Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

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Fat-Tailed Contagion
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Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Fat-Tailed Contagion »

Hi Bogleheads ,

Is anyone aware of the current statistics with regard to the percentage of Americans that have 'cut the cable tv' and found other means of content ?

And by what percentage growth rate is expected going forward ?

Thank you , FTC
“The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists.” | ― Benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor (75/25 - 50/50 - 25/75)
oxothuk
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by oxothuk »

There was a recent news story that ESPN subscribers had dropped by almost 10% in the last decade.

Another data point is that neither of my ~30 year old children have ever had cable since they moved out of the house ( except for Internet).
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stemikger
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by stemikger »

Don't have any stats, but I cut the cable in 2008 and never looked back.

I stream all my content through roku and a smart tv. I do buy Netflix and have Amazon Prime. This is enough for me.

One thing to consider, if you are a sports nut (I am not) you may find it hard to get all the sports that cable provides. It was never an issue for me, so it worked great. I pay roughly $16 a month for Netflix and Amazon. It's a far cry from the $100 + I was paying for Drecttv.
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anil686
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by anil686 »

oxothuk wrote:There was a recent news story that ESPN subscribers had dropped by almost 10% in the last decade.

Another data point is that neither of my ~30 year old children have ever had cable since they moved out of the house ( except for Internet).
Actually it is over the past four years - hence the concerns about subscriber revenue for ESPN. It has accelerated over the past two years and it is at the lowest point in a decade (I.e. It went up for six straight years over the past decade and now has gone down for the past four)... - source was a recent sports business daily article on ESPN subscribers. I don't know where you go to get accurate stats about this though - maybe somebody can post a site or link with that info...
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Traveller
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Traveller »

No idea of official stats, but I cut the cord just a few months ago and am kicking myself for not doing so years earlier. :beer
staythecourse
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by staythecourse »

I did it a couple of years ago and it is liberating. Anyone who likes to buck the system will love it. There is nothing better then telling folks who come over that we don't have cable. The look on their face is priceless. I think I would have gotten the same look if I would have killed someone.

Good luck.
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Dimitri
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Dimitri »

A new report by Leichtman Research Group finds that the number of American households paying for cable has declined from a high point in 2010, but 83 percent of households are still shelling out money every month for TV. That share of subscribers is down from 87 percent five years ago.
http://www.ibtimes.com/forget-cable-cor ... tv-2081570

I don't know if the article is right or wrong. I do know that I haven't paid for television for well over a decade. Just a simple antenna. Whatever I can get over the air is good enough for my personal viewing preferences.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by neilpilot »

When we moved into our current house, in the same town, in 2008, Comcast tried to raise out CTV rate. We cut the cord and went to broadcast TV. Now, when we travel and turn on CTV in the hotel, we realize that we're not missing anything we really want to watch.

When we tell people we don't have cable, it's amazing how many people don't even realize that they can watch broadcast TV with a simple antennae. They also don't realize that the change from analog to digital broadcast resulted in improved reception and HD programming.
likegarden
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by likegarden »

We have Time Warner cable TV and fast internet. They always increased or gave a deal for only 1 year. Once they wanted $200 per month, ridiculous. So we dumped their phone service, bought our own modem, and still paid $147/mo, until recently the bill went miraculously down to $ 124 all by itself, what a surprise. So perhaps Time Warner is seeing the sign. Watching TV in my house is down, our new 60 inch TV is only used for video games, though I might watch the Superbowl there..
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just frank
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by just frank »

I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
BahamaMan
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by BahamaMan »

I live in a Metro Area with great Over the Air TV (Minneapolis)... When I built my house 18 years ago, I put an antenna in the Attic. The free TV over that period of time paid for all of my Flat Screen HDTVs and then some.... Better Picture Quality with OTA than Cable too!
furwut
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by furwut »

just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
The new term for these people are the " cord nevers".

Rest assured the cable companies have strategies in place to ensure their revenue. Comcast, for one, has bought NBC so they have a hand in the content no matter how you obtain it. They also still own the last mile of pipe to your house. They've successfully introduced most of their subscribers to tiered data speed plans. Now the are rolling data capping on top of that.

I predict the $150/mo cable bill is not in any danger.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Jags4186 »

furwut wrote:
just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
The new term for these people are the " cord nevers".

Rest assured the cable companies have strategies in place to ensure their revenue. Comcast, for one, has bought NBC so they have a hand in the content no matter how you obtain it. They also still own the last mile of pipe to your house. They've successfully introduced most of their subscribers to tiered data speed plans. Now the are rolling data capping on top of that.

I predict the $150/mo cable bill is not in any danger.
This is why we pray for Google Fiber to come.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by stoptothink »

just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
I am with you, but older folks think you are crazy if you don't have it. I have never had cable in my life, then again I never had a TV as an adult until pretty recently, but I couldn't even imagine paying $200/month for TV. That is almost as much as it costs to feed my family...and based upon conversations with my stepfather, apparently it is nearly as important too (they are on a tight budget, but cutting cable is not even an option in his mind).
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stemikger
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by stemikger »

staythecourse wrote:I did it a couple of years ago and it is liberating. Anyone who likes to buck the system will love it. There is nothing better then telling folks who come over that we don't have cable. The look on their face is priceless. I think I would have gotten the same look if I would have killed someone.

Good luck.
I can totally relate. My in-laws are extremely materialistic and my Father-in-law loves his toys, big screen TVs and luxury cars. After being married to his daughter for 25 years, he still can't figure me out. I live in the same house I bought 23 years ago (our starter home), drive a subcompact cars that I typically keep for 10 years and don't have cable and could give a rat's backside about sports. In other words, his favorite daughter married someone very different from him and I won't even get into politics. lol.

My friends also think I'm crazy for cutting cable, but hey, it's my life and I'll live it the way I like. :D

P.S. I don't own a Smartphone either.
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searhapsody
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by searhapsody »

We are just joining the cable cutters. The past 4 years we have been renting in a place that includes direct tv in the price. We just got a new place and found out the price of cable. Needless to say, we were shocked. The only provider available to us is brighthouse and it was pretty much impossible to get a package with internet and cable under $125. I couldn't get over how they charged for renting the boxes for each tv.

Instead, we are going internet only-- no landline, no cable. I don't think we'll miss it since mostly I mostly just mindless watch tv rather than enjoying any particular programs.
awval999
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by awval999 »

Count me as one who gets $2/day value from DirecTV. So much easier ways to save money (like buy a smaller house, don't buy gargantuan automobiles) than to cut TV and specifically sports.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Sconie »

We recently "jumped ship" from cable, to antenna TV out of Tucson, plus Netflix and Amazon Prime. Enjoy the improved programming, the cost, as well as the lack of commercials (other than antenna TV).
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pennstater2005
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by pennstater2005 »

stoptothink wrote:
just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
I am with you, but older folks think you are crazy if you don't have it. I have never had cable in my life, then again I never had a TV as an adult until pretty recently, but I couldn't even imagine paying $200/month for TV. That is almost as much as it costs to feed my family...and based upon conversations with my stepfather, apparently it is nearly as important too (they are on a tight budget, but cutting cable is not even an option in his mind).
I hear this quite a bit as well. Some people are just amazed that I have never had cable and don't understand how I can watch tv without it. I explain the antenna and Netflix and online content in general but it just never seems to register. I used to hate growing up that we didn't have cable but looking back I'm now thankful.
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htdrag11
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by htdrag11 »

Our friends in DC was amazed that they could cut the cord by using a cheap antenna (flat w/o amplifier for $7 shipped) to pick up all the local HD stations, thus saving $40 plus per month. They only live about 10-15 miles from their TV stations.

As in my case, wife still needs her Food TV and HGTV fix but then she hardly spends much on anything else. Our internet bill has risen from $50 to $60 this year, not including the TV. Cable is the only game in town. She also hates ugly roof top antenna. We live about 50 miles from NYC and Philadelphia. I had tried using an amplified version.

The younger generation has little need for cable TV.
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Fat-Tailed Contagion
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Fat-Tailed Contagion »

Jags4186 wrote:
furwut wrote:
just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
The new term for these people are the " cord nevers".

Rest assured the cable companies have strategies in place to ensure their revenue. Comcast, for one, has bought NBC so they have a hand in the content no matter how you obtain it. They also still own the last mile of pipe to your house. They've successfully introduced most of their subscribers to tiered data speed plans. Now the are rolling data capping on top of that.

I predict the $150/mo cable bill is not in any danger.
This is why we pray for Google Fiber to come.
What will google fiber do and how much will it cost ?
“The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists.” | ― Benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor (75/25 - 50/50 - 25/75)
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Lafder »

Those of you that "cut the cable", how do you get internet?

Where I live the ONLY option I have found for internet is through the cable company. And to JUST get high speed internet is almost as much as to throw in basic cable with high definition. It was over 100$ for "just" high speed internet, and only about 25$ more for some "cable channels".

No one in my house cares about watching sports. I do watch Netflix more than HBO.

I would love to pay less for just internet, but Comcast/Infinity has quite a monopoly where I live. Qwest/Centurylink does not have high speed internet where I am , but a few blocks away they do.

The minute we have another high speed internet option, I will gladly drop Comcast.

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quantAndHold
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by quantAndHold »

Lafder wrote:Those of you that "cut the cable", how do you get internet?
Right now, through Comcast. It's $59 for Internet only, with my own modem. We dropped TV service in 2011 when it went over $100 for just the TV part. I'm sure Comcast would gladly sell me a bundle for a few dollars more that includes TV, but I've seen what happens to the price when those special offers expire, and at this point, we just don't have a use for cable. It's not like we're missing out on anything with what we have.

Another company is bringing gigabit Ethernet to my neighborhood within the next few months. I don't need and don't care about gigabit speeds, but it will be nice to have some price competition.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by warowits »

I never have cut the cable, though I probably wouldn't mind that much. The rest of my family would not be as happy. Our cable package, with DVR, is around 80 dollars after taxes, and if I cut it they will increase my cable internet (an actual necessity) by $10 a month. For the amount of entertainment we get from TV, $70 bucks isn't crazy. I would say that if I had never gotten a DVR I probably would have already cancelled my cable.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by searhapsody »

htdrag11 wrote:Our friends in DC was amazed that they could cut the cord by using a cheap antenna (flat w/o amplifier for $7 shipped) to pick up all the local HD stations, thus saving $40 plus per month. They only live about 10-15 miles from their TV stations.

As in my case, wife still needs her Food TV and HGTV fix but then she hardly spends much on anything else. Our internet bill has risen from $50 to $60 this year, not including the TV. Cable is the only game in town. She also hates ugly roof top antenna. We live about 50 miles from NYC and Philadelphia. I had tried using an amplified version.

The younger generation has little need for cable TV.
I'm also a HGTV addict. A colleague just told me about sling TV. I plan to check it out if it turns out I miss HGTV now that we've dropped cable
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by searhapsody »

Lafder wrote:Those of you that "cut the cable", how do you get internet?

Where I live the ONLY option I have found for internet is through the cable company. And to JUST get high speed internet is almost as much as to throw in basic cable with high definition. It was over 100$ for "just" high speed internet, and only about 25$ more for some "cable channels".

No one in my house cares about watching sports. I do watch Netflix more than HBO.

I would love to pay less for just internet, but Comcast/Infinity has quite a monopoly where I live. Qwest/Centurylink does not have high speed internet where I am , but a few blocks away they do.

The minute we have another high speed internet option, I will gladly drop Comcast.

lafder


We are getting it through the cable company but its $54 a month for their highest available speed plan. It turns out that price is lower than what they initially offered us for their lower speed plan. I suggest you keep negotiating untiil the price goes down.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by vitaflo »

Lafder wrote:Those of you that "cut the cable", how do you get internet?

Where I live the ONLY option I have found for internet is through the cable company. And to JUST get high speed internet is almost as much as to throw in basic cable with high definition.
Note, the "internet + basic cable is the same cost at just internet" is a ploy by the cable companies to get more money out of you. When they do this they only quote the base rates. So, if you package Internet + Basic Cable it's $50 + $10 = $60, but Internet by itself is $60. Seems fine until you look at the huge amount of fees they add on for *any* TV package. On our bill it added an extra $17 per month (thus $77 per month for the "same price").

I gladly said I'd pay the $60 for internet at that point and just get TV over the air (and more channels than Basic cable anyway).
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Impromptu »

We cut cable many years ago and used an antenna and Microsoft Media Center (Not Media Player) as our DVR. In our current location we can only receive 2 TV signals, so we have gone to internet only, Netflix, Hulu, Youtube. I don't miss television.

Comcast has no high speed competition in this city, so they can charge whatever they like, and standalone internet is only a few dollars cheaper than internet with cable. Internet with cable deals are cheaper for the first year than stand alone internet.

But we, too, are getting one of those google fiber type of companies coming here. They'll be installing the lines over the next half year and say that their prices will be competitive with what we currently have, but much faster than Xfinity. I am looking forward to some competition.
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Atilla
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Atilla »

We are in the process of cutting cable service. Got us a Roku box for Christmas with free month trials of Netflix and Hulu. It's a learning and adjustment process but as of early February no more programming from the cable company - just Internet service. Savings will be $75/month dropping the cable channels and adding Hulu and Netflix.

Right now out of $150/month - $50 is for Internet & the rest is for channels on the boob tube.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by mouses »

stoptothink wrote: I am with you, but older folks think you are crazy if you don't have it.
No stereotyping, please. I will never see seventy again, and I cut the cord years ago.
neuro84
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by neuro84 »

Fat-Tailed Contagion wrote:
Jags4186 wrote:
furwut wrote:
just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
The new term for these people are the " cord nevers".

Rest assured the cable companies have strategies in place to ensure their revenue. Comcast, for one, has bought NBC so they have a hand in the content no matter how you obtain it. They also still own the last mile of pipe to your house. They've successfully introduced most of their subscribers to tiered data speed plans. Now the are rolling data capping on top of that.

I predict the $150/mo cable bill is not in any danger.
This is why we pray for Google Fiber to come.
What will google fiber do and how much will it cost ?
Google Fiber is rolling out to a few cities in America (currently live in Kansas City, MO, Austin, TX, and Provo, UT, with expansion plans listed here). Their pricing structure is highly competitive with the current major cable providers. For example, you can get lifetime basic internet (5mbps down, 1mbps up) for a one-time installation fee of $300... that's right, no recurring plan after that, ever. I think this option is even commutable to the next owner of your house although I'm not sure. The next tier up is 1gb/s download speed, which is an option not currently offered in many places by the major cable providers. Google is offering this speed for $70/mo. Comcast has similar fiber plans in some locations for $300/mo. And finally, if you want 1gb/s download speed and television, Google Fiber will charge you $130/mo for that service.

So Google is shaking up the stodgy telecoms market, to make the US a little more like South Korea where you can get gigabit internet for $20/mo. My understanding is that this is a loss-leader for Google; they just want more people using the internet, and by extension, seeing Google's targeted ads which is their chief revenue stream.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Careful »

furwut wrote:
just frank wrote:I work at a University and I have to say I am yet to talk to someone under 30 who has ever paid for cable TV.
The new term for these people are the " cord nevers".
I'm in my early 40s and have never paid for cable. (In one apt. it was included in the rent - that was 10 years ago.) Have never heard the term "cord never" before.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by StormShadow »

stemikger wrote:I stream all my content through roku and a smart tv. I do buy Netflix and have Amazon Prime. This is enough for me.

One thing to consider, if you are a sports nut (I am not) you may find it hard to get all the sports that cable provides. It was never an issue for me, so it worked great. I pay roughly $16 a month for Netflix and Amazon. It's a far cry from the $100 + I was paying for Drecttv.
Cut the cable in 2013 and for the most part love it. Also have Netflix (stopped Amazon several months ago), but frankly don't use it very often. Use Redbox at the nearby grocery for the newest films.

I am a huge NFL fan, so losing ESPN stings (especially MNF). I stream NFL Sunday Ticket through my laptop/iphone/ipad (the first of which I connect to my TV using HDMI) for $200 the entire season. It shows all out-of-region Sunday games (but doesn't cover evening games/MNF/Thursdays). Its not perfect (resolution is so-so; and at times gets choppy/freezes which drives me crazy), but works well enough.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Jim85 »

Just cut back on my cable bill. Went with Verizon FIOS triple play Custom. 50/50 internet, unlimited phone and the Custom cable package. Custom gives you basic cable plus 2 station bundles. Went with News and Sports which is really all we watch beyond basic stations and Netflix. This bundle is $79 per month. Have this now on just 1 TV with DVR. Put antennas on the others after returning extra cable boxes.

There are some sports I enjoy and cannot get over the air or online. If that wasn't the case I'd go for just internet, which will go for around $50. Anyway pretty happy with the $79 package.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by bloom2708 »

We cut the cord for 18 months. With three kids and long winters we ran into issues with using too much bandwidth.

Internet providers alot 250 or 300gb per month. This sounds like a lot but it goes fast. Providers give faster and faster speeds but do not alot more bandwidth. Ferrari in a school zone syndrome.

We went back to Directv. We pay more but no more usage watching and paying overage charges.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by sesq »

I would consider cutting the cord but Verizon repriced me to a reasonable ($88 including taxes) number for a triple play bundle including most of the extended channels I'd want (no BBC). I estimate I'd be at least $55 for just cable, then $5-ish for an Ooma type landline with e-911 (we have kids, I'd want the occasional sitter to bet able to call 911), which made $88 close enough. I have Tivo roamio that can do cable or OTA. Our neighborhood has Comcast also so it helps to play them off each other. I did have to call for my deal and did have to push a bit.
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by songman52 »

I almost cut the cable last week. I installed an antenna in the attic and ran the cable in the wall to exit behind the TV. I've been reading about different options, like Sling, to get the channels we'd be dropping. I'm tired of paying @$160 monthly for internet and TV. The internet alone would run $60 plus taxes and fees. So I called TWC Friday to cancel the TV part. After turning down the first retention offer I was offered a second reduction. It is the same setup I have now but a doubling of internet speed, for $75 monthly (plus fees and taxes.) Internet plus sling would run me $80+. So I'm staying with the cable for now, but keeping my antenna as well since I get HD and a few extra channels OTA. I've ordered an A/B switch so I can easily switch between the two. The person I talked with at TWC told me to call them back each year and see what promotions are being offered to keep my costs down. So, we'll see how it goes. I had every intention of cutting the cable except for internet.
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Fat-Tailed Contagion
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Fat-Tailed Contagion »

songman52 wrote:I almost cut the cable last week. I installed an antenna in the attic and ran the cable in the wall to exit behind the TV. I've been reading about different options, like Sling, to get the channels we'd be dropping. I'm tired of paying @$160 monthly for internet and TV. The internet alone would run $60 plus taxes and fees. So I called TWC Friday to cancel the TV part. After turning down the first retention offer I was offered a second reduction. It is the same setup I have now but a doubling of internet speed, for $75 monthly (plus fees and taxes.) Internet plus sling would run me $80+. So I'm staying with the cable for now, but keeping my antenna as well since I get HD and a few extra channels OTA. I've ordered an A/B switch so I can easily switch between the two. The person I talked with at TWC told me to call them back each year and see what promotions are being offered to keep my costs down. So, we'll see how it goes. I had every intention of cutting the cable except for internet.
Is it necessary to put one of those leaf HD antennas up high in the house ?

How does that work ?
“The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists.” | ― Benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor (75/25 - 50/50 - 25/75)
Hug401k
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Hug401k »

Fat-Tailed Contagion wrote:
songman52 wrote:I almost cut the cable last week. I installed an antenna in the attic and ran the cable in the wall to exit behind the TV. I've been reading about different options, like Sling, to get the channels we'd be dropping. I'm tired of paying @$160 monthly for internet and TV. The internet alone would run $60 plus taxes and fees. So I called TWC Friday to cancel the TV part. After turning down the first retention offer I was offered a second reduction. It is the same setup I have now but a doubling of internet speed, for $75 monthly (plus fees and taxes.) Internet plus sling would run me $80+. So I'm staying with the cable for now, but keeping my antenna as well since I get HD and a few extra channels OTA. I've ordered an A/B switch so I can easily switch between the two. The person I talked with at TWC told me to call them back each year and see what promotions are being offered to keep my costs down. So, we'll see how it goes. I had every intention of cutting the cable except for internet.
Is it necessary to put one of those leaf HD antennas up high in the house ?

How does that work ?

Not for us, our antenna sits flat on a shelf behind the TV and we get about 25 stations. Ours cost about $35 at Target. That being said, I live in one of those areas where it costs MORE to have just internet and phone (which I need for work) instead of the triple bundle, so for my cable, I order the cheapest TV set up with one box and minimal DVR. Other TV gets an antenna and/or Amazon Fire stick. The add on fees are where they really get you.
JGoneRiding
Posts: 1973
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by JGoneRiding »

We cut with our move. Sports is tough we mostly don't care and with big games go to friends. I miss news cable and the debates though but have done well streaming those.
2comma
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by 2comma »

When it comes to TV antennas I'm learning it just all depends. If you're in an urban area in indoor antenna should work but even with them I've read enough reviews to know they don't always or it takes a little tweaking to find the right spot. We have an old/cheap antenna in the attic with a splitter so one line goes to the bedroom, one to the living room. If you have stations in different direction you might try a uni-directional antenna or one with a rotor. The last step is a larger antenna outdoors and then the higher the better. It's all about line-of-sight and the presence of obstructions. Even different TV's can get different reception. Our new 28" Visio in the BR picks up all the channels without a problem. The new 42" Samsung not so much. I hooked up my old digital box, so the TV signal goes to the box and then to the TV and got pretty much the same channels as the BR TV.

After watching 1 NFL game I decided I had to have the DVR function and most of them are expensive and channel guides can cost extra. Then I found what is basically a digital box that allows you to hook up a HDD or a memory stick into it's USB port. It has a channel guide, you can pause/FF through commercials and set it up to record shows. The interface is a little rough but it does work. Best part was it was only $34 and it's tuner is even better than the one in the old digital box and the playback is excellent. The box is a Mediasonic HW-150PVR.

Anyway, we got little value from cable (200 channels and nothing to watch) and Dish had creeped up to $98/mo. We mostly use TV for background noise or to go to sleep by. I get NFL OTA and we might try some of the series. We got Netflix and we tend to stream stuff like Frasier, Mash, King Of Queens and such. We'll probably start watching some of the series there to see if we like any. If I'm in a football watching mood next year I plan to try out Sling TV for ESPN to get my MNF fix.

So for now I like sticking it to the man and we're not missing him much at all. I figure cable companies will start putting limits on bandwidth, jacking up internet only rates or offer the crappy basic channels for close to the price of internet only. Come on Google, come on some form or competition!
If I am stupid I will pay.
Impromptu
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Impromptu »

Fat-Tailed Contagion wrote:
Is it necessary to put one of those leaf HD antennas up high in the house ?

How does that work ?
I believe HD antennas are just regular antennas with fancy marketing. Simple rabbit ears could be HD antennas if you are close enough to get reception and you have a digital television (which everyone should have by now).
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Paul78
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Paul78 »

somewhat cut the cable.

Was on a year promo rate called to cancel a couple of weeks ago. Given my current situation (Los Angeles living in an apartment) I have Time Warner Cable is my ONLY option for internet. Needless to say they do not give a current customer a "deal" if they are only asking for one service. So in the end I kept basic cable +HBO/Showtime cause it literally cost $5 more a month (12 month promo) than the cost of getting internet by itself. That plus $20 a month for Sling TV (I need my sports fix) and Amazon Prime are my viewing options.
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Kenster1
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by Kenster1 »

New cable company to take on Comcast, Chicago-area cord-cutters
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... story.html
A new cable service is set to launch throughout the Chicago area by Labor Day, hoping to take on Comcast and deter cord-cutters with what it touts as a better pay-TV experience.

Layer3 TV, a Denver-based startup, will offer hundreds of cable channels and online video packaged together in one sleek box, a platform that allows viewers to navigate everything from traditional networks to services like Netflix seamlessly.

Backed by more than $100 million in funding from private equity and entertainment firms, Layer3 TV will employ its own 12,000-mile fiber network and cutting-edge compression technology to deliver more and better high-definition video, executives said Thursday.
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Any overconfidence in your investing ability, willingness and need to take risk may be hazardous to your health.
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arthurdawg
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by arthurdawg »

I have recently installed Leaf antennas on our TVs and they work very well. We mainly use Netflix and Amazon and are looking at some of the myriad of options.

Mainly though, if the Sling TV experiment for ESPN goes well in the first month or two of football season... that may be the end of our cable TV.


We are on the list for Google fiber in the next few years too!
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FrugalFrida
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Location: Sweden

Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by FrugalFrida »

I have fiber internet only at $40/mo, cut the cable this year. No landline phone. :moneybag I'm in Europe though.
dcabler
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by dcabler »

After talking about it for years, finally cut cable 2 months ago after installing an antenna in the attic, saving around $120 per or so per month.
Our setup:
1. Over the air: Antenna + Tivo OTA with lifetime subscription (no monthly subscription fees)
2. Roku with main apps we use being Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and Acorn (British TV). Secondary apps include some traditional cable stations but I'm noticing that more and more of them are either requiring your cable company password (like National Geographic) or a paid subscription (like CBS).
3. PlayOn running on my laptop in my office streamed through the PlayOn Roku app. Any video content on the web can then be streamed. Takes care of some of the stations that want a cable company password because for some reason they let you stream some content through a browser without requiring a password. Also solves the CBS Roku app issue because, for now, they do allow free streaming of shows after 3 days. Also, the Roku Hulu app only works for paid subscribers. You get access to the free version of Hulu through PlayOn and can then stream. Only downside is that HD for PlayOn is 720 instead of 1080. Anyway, like Roku, PlayOn has built in apps for many of the stations (like free Hulu). For others, you can open a browser on your computer and select the video content to be streamed.
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F150HD
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by F150HD »

haven't had cable since college, I do the Roku / Netflix route.

BUT, having been in multiple hotels recently on a trip, I find how much NEWS I am missing by not having FOX News, CNN and MSNBC etc. Has me contemplating getting a small cable package esp w/ elections looming.

Sure, one can scour the internet everyday for news, but its time consuming (been there), & some of the info I was learning on FOX news after the Dallas police shootings I wasn't hearing anywhere else. I'd really like to have that channel but need some form of cable to get it.

Wish there was a streaming news package one could pay $ a month for.
Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.
renue74
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by renue74 »

I own a small web design firm. I'm 42. I have 4 employees...all under the age of 30 and none of them have ever paid for cable.

I cut the cord last month. I was paying Direct TV $163/month (plus Netflix) and I stopped.

• Playstation VUE....has been great ($29)
• Netflix ($9.99)
• Occasional Showtime or HBO Anytime (one or the other)...depends on when series are own ($9.99)
• OTA antenna for locals (free)

I think more and more of our friends (age 40+) are cutting the cord also. It's more of change for us because we grew up "waiting to see this week's Magnum PI on live TV." I still find myself watching a lot of the "live TV" on Playstation VUE.
AlwaysAStudent
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Re: Stats on Americans 'cutting the cable' ?

Post by AlwaysAStudent »

searhapsody wrote:
htdrag11 wrote:Our friends in DC was amazed that they could cut the cord by using a cheap antenna (flat w/o amplifier for $7 shipped) to pick up all the local HD stations, thus saving $40 plus per month. They only live about 10-15 miles from their TV stations.

As in my case, wife still needs her Food TV and HGTV fix but then she hardly spends much on anything else. Our internet bill has risen from $50 to $60 this year, not including the TV. Cable is the only game in town. She also hates ugly roof top antenna. We live about 50 miles from NYC and Philadelphia. I had tried using an amplified version.

The younger generation has little need for cable TV.
I'm also a HGTV addict. A colleague just told me about sling TV. I plan to check it out if it turns out I miss HGTV now that we've dropped cable
I was just about to suggest Sling TV for HGTV, but I don't think they have the food channel. They do have ESPN so it is also a good choice for those that love sports.
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