 | | No Escape Pretty much everbodys profits are down, i dont think the telco's and MSO's can escape the problem either.
With consumers looking for places to save money, they are going to have to start having some good offers or else the consumer will simply pass or go with cheaper packages. | |
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 |  baineschile2600 ways to livePremium
join:2008-05-10
Sterling Heights, MI
1 edit | Re: No Escape Until broadcast stations lower their prices, cable/telco wont; thanks for charging me 15 bucks a month, espn/espn2/espndeportes/espnclassic/espnu/espnnews/bigtennetwork/nflnetwork | |
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| | elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA Reviews:
 ·SONIC.NET
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: No Escape said by baineschile:Until broadcast stations lower their prices, cable/telco wont; thanks for charging me 15 bucks a month, espn/espn2/espndeportes/espnclassic/espnu/espnnews/bigtennetwork/nflnetwork Most broadcast stations aren't charging anything, instead expecting free carriage.
As for ESPN et al, there is no requirement on the part of telco or the cable companies to subscribe every customer or pay ransom to the content providers. Its just easier for them to hide behind it... "But Mom! He hit me back first"
We disconnected cable long ago, refusing to pay $60 a month to watch one channel. Cable could get us back, if they let us pay ala-carte. But to date, there are apparently too many sheep willing to pay for ESPN when they don't watch it.
But that will not last forever. | |
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| Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Midwest
 ·voip.ms
·MyPhoneCompany
| Given that this {is/will be} the first large scale recession in the modern era of subscription TV, TV providers will feel plenty of deflationary pressure. Triple play is just marketing to the lazy, and Darwin says people get less lazy when money gets tight.
It's hard to imagine anybody with working legs treating cable TV as the equivalent of water, sewer, electric, telephone, or even internet service. Most of what TV does in my home is take up space and time. Why should I pay for that if I can't pay my other bills?
Deadbeat subscribers aren't going to see a big need to pay these bills, since the worst that can happen is the service gets shut off and there's an unenforceable money judgment on record.
When Joe Sixpack gets laid off, he is going to buy an antenna and a converter box and cancel cable.
Advertisers will see lower subscriber numbers and with their own lower profits, will demand lower rates or walk away. A few networks will fold or merge. The best will consult their cost accountants and actuaries, and they will change their terms to maintain a positive growth curve despite lower overall profits.
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USNG:
16TDN2870
Find your Lat-Long:
Geocoder | |
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| | Price competition is there...they just don't advertise. If you have Comcast and call them and tell them you are planning to switch to FIOS they will give you very good pricing. I'm reasonably certain that when my FIOS contract expires in a year, they will do the same if I tell them I am switching back to Comcast. Heavy Reading survey aside, the reality is that they are willing to compete on price...they just don't do it publicly. The jury is still out on how lasting this will be as part of their strategy to win and retain customers. Competition hasn't been the reality in enough areas for a long enough period of time to determine this yet. | |
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| ricklgPremium
join:2004-03-07
Laurel, MD Reviews:
·Comcast
| Re: Price competition is there...they just don't advertise. They probably should advertise. I've had Comcast for almost 5 years and their service (less customer support, which sucks) has been good. It's been getting a bit expensive tho. I've got a FIOS junction box right in front of my house, but I haven't seen a reason to switch yet.
Yes, FIOS is faster, but I don't really need that (be nice tho). The cost difference comes down to a few bucks for both Internet and TV. If FIOS had a real cost advantage I'd switch in a heartbeat.
I also have access to Broadstripe Cable (old Millennium cable), but their prices are about the same and they have a terrible reputation for service.
Give me good service at a lower rate and I'm yours! | |
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| | | | Re: Price competition is there...they just don't advertise. It's not always about price, it's about quality. Fios has superior quality in broadband as well as video for a similar price?? Sounds like a no brainer. | |
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| | | Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| Re: Price competition is there...they just don't advertise. Do they? I've had nothing but major headaches with billing and getting my internet service to work, and after spending a week in FL with family who have FIOS TV (Sarasota), I have to say that my DirecTV looks better. I will admit that I only have a 720p television and was watching standard def on a 1080p.
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Retaking our country one election at a time. | |
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| |  heat84Bit Torrent Apologist
join:2004-03-11
Fort Lauderdale, FL | said by ricklg:I also have access to Broadstripe Cable (old Millennium cable), but their prices are about the same and they have a terrible reputation for service. How do you have access to 2 cable companies? They share the wiring that goes through your neighborhood? | |
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|  CheesePremium
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL
kudos:1 | said by rmergner:If you have Comcast and call them and tell them you are planning to switch to FIOS they will give you very good pricing. I'm reasonably certain that when my FIOS contract expires in a year, they will do the same if I tell them I am switching back to Comcast. Heavy Reading survey aside, the reality is that they are willing to compete on price...they just don't do it publicly. The jury is still out on how lasting this will be as part of their strategy to win and retain customers. Competition hasn't been the reality in enough areas for a long enough period of time to determine this yet. Good idea, except for the 80 percent of people who don't have FIOS  | |
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| | | | Re: Price competition is there...they just don't advertise. said by Cheese 
Good idea, except for the 80 percent of people who don't have FIOS
[/BQUOTE :Tell them you are switching to DirecTV. | |
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1 edit | said by Cheese:Good idea, except for the 80 percent of people who don't have FIOS That's certainly true, but the topic is will competition lower prices...obviously if there is no competition in a given area this doesn't apply | |
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|  kyler13Is your fiber grounded?
join:2006-12-12
Arnold, MD | said by rmergner:If you have Comcast and call them and tell them you are planning to switch to FIOS they will give you very good pricing. I'm reasonably certain that when my FIOS contract expires in a year, they will do the same if I tell them I am switching back to Comcast. Heavy Reading survey aside, the reality is that they are willing to compete on price...they just don't do it publicly. The jury is still out on how lasting this will be as part of their strategy to win and retain customers. Competition hasn't been the reality in enough areas for a long enough period of time to determine this yet. That won't necessarily work. I called Comcast, telling them I was seriously considering FIOS TV on price. What I got was an argument on how FIOS was inferior, and basically a stonewall on pricing. The arrogant woman told me I could simply scale my service down or bundle to save money, but that she couldn't just lower my price. Funny, because that's what they did 12 months earlier to keep me from switching. New policy? Maybe I could have called back a few times more, but I wanted to switch over for the better HD package, and I'm glad I did. | |
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1 edit | It should but I bet it won't Even though this is aimed more towards Telco and features I have SAT and I am not bundle in anyway. If a telco or even a cable company were to offer cheaper service for the same thing they would most likely lure me away from my dish. Personally have no desire for DVR or VOD.
I laugh every time they try to get me to sign up for bundles. I have probably the cheapest VoIP (Magic Jack) and use Comcast(for now but hunting for a new provider) for my internet right now. What I pay independently for these services and convince each separate company brings or provides over another I make out much better in cost and reliability.
So a cost reduction would save me on the digital cable but if it is with bundles they can keep it. | |
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AVonGaussPremium
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL | Lowering Prices... Lowering prices is one option, but what could also make sense is for telco and cable video providers to restructure how they offer the products to their subscribers. The "mega" tiers on one hand can be convenient for both parties, but also limits the ability for customers to make choices and for those choices to also reflect upon the content producer. | |
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 RRMANPremium
join:2007-04-02
Cleveland, OH | Economy I know the news says it is a bad economy. I just don't see it. Every Restaurant still has a 20+ minute wait. The malls and stores are packed! Theater is still packed! Movies are still packed! So where is the economy hurting? Oh yeah all the rich people are not getting richer that's right.
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Two people shorten a road. | |
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| | | Re: Economy Are you serious? GM is two months away from going bankrupt. When they do it will cause hundreds of thousands of job losses at GM itself and its ancillary dependents. The federal job loss numbers keep going up every month. Here in the NYC area people are getting let go every day. My 401K has gotten decimated over the past 9 months. Do you honestly think that 20 people in line at a store or eatery means that all is OK? | |
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| | | | Re: Economy said by dealing3000:Are you serious? GM is two months away from going bankrupt. When they do it will cause hundreds of thousands of job losses at GM itself and its ancillary dependents. The federal job loss numbers keep going up every month. Here in the NYC area people are getting let go every day. My 401K has gotten decimated over the past 9 months. Do you honestly think that 20 people in line at a store or eatery means that all is OK? Actually According to this article »www.newsweek.com/id/168941/page/2, if the Big 3 file bankruptcy, that could effect 3 million jobs. | |
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| |  MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by dealing3000:Are you serious? GM is two months away from going bankrupt. When they do it will cause hundreds of thousands of job losses at GM itself and its ancillary dependents. The federal job loss numbers keep going up every month. Here in the NYC area people are getting let go every day. My 401K has gotten decimated over the past 9 months. Do you honestly think that 20 people in line at a store or eatery means that all is OK? That's because they decided not to innovate and make huge gas guzzling SUVs and small cars that no one wants. It has nothing to do with the economy.
The economy isn't rosy, but I still receive job offers a few times a month from my old resume on Monster so it can't be all bad. | |
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| | | | | Re: Economy said by Matt:said by dealing3000:Are you serious? GM is two months away from going bankrupt. When they do it will cause hundreds of thousands of job losses at GM itself and its ancillary dependents. The federal job loss numbers keep going up every month. Here in the NYC area people are getting let go every day. My 401K has gotten decimated over the past 9 months. Do you honestly think that 20 people in line at a store or eatery means that all is OK? That's because they decided not to innovate and make huge gas guzzling SUVs and small cars that no one wants. It has nothing to do with the economy. The economy isn't rosy, but I still receive job offers a few times a month from my old resume on Monster so it can't be all bad. I agree
SUV's mostly and trucks where the big sellers and big money makers. They had no problems when they where selling tons of them and making huge profits. Why innovate when you are making all this money?
Things change and they have been too slow to adapt and are now paying the price.
I think it would be bad for everyone if they went under, so something should be done but it should be done right because idioticy shouldnt be rewarded. | |
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| | | beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH | All of the automotive companies' north american operations are hurting. Whether it's a gas guzler or a 50MPG car, if you can't get a credit - because there is very little credit available - sales suffer. Certainly the right cars make a difference, but this is not the sole cause.
And newsflash, the gas crisis is over. Been to a pump lately? People are simply running out of jobs and money. | |
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| | | | | | Re: Economy said by beaups:All of the automotive companies' north american operations are hurting. Whether it's a gas guzler or a 50MPG car, if you can't get a credit - because there is very little credit available - sales suffer. Certainly the right cars make a difference, but this is not the sole cause. And newsflash, the gas crisis is over. Been to a pump lately? People are simply running out of jobs and money. I agree with you also. The credit crunch is the latest around of problems and isnt only making things worse. I do feel that things where in bad shape aready because of the gas price issue which is not much less of a problem, so who knows what will happen. People in general forget things quickly.
Watch for suv/truck sales to rise (slowly because of credit crunch) due to cheaper gas prices. Once the economy starts to turn around im betting gas will start to jump up again and we will be close to where we started. | |
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| | | |  RickNYPremium
join:2000-11-02
Manorville, NY
·Optimum Online
| said by beaups:if you can't get a credit - because there is very little credit available ... And newsflash, the gas crisis is over. Been to a pump lately? People are simply running out of jobs and money. Some of you need to take an economics class.. The gas crisis isn't over -- it's just on hold.. Demand forecasts have been revised significantly downward because the economy is tanking.. Unemployment is rising -- we are now above the level that is considered full employment, GDP is now falling.. Lower demand = more supply = lower prices. It's not that there is very little credit available -- there is plenty of credit available -- and at great rates, too.. Lending requirements have just been restored to sensible levels, that is, what they were before some rocket scientist thought it would be great to give anyone with half a pulse a loan.
Once the market enters a growth phase again with positive growth in GDP and lower unemployment levels, oil and gas will once again rise to levels at or above what they were back in May. With the global economy showing growth, demand will exceed supply at current prices, and they will rise substantially. Whats making this worse is that the incentive to produce more fuel efficient vehicles and develop alternative energy sources has now eroded due to the current drop in prices at the pump -- which will leave us in the exact same situation again. | |
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| | |  imrfPremium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI | said by Matt:That's because they decided not to innovate and make huge gas guzzling SUVs and small cars that no one wants. Seeing as the American customer as a whole chose to buy and demand said large trucks the Big 3 did what they asked. Gas shot up very quickly and the minds of people changed just as fast. But you can't design a car as quickly as things changed. | |
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| | | | Dont worry about GM, the govt will bail out their pensions and retirements so they will live happily ever after with your money. | |
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| | | imrfPremium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI | Re: Economy said by Zen6 :
so they will live happily ever after with your money. Incorrect. They are asking for a low interest loan, that will be paid back.
What the Big 3 are asking for pales in comparison to what the idiotic lending companies like AIG want. But nobody seems to be complaining about them. They don't employ anywhere near as many people as GM does by themselves. | |
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| | AVonGaussPremium
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL | While I agree with your general message, I really don't think GM is a good example. GM has had problems for many years, including the times when the economy was "booming". | |
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| | | | said by dealing3000:Are you serious? GM is two months away from going bankrupt. When they do it will cause hundreds of thousands of job losses at GM itself and its ancillary dependents. The federal job loss numbers keep going up every month. Here in the NYC area people are getting let go every day. My 401K has gotten decimated over the past 9 months. Do you honestly think that 20 people in line at a store or eatery means that all is OK? if you have followed closely they are already broke just trying to stay alive.... | |
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| | | said by RRMAN:I know the news says it is a bad economy. I just don't see it. Every Restaurant still has a 20+ minute wait. The malls and stores are packed! Theater is still packed! Movies are still packed! So where is the economy hurting? Oh yeah all the rich people are not getting richer that's right. Wow! you must be living under a rock.
Stocks down more than 50%, 401Ks down, record foreclosures, record decline in housing starts, record trade deficit, record bankruptcies (circuit city, mervyn's, etc etc) record unemployment, GM, Ford, Chrysler ready to bite the dust, Freedie/Fannie disaster, Wachovia, Lehman ...
but the fundamentals of our economy are strong George W. Bush/John McCain | |
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| | RRMANPremium
join:2007-04-02
Cleveland, OH | Re: Economy Yeah the auto industry is going under because the unions suck the life out of the rest of us. Some of those guys make like $60 some dollars and hour. Give me a break. The rest of us bust our butts for the pennies we make and they cry. Heres and idea take a pay cut. Stop whining people. Be glad we have ATT, and others. Give me a break
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Two people shorten a road. | |
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|  CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | said by RRMAN:I know the news says it is a bad economy. I just don't see it. Every Restaurant still has a 20+ minute wait. The malls and stores are packed! Theater is still packed! Movies are still packed! So where is the economy hurting? Oh yeah all the rich people are not getting richer that's right. Maybe in your area but stores are having HUGE sales to get anyone in the stores and our big mall is still empty during the day unlike 6 months ago.
With huge sales - stores will NOT be making money and they are not and not to mention - consumer spending is DOWN a record 2.9%.
So the facts say otherwise. | |
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 Boomer86never say roadkillPremium
join:2002-10-18
Walden, NY | They WON'T lower prices Consumers will continue to shop the various "triple play" offerings (in markets where they are available) and jump ship to the competition when their incumbent contract expires. Besides, in a down economy with more of us staying home more frequently, the one thing you WON'T give up or turn off is TV or internet!
In markets with no competitive TV carrier, consumers will either (A) downgrade service and sacrifice a few channels, or (B) stop paying until the service gets turned off.
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Don't pay ME back, pay it forward. | |
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|  en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: They WON'T lower prices I hear you... I'll stick with my triple play until the price changes... then I'll go OTA for TV. | |
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 spewakR.I.P DadkinsPremium
join:2001-08-07
Elk Grove, CA
kudos:1 | No No and Not!
They will not lower Catv prices until the last consumer has left the building.!!!!!
Humps! 
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The weekend is here, grab a can of beer! | |
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Reviews:
·AT&T Southeast
| They got a surprise coming For some reason the satellite and cable companies have come to the thinking they are a necessity like electricity. I am among the folks that proved they arn't. Between the quality of programming (sucks) and the price they wanted me to pay to watch 10 minutes of commercials every half hour I cut the cable, save $50+ a month and have 5 HD channels uncompressed just from my NC PBS station. Being on the state line entitles me also to 3 HD channels from South Carolina PBS. They have called me 7 times to reconnect and each time I tell them I'll be back when the prices goes back to $30 a month for basic expanded. | |
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| | | Re: They got a surprise coming There is alot of overhead pricing with Video no matter who you are. the cable companies where very smart to get into the teclo business years ago.
lastly just as eltric goes up, gas etc it all part of teh same game prices go up. you cannot stay flat as a business or you will go under. Any smart business person orowner will tell you the same..
Anyone remember 5 cent bubble gum machines? 25 sent coke and i mean coke machines..
how about those cheap Mcky D's burgers .. those days are long gone.. | |
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| | Reviews:
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: They got a surprise coming True but only cable and satellite have gone up ridiculous percentages, stayed up and want even more while providing crummy service. You are so true, my first tank of gas was at 30.9 per gallon. I signed up with directv in 1995 (approx) being among the first and the version of total choice back then was $19.99. Now it's over $50. | |
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|  aaronwtPremium
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
·Verizon FiOS
| said by rid0617:For some reason the satellite and cable companies have come to the thinking they are a necessity like electricity. I am among the folks that proved they arn't. Between the quality of programming (sucks) and the price they wanted me to pay to watch 10 minutes of commercials every half hour I cut the cable, save $50+ a month and have 5 HD channels uncompressed just from my NC PBS station. Being on the state line entitles me also to 3 HD channels from South Carolina PBS. They have called me 7 times to reconnect and each time I tell them I'll be back when the prices goes back to $30 a month for basic expanded. How does a PBS station broadcast 5 HD signals? And all HD is compressed.
Around here the PBS station has one HD feed and three or four SD digital feeds. I will never watch the crappy SD digital feeds.
I have FIOS and for only $57 I get all the channels except Cinemax. If I went to Comcast it would cost me over $100 for the same programming. FIOS is competing on price in my area, and they are much lower. When I had DirecTV the same programming with much less HD was around $110. So FIOS seems to be a great deal. And I do consider the INTERNET and TV service a necessity. Although I did drop my landline and am just using a cell phone since I don't need both anymore with the adapters to use your home cordless phones with your cellphones. | |
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| | Reviews:
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: They got a surprise coming Well, that's how they do it here. 1 HD and 4 SD. Not the best of quality but over the air its bearable. I di get tired of stretch-o-vision. If we had FIOS available I'd jump on here but in the upstate of SC we only have directv or God awful Charter Cable.
My highspeed is a necessity (3.0 highest available here DSL) but I just got so tired of TV I walked away from most of it. But for $57 and your package I would sign up in a heartbeat. | |
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Reviews:
·Optimum Online
·Verizon FiOS
| in other news.... Verizon also wants to stop paying taxes on utility poles because they are no longer a marjority player in the landline phone market... (sound suspicious to me). They still have millions, upon millions of lines that will probably never switch to a voip type service.
Still, they should lower their POTS rates... not raise them... time after time making the gulf between voip service charge & POTS service charge seem like a gas guzzling hummer & a 75-100mpg modified toyota prius. | |
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| | Wages have not kept pace with inflation Wages have not kept pace with inflation since 2000 I seriously doubt anyone will look for time slot besides the channel name when considering a new service. | |
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Reviews:
·Comcast
| Telcos May Have To (Gasp) Lower TV Prices Yeah right....... | |
|
 Frankis chillingPremium
join:2000-11-03
somewhere | I have access to telco fiber and cable. Where I live I have the choice between cablevision and verizon fios. I chose verizon fios because I wanted to try something new and because they had the better deal at the time. As soon as my contract expires I'm heading straight to their retention department and if they cant beat whatever deal cable has then i'm switching to cable. Once I've switched to cable and their deal is up, I'm doing the same thing and going back to telco fiber. It's win win for me.
This is the deal I got with verizon.
$200 gift card
Free showtime/encore/flix/TMC for almost a year
20/5 internet + cable tv + phone for $105 (they had a $95 package but i wanted faster internet)
What I hate about all these deals though is the fact that practically every triple play deal comes out to roughly $150 after you add in taxes, cable box fee, dvr box fee, and a premium or two but I did the math and find that it's the same everywhere.
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At first I thought everyone on the highway was drunk but then I realized I was driving in Florida  | |
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