| reply to dtv09
Re: I just canceled my Comcast service... Comcast charges $33/mo for CDV if you get their triple-play bundle, but that's only for the first year, after which it goes up to--what is it now?--$39 (though you could probably haggle yourself back to triple-play prices if you tell them you're going to leave them for someone else). If you don't need long-distance, then you could get their local-only service for $25 (if you bundle it with their Internet service, HSI or LSI). You also have to pay $3/mo to lease their eMTA. For the sake of argument, I'll use the $25: $25 + $3 = $28/mo.
A no-frills landline from Verizon costs under $11/mo ($6 for the line, the rest in taxes/fees). Pick a long-distance provider that doesn't charge you anything unless you actually use their service. (Having a Verizon landline will also knock $5/mo off your FiOS Internet bill, but I'm not figuring that into this.) For real long-distance usage (and some outbound local calls) I have magicJack (which works very well for me), even though I don't make many long-distance calls. I have GrandCentral (still free for the immediate future) and I use the GC address book (because it's simpler) for most of my "outgoing" calls, which really makes them inbound calls to my line(s) (though magicJack could take over outbound calls should future GC fees prove to be "excessive"). So, that's $11 + $2 (mJ rounded up) = $13/mo. Half of 28 is 14, and 13 is less than 14... ta-daaa!
I haven't even mentioned that most of my incoming calls I take using GC to Gizmo via ATA (very good voice quality). I also have an Alltel prepaid plan (though Verizon will undoubtedly kill that once they've acquired Alltel, sending me to T-Mobile at $100/yr for 1,000 minutes) that currently costs me about $5/yr in usage; if nothing else, my cell phone makes for a good CallerID device (with GC routing calls to all of my numbers). CDV is fine for what it is; it's just over-priced--it's a cash cow for Comcast: it costs them virtually nothing to add it to their network and they rake in tons of money for it... it's quite a rip-off with respect to value (but some people really want that all-in-one, no-muss/no-fuss billing/setup). The only thing really wrong with CDV is that from Day One I got more calls from telemarketers & charity beggars (for which PhoneTray works very well to "filter" out) than from anyone else--I won't miss them.
Do I "need" the landline? No, but it does give me a price break on FiOS Internet, and "real" 911, and a working line when Internet access is down in addition to my cell phone--it's not line-powered copper but that's why I have so many UPSs; so I get an excellent voice-quality line for a few more dollars per month than I'd pay without it. Works for me.
I don't care much about TV; I like movies, which I can get from Netflix or elsewhere to see the ones I really want to see. |
