5 ms·

You rent your modem and set top box in America? That's crazy.

by Jonnax 7y ago

lbotos 7y ago
I think most people don't even realize that they do/are.
gruez 7y ago
How's that surprising? That's simply the result of unbundling the cost of the equipment rental from the cost of the service. If it was offered for "free", it'd be simply be rolled into the overall price. Theoretically this is good for consumers, who now have a choice of paying for it up front, paying it over time on their monthly bill, or using their own.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
theandrewbailey 7y ago
Back in the day, cable companies allowed you to use their equipment for free to use their services. About 10-15 years ago, they realized that they could charge for it.
BrandoElFollito 7y ago
I have a fee for the TV box in France (3€ I think)
jjtheblunt 7y ago
We don't : it's way cheaper to just buy them off Amazon or BestBuy, and to then _not_ rent from the cable company.
MrFoof 7y ago
You don't have to, but most people do. I supplied my own modem. I see no fee. I haven't had TV service since 2007. I have Comcast and my bill is $60/mo (total) for 250Mbps down, 10Mbps up (and get that reliably). When it's about to go back to $90-100/mo in May (promotional price expires), I will give them a 15-minute call to get back down to that $60/mo for another year. My parents on the other hand have a TV package, internet, and phone through them, while renting a set top box and their modem. They pay somewhere around $200/mo. I've informed them of their options (and offered to set it up for them), but they elect to not care.
- tenebrisalietum 7y ago
  I had TV then switched to a similar Internet only plan with Comcast. I adopted a strategy of telling them I have no TV anymore (and I disconnected my TV boxes before calling) and need the Internet for work only. I had to politely repeat myself a few times and decline a couple offers of bundled packages, but they switched me over. The experience wasn't too bad. I expected the caller to try to upsell me but I just said "No thanks, I don't have a TV anyway and really just need the Internet for my job." But, people who leave themselves open by telling the rep something like "I don't like what's on TV" or "TV is too expensive" will probably have trouble. They really want you to have any type of TV subscription.
dylz 7y ago
Some ISPs do not allow you to bring your own equipment, or if you do, they will charge you regardless per month for a "rental" of something you don't have from them.
- kube-system 7y ago
  We tried, and it was legislated otherwise for a while, but it didn't really work out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD
  - dylz 7y ago
    This includes internet - https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32167991-Modem-Frontier-Forced-10-Monthly-Rental-Fee https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32167991-Modem-Frontier-Fo... for one example

You rent your modem and set top box in America? That's crazy.

by Jonnax 7y ago

You rent your modem and set top box in America? That's crazy.

lbotos 7y ago

I think most people don't even realize that they do/are.

gruez 7y ago

How's that surprising? That's simply the result of unbundling the cost of the equipment rental from the cost of the service. If it was offered for "free", it'd be simply be rolled into the overall price. Theoretically this is good for consumers, who now have a choice of paying for it up front, paying it over time on their monthly bill, or using their own.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

theandrewbailey 7y ago

Back in the day, cable companies allowed you to use their equipment for free to use their services. About 10-15 years ago, they realized that they could charge for it.

BrandoElFollito 7y ago

I have a fee for the TV box in France (3€ I think)

jjtheblunt 7y ago

We don't : it's way cheaper to just buy them off Amazon or BestBuy, and to then _not_ rent from the cable company.

MrFoof 7y ago

You don't have to, but most people do. I supplied my own modem. I see no fee. I haven't had TV service since 2007. I have Comcast and my bill is $60/mo (total) for 250Mbps down, 10Mbps up (and get that reliably). When it's about to go back to $90-100/mo in May (promotional price expires), I will give them a 15-minute call to get back down to that $60/mo for another year. My parents on the other hand have a TV package, internet, and phone through them, while renting a set top box and their modem. They pay somewhere around $200/mo. I've informed them of their options (and offered to set it up for them), but they elect to not care.

tenebrisalietum 7y ago
I had TV then switched to a similar Internet only plan with Comcast. I adopted a strategy of telling them I have no TV anymore (and I disconnected my TV boxes before calling) and need the Internet for work only. I had to politely repeat myself a few times and decline a couple offers of bundled packages, but they switched me over. The experience wasn't too bad. I expected the caller to try to upsell me but I just said "No thanks, I don't have a TV anyway and really just need the Internet for my job." But, people who leave themselves open by telling the rep something like "I don't like what's on TV" or "TV is too expensive" will probably have trouble. They really want you to have any type of TV subscription.

dylz 7y ago

Some ISPs do not allow you to bring your own equipment, or if you do, they will charge you regardless per month for a "rental" of something you don't have from them.

kube-system 7y ago
We tried, and it was legislated otherwise for a while, but it didn't really work out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD
- dylz 7y ago
  This includes internet - https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32167991-Modem-Frontier-Forced-10-Monthly-Rental-Fee https://www.dslreports.com/forum/r32167991-Modem-Frontier-Fo... for one example