4 ms·

When I moved out on my own in 2010, I didn't get any kind of TV service. I didn't need it, had rather my money go to other things, and traditionally it only fun

by earlz 13y ago

When I moved out on my own in 2010, I didn't get any kind of TV service. I didn't need it, had rather my money go to other things, and traditionally it only functioned as background noise since I was usually on the computer or game console. I heard about netflix at some point and signed up so I could watch a few movies (through the mail). I became aware they had this streaming thing (such a foreign concept at the time to stream full length seasons of shows).. and well, Netflix was good enough for me. I've now added on Basic Cable not really for the TV, but for weather and news

onedev 13y ago
Have you heard of this service called The Internet? It has fantastic weather information and news as well :)
- zenocon 13y ago
  Really...there are hundreds of apps for those as well. I'd think weather and news would be the last thing you'd look to basic cable for. As a cord cutter for several years now, the only rationale I can find for continuing the Comcast train is sports. Movies are passe on live cable (want some movie with those commercials?) High-demand TV series are another, but many of them show up via on-demand services not long after broadcast (w/o commercials) -- or can be had by "other" means. The cable + sports networks have people in a headlock, though. Want to sign up for Big 10 football? You must have Comcast. A lot of other sports networks are similar. The minute sports goes to an a la carte or subscription model that doesn't require a cable package, I think it will signal the death knell for big cable.
  - wtvanhest 13y ago
    Yes, sports is exactly what is keeping customers. Right now, the comcast packages look like this: 1. Internet only ~$50/month 2. Internet + really basic cable ~$50/month (for me it was actually less to have both, they made me get a cable box to get $10 less, it makes no sense except for the fact that they want to up sell me later. 3. Internet plus sports ~$100/month (plus you get lots of other garbage) 4. Internet plus HBO ~$100/month (plus you get lots of other garbage) 5. Internet plus HBO plus sports ~$110/month 6. Internet plus everything including a phone $180/month Sports and/or HBO are about half the revenue which is exactly why the cable companies want to make them bundled. The only way out I can think of to get out of this bundling is to legislate no exclusivity for content, or at least live content. That would be major blow to the revenue streams of college teams & the NFL.
- Houshalter 13y ago
  Or even an antennae.

by earlz 13y ago

onedev 13y ago

Have you heard of this service called The Internet? It has fantastic weather information and news as well :)

zenocon 13y ago
Really...there are hundreds of apps for those as well. I'd think weather and news would be the last thing you'd look to basic cable for. As a cord cutter for several years now, the only rationale I can find for continuing the Comcast train is sports. Movies are passe on live cable (want some movie with those commercials?) High-demand TV series are another, but many of them show up via on-demand services not long after broadcast (w/o commercials) -- or can be had by "other" means. The cable + sports networks have people in a headlock, though. Want to sign up for Big 10 football? You must have Comcast. A lot of other sports networks are similar. The minute sports goes to an a la carte or subscription model that doesn't require a cable package, I think it will signal the death knell for big cable.
- wtvanhest 13y ago
  Yes, sports is exactly what is keeping customers. Right now, the comcast packages look like this: 1. Internet only ~$50/month 2. Internet + really basic cable ~$50/month (for me it was actually less to have both, they made me get a cable box to get $10 less, it makes no sense except for the fact that they want to up sell me later. 3. Internet plus sports ~$100/month (plus you get lots of other garbage) 4. Internet plus HBO ~$100/month (plus you get lots of other garbage) 5. Internet plus HBO plus sports ~$110/month 6. Internet plus everything including a phone $180/month Sports and/or HBO are about half the revenue which is exactly why the cable companies want to make them bundled. The only way out I can think of to get out of this bundling is to legislate no exclusivity for content, or at least live content. That would be major blow to the revenue streams of college teams & the NFL.
Houshalter 13y ago
Or even an antennae.