1 in 8 say they will cut back on cable bills -- but probably won't
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted May 1st 2010 4:07PM
posted May 1st 2010 4:07PM
You remember that story about the boy who cried wolf, right? Well the claim that people are going to cut the cord is starting to get like just it. Year after year we read the results of surveys that say people are going to cut the cord, like this one from the Yankee Group, but then when the official numbers come in we learn that earnings from cable and satellite subscriptions are at an all time high. Sure this could be the year things change, the year when price increases prove too much when there are so many other options. Sure, anything could happen, but honestly we just don't see it. Not only will people say just about anything in a survey, but without the questions posed to respondents, it is really impossible to know how realistic these results are.
I cut the cord! Go Hulu!
@smatt16L
not a big fan of hulu, but it's ok. I use netflix (mostly instant via ps3) and have a server running freenas, and an ota antenna for football etc.
Looks like all our streaming is getting
us kicked off of comcast, Which is fine by me, I'll switch to rcn w no bandwidth cap. We use 652gb/mo!
I already have . I made the cut last year. I ust use internet and netflix,. if hulu goes subscription , ill pay for it, since they wil have more content. hulu plus netflix and ill upgrade my cable internet connection to a higher speed plan. i also use ooma voip service which only cost was equipment of which i cought on a sale for 100 at a local store last year (reg price is like 200 or so) and the service is free.
so if hulu goes sub, my total monthly bill is like ust under $80 a month after tax..
my former cable bill with internet basic digital plan and cables phone service. was around $140+ a month after taxes. so thats a major price cut for me. right now though Im on a lower internet plan though, so my total is like $40 a month. just want to upgrade to multiple devices can run everything in hd fine with no connection issues, that and faster net for gaming and downloads.
only thing i do miss is live content for sports and stuff, but im sure more and more will make it to the web, and i can go to the neighborhood sports bar down the street from me for that stuff and eat and watch with friends on a projector anyways.
@gamedude360
most things i can just streamed many newer movies ill rent from netflix even with a 28 day window no big deal.
gaming i sub to blockbuster. it cost a little more than gamefly, but much better option for me, one quick turn around i can just walk or drive to blockbuster which is by my house and get a game even on same day. gamefly always had a slow turn around for me.
also another movie option is my local library which is down the street from my house. and thats a free option
What's the percentage of those that say they will, and do!?
I just trimmed back my services due to a "fee" increase by the provider. I dropped all the premium channels, that are not so "premium" anymore. But I let them know that I was dropping them and why. They were not happy. So who knows small actions may impact the whole. I doubt it though.
I have a Vudu, Netflix, the Roxio thing and am highly networked so anything is possible on that frontier. Vudu, although just purchased by WalMart, looks to be pretty incredible in the quality levels that they have available. We have mainly streamed internally, but anything is probable.
Everyone I know dumped the movie packages since for the $35 or so a month you can easily get Netflix for cheaper.
@brennok
No doubt, premium channels are a total rip. It does annoy me when HBO doesn't release its TV shows on Blu-ray in a timely fashion though.
I haven't had cable or a tv since 2003 and doubt I'll ever jump back on that wagon. Today's vod options make such a choice even easier to make.
My choice was easy because I work in IT and prefer to unplug at days end. I also got into the habit of recording over unwatched shows and often found channels I like being dropped from the basic package. I got particularly pissed when MSNBC replaced CNN.
I wasn't really missing the shows I wasn't getting around to watching, so I dropped cable and got rid of the bulky tv.
I cut the cord and lasted about a year with netflix and ota HD. I recently signed up for limited basic cable service for 14 a month (local HD only.) I would have been happy with ota but the skipping from the poor signals made me go slowly insane. So although I dislike paying for something that is actually free... I'm paying for my sanity.
@Nbarsley I forgot to mention that initially dropping comcast made me realize that I really didn't need any "cable" channels. I'm looking at you tlc/food/comedy/discovery/etc besides of the few shows that I do watch from those networks I can usually go to the networks site to watch them legally and free.
I also dumped my premium channels, saving me $75 a month (included taxes). If it were not for my children wanting to watch some cable channels, I would downgrade my service down to basic. Time Warner cable chafes extra for their recordable cable boxes. They charge a fee for regular boxes (per month), and then charge an extra fee for the dvr.
I haven't had cable in 20 years. When the gal moved in, I though that was going to change, but then I discovered PlayOn/Hulu (and eventually Netflix streaming). She's happy and I dodged the big bad cable (or satellite) companies.
Already cut my cable! Goodbye 80.00 a month! Just use OTA and internet now for my watching purposes. My OTA looks better than my cable. Hated TW and their horrible service! They are such a rip especially since they raise prices for no reason...except the reasons they make up.
I get over 40 channels with my OTA, who needs cable. My DVR may not have all the bells and whistles as a TIVO box or the supplied box by Timer Warner but who cares. I still record all my favorite shows in high def and watch whenever I want.
Looking forward to the boxee box though!
Cable is my ISP, so I can't get rid of Comcast entirely. I have dropped to lowest basic plan. Clear-QAM broadcast channels are better than I can get OTA. With Netflix and Windows Media Center dvr, I don't miss the cable box.
I encourage everyone to drop the premium content so cable companies focus on providing bits.
Yankee Group's next report will show how Hulu users are signing up for cable in record numbers because they realize that putting up with SD, horrible Flash performance, stereo soundtracks and limited back catalog really is worth the current asking price of Hulu at $0.
Dropping DirecTV saved us $105 a month. Since SyFy's lineup BITES and Speed became the all NAPCAR & Hardly Movin' Noisy Cycle channel, there was no reason to stay...AT ALL.
$1,260 a year buys an awful lot of OTA HD, Netflix Streaming and XBox Live VOD.