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Zero TV becoming a problem, people can no longer afford $100 a month bills


Ray Collins

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I guess I am skewed by knowing a lot of people with non-traditional schedules, but I know a lot of zero-tv people. My sister flat out doesn't have a TV, but will watch Netflix on a laptop or iPad. I know a LOT of other people that opt for a TV connected to a box for just Netflix and Hulu+ (which is what, $20/month?) but gave up traditional cable TV. 

It's amazing the networks are not getting ahead of this. I realize they have deals with cable companies that often limit what they can provide online to people without cable TV service, but that end is coming. I can't tell you how many people I know that said they would love to just subscribe to HBO Go, but don't have Cable TV. That would be cash directly in HBOs pocket bypassing the cable companies. 

The kicker is that you still need a fast internet connection (usually provided by cable providers), and if your house watches a lot of HD content over the web, you will hit bandwidth limits. 

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"The kicker is that you still need a fast internet connection (usually provided by cable providers)"

This is true, I would love to ditch cable in favor of an all streaming approach but it's also frustrating to be watching something over Netflix and then have the image quality suddenly take a dive or to stop completely and wait to rebuffer.

It will be interesting to see how the cable companies shift their pricing plans since they often control both services (tv and internet). I expect soon more people will be thinking "shove your 500 channels give me faster internet for less". That's what I'm constantly thinking anyway!

Also, cable tv is just an outdated, clunky product in today's world of user friendly touch screen apps. For example, why in the hell can't I easily wipe out the SD duplicate channels in the lineup? Why is the user interface so slow! I hate cable tv.. can you tell? As soon as espn and the other sports networks make a move to live over IP I think it will be all over.

Looks like Intel is making some moves into live IPTV. Will be interesting to watch over the coming years.

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There is a thinking that Comcast bought NBC because they know that content is the future. They could one day lose their position as providing THE regional high speed internet connections if everything goes wireless (also fear of FIOS), and you get something like a MiFi in your house (wireless internet box). It was eye opening when I realized my LTE iPad was faster than my hardwired home internet connection through Comcast. When the network is more robust, Verizon, AT&T, T-Bomile could follow Sprint with their Clear product and try to get into the home internet business.

Comcast is also providing a virtual cable box app for Xbox etc, and have another collection of On Demand available that way. I'm not sure they 100% know what they are doing, but they are trying to cover their bases. 

On the crappier side, they also lead the legal fight against Philadelphia's free for everyone city-wide internet and spent years trying to keep FIOS out of their territories. Good to know they can't fight off competition by making a better product and/or offer a better price, so they use politicians to hold off everyone that threatens them. 

 

Needless to say it's interesting that this is happening at the same time that Netflix is already producing some quality original content with a few other new players getting into the game too. 

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Yes I think Comcast will soon need to double or triple their cable internet speeds, up and down, if they want to stay competitive with the new 4g systems that people are getting used to. My phone on Sprint 4g lte is definitely faster than my Comcast service, certainly the upload speed is about double.

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Cable providers in the US are screwing themselves. They feel free to charge absurd amounts for lousy service and unwanted channels. I'd love to be able to drop, and stop paying for, all the sports channels that my cable company forces me to get.

 

It's down to the US system of cable monopolies. Why is it that someone I know in Paris can get 100+ channels, high speed internet plus telephone service that includes free calling to 32 countries, for a little over $40 per month? Competition.

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"frustrating to be watching something over Netflix and then have the image quality suddenly take a dive"

 

There's some kind of magic in my tiny ROKU box that performs flawlessly though my computer often has the problem you mention. The ROKU system will remember where you left off in a movie or other program. There are radio channels that allow you to pause the feed. Unique, highly targeted channels not in the ROKU "store". For many reasons..really am a ROKU convert. I only pay for Netflix.

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Yes I think Comcast will soon need to double or triple their cable internet speeds, up and down, if they want to stay competitive with the new 4g systems that people are getting used to. My phone on Sprint 4g lte is definitely faster than my Comcast service, certainly the upload speed is about double.

I just called Comcast for the semi annual try to lower the bill and they offered, for the same monthly price, take us from 20mb to 50 down (forget what it is up) and throw in a landline that nobody wants in 2013. The downside is that we rarely can get 20 down now because of bad wires or something, so whatever. I didn't think to ask if the monthly cap is increased. They didn't mention that.

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No TV here for years. Just netflix TV dramas or go to the sports bar to watch a live game.

 

I've had cable TV for one year of my life when I lived in Vegas.  And that was only because Cable was included in the rent.  I'm lucky to have free internet because my roommate works IT and his company pays for it :D, but the speeds are more than enough to have top quality Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime, and that's enough to keep you planted in front of the TV for 100 years.

 

We have a pair of bunny ears to pick up some channels (pretty easy living in Brooklyn) but I think I've watched it for a total of 3-4 hours in 3 months, and most of that was the Super Bowl.

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This is why the FCC wants the TV stations to give up their transmitters and just push it down a fiber wire where it will be broadcasted by one of the moble phone or cable companies back to you where then you can chose what you want to watch. Meanwhile the sound mixers can't get a wireless mic to work to save their lives and are down to hard wires and booms. Anybody seen the anounces all hard wired now? 

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Zero TV here for more than two years now.

Roku rocks. And with a Boxee using a VPN ip spoofing I can watch BBC UK as well.

We buy shows on Amazon streaming. Amazon prime is a yearly subscription.

And when I add up the costs of Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and she's we buy. It's still only about a month of cable.

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