Also Cable Companies continue to encrypt local channels that used to be on unencrypted clear QAM channels. So that HDTV or DVR that has a digital tuner that you purchased can't get a signal without adding yet another cable box (or cablecard) to your monthly bill for each and every device.
Then customers decide to try an Over-The-Air (OTA) antenna and realize that the Cable Co's have been degrading their local channels signal for years in favor of pay channels and shopping channels.
Next, a customer may get a Roku or Chromecast and realize the choice greater and quality better streaming from the Internet than via local cable and the customer has much better control over the costs.
Also "cord cutters" are making a lot of noise on social networks about what they are doing and how well it works. Couple that with how much "love" most people have for their cable company and well decline should be inevitable as long as the alternatives work and they do.
I cut them off with prejudice (to use a legal term), and replaced them with Netflix, HBO, iTunes and Hulu for College Football games. I have an antenna but don't use it much. I figured for $130 a month, I could buy 4 seasons a month at $30 a season and still be under what Comcast charged.
Comcast can go pound sand. (except their business internet).
I can't imagine why people jump ship when presented with better options.
It's easy compared to most other Internet Video Stream Receivers by offering a WiFi remote (not your phone) and a TV/Cable channel metaphor UI rather than a web metaphor UI.
It works really well for the non-technical and older people.
They cut my bill by 20% if I subscribe to TV service. The cable box sits still in its shipping box; its only function is to cut my bill.
It was a "one year, one time deal" but when I called to cancel TV service the rep told me I can just sign up for it again every year.
Guess they are scamming the TV advertisers.
Should have done the work myself, but he was already there and seemed at first to be ok.
When you dread any kind of service call you have to have with these people (like ATT taking over a month and multiple, multiple calls, to change a calling plan), you know they are doing something wrong.
If my municipality were to roll their own, I'd sign up in a second. Even at higher price, although I'd expect exactly the opposite.
Google Fiber (which, I gather from stories I've heard from Austin, has its own installation woes) almost made it here. But then Google was like, "Let's ride bikes!"
Meh
If they were not local regional monopolies they'd be losing customers a lot faster than they are now.
The faster we can make cable companies "dumb pipes" the better off we will all be... except if you are a Cable company exec or shareholder.
BTW, if you are an HOA board member make sure you maximize your "door fees" when they come up for re-negotiation. "Door fees" are what a cable company pays the HOA for access to living units within the HOA. "Door fees" also prevent the HOA from letting any other Cable company have the same access for the term of the contract. Since you can't break the monopoly, you can at least lower the regular assessments for your HOA members with Cable company cash.
What? Snapchat as an entertainment option? I thought it was a messaging app.
