilities. I am not really interested since I get all I want off Youtube and Amazon Prime video. (We have the Amazon yearly service for other benefits and this one is just additional.)

[happystuff]

Does anyone use the Vuno (sp) that is supposedly the free tv from walmart?