Increased Fees for Cable TV

[Garydh]

Some of the cable companies have a monopoly in certain areas, such as down town Portland OR, where in certain highrises you can't subscibe to dish as they will not allow you to put a dish on your building.
Therefore you are limited. Which means also the cable companies can increase fees (albeit) across the board, but some people would have the option of going with a differnet cable network or to a dish in there way of protesting.

Those that cannot can just close there accounts, many times eliminating there internet access, such as my case.

But, in these economic times, I know the CEO's get increased pay, bonuses etc etc. I think more and more people should start occupying the cable networks etc and send a message like they did to the banks for fee increases.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I am just tired of us little people getting ripped off.

[oldbuddy]

Some of the cable companies have a monopoly in certain areas, such as down town Portland OR, where in certain highrises you can't subscibe to dish as they will not allow you to put a dish on your building.
Therefore you are limited. Which means also the cable companies can increase fees (albeit) across the board, but some people would have the option of going with a differnet cable network or to a dish in there way of protesting.

Those that cannot can just close there accounts, many times eliminating there internet access, such as my case.

But, in these economic times, I know the CEO's get increased pay, bonuses etc etc. I think more and more people should start occupying the cable networks etc and send a message like they did to the banks for fee increases.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I am just tired of us little people getting ripped off.

My kids are getting the Internet and hooking the TV up to it so they can use Hulu and such sites to eliminate cable.

[Snoozey]

Cable is currently included in my cost of rent, however if I had to pay for it myself I would definitely not have the service.  I subscribe to Netflix and have a Netflix enabled BluRay player. Who needs cable? 

[bessie1111]

I'm a big news junkie and enjoy the cable news.  My kids are into a lot of the special cable shows like cake boss and hgtv and say yes to the dress, etc...  I don't think Internet tv would work for me yet due to our ineterests.

[lvstephanie]

I'm a big news junkie and enjoy the cable news.  My kids are into a lot of the special cable shows like cake boss and hgtv and say yes to the dress, etc...  I don't think Internet tv would work for me yet due to our ineterests.

The news would be fairly difficult, but as for the other shows, a lot of networks air previous episodes of the current season on-line. Sometimes if I miss an episode for a series I'm currently watching, I'll just go to, say Food Network's web-site and watch that episode on-line.

As for the apartment not allowing satellite dishes, you may want to bring the issue up with the homeowners association (or whoever runs the complex)... Some of those dish rules went into effect when the dishes were 4 feet in diameter and took up half the balcony. But now the TV dishes can be clamped onto the balcony railing and are small enough not to obstruct the view too much, nor to make it look too tacky. The only real issue then is if the dish can face the satellite to get a good signal...

Also, cellular companies are starting to get into the TV arena. They use cellular signal to relay data to some receiver that can get plugged into a TV. This is only a real option in areas that have good, high-speed cellular signals, but since you are talking about a major city, there shouldn't be a real problem with that.

[bessie1111]

I'm a big news junkie and enjoy the cable news.  My kids are into a lot of the special cable shows like cake boss and hgtv and say yes to the dress, etc...  I don't think Internet tv would work for me yet due to our ineterests.

The news would be fairly difficult, but as for the other shows, a lot of networks air previous episodes of the current season on-line. Sometimes if I miss an episode for a series I'm currently watching, I'll just go to, say Food Network's web-site and watch that episode on-line.

That's good to know about my kids' shows...but don't think I can give up the cable news yet.  Perhaps over time internet news will become as desirable as the cable news.  By that time though....internet access will probably cost as much as cable.  Argh!!!

[Gerianne]

There are all kinds of options. The consumer has to do research. There are offers for TV on the computer,some monthly fees; I found one with a one time fee.

[Garydh]

Some of the cable companies have a monopoly in certain areas, such as down town Portland OR, where in certain highrises you can't subscibe to dish as they will not allow you to put a dish on your building.
Therefore you are limited. Which means also the cable companies can increase fees (albeit) across the board, but some people would have the option of going with a differnet cable network or to a dish in there way of protesting.

Those that cannot can just close there accounts, many times eliminating there internet access, such as my case.

But, in these economic times, I know the CEO's get increased pay, bonuses etc etc. I think more and more people should start occupying the cable networks etc and send a message like they did to the banks for fee increases.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I am just tired of us little people getting ripped off.

My kids are getting the Internet and hooking the TV up to it so they can use Hulu and such sites to eliminate cable.

That sounds great, do I need some kind of special device to hook up from my computer that is connected to the internet to my TV?

[oldbuddy]

Some of the cable companies have a monopoly in certain areas, such as down town Portland OR, where in certain highrises you can't subscibe to dish as they will not allow you to put a dish on your building.
Therefore you are limited. Which means also the cable companies can increase fees (albeit) across the board, but some people would have the option of going with a differnet cable network or to a dish in there way of protesting.

Those that cannot can just close there accounts, many times eliminating there internet access, such as my case.

But, in these economic times, I know the CEO's get increased pay, bonuses etc etc. I think more and more people should start occupying the cable networks etc and send a message like they did to the banks for fee increases.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I am just tired of us little people getting ripped off.

My kids are getting the Internet and hooking the TV up to it so they can use Hulu and such sites to eliminate cable.

That sounds great, do I need some kind of special device to hook up from my computer that is connected to the internet to my TV?

That depends on your TV and Computer, mine has a video. audio jack on each end so it's plug and play.

[cloudsoup]

speaking of the TV/computer hookup, it's a great idea!
i would recommend it to anyone who downloads shows
or movies. we only had to buy one cord for it that connects
both devices, which was about $25 on amazon 

[koolcraftlady]

I live in a small rural community, that has one company that provides cable, landline phone, and internet services.  The only other option I would have is to install a satelite dish (which may landlord will not approve).  I wish that when you subscribe to cable tv you could just pick the channels you want and pay for those.  I have standard cable which has 85 channels.  Of those I probably only watch maybe 15-20 on a regular basis.  It just doesn't make any sense that I have to pay for something I am not using.  Oh well, it is their way of making money from the little people.  Seems to be the American way anymore.

[bessie1111]

I live in a small rural community, that has one company that provides cable, landline phone, and internet services.  The only other option I would have is to install a satelite dish (which may landlord will not approve).  I wish that when you subscribe to cable tv you could just pick the channels you want and pay for those.  I have standard cable which has 85 channels.  Of those I probably only watch maybe 15-20 on a regular basis.  It just doesn't make any sense that I have to pay for something I am not using.  Oh well, it is their way of making money from the little people.  Seems to be the American way anymore.

I totally agree.  I definitely wish I could only pay for the channels we watch instead of all the extra baloney we never turn on.

[girlswin2]

Thats why we cut off our cable and home phone was getting out ragious with costs. We kept our internet line and got rid of landline.  We went to using MagicJack works great.  $20.00 a year .   Got rid of our cable got over air for local news.  We have Netflix for $17.10 a month could be less if you stream only but we stream and get 1 DVD in mail at a time we usually get 2 a weak.  Saving lots on money now just doing this.  We also you portable air coolers that runs on water and Ice and only burns 60 watts usage  keeps ya cool and comfy.   

[ghunter]

Cable is high enough as it is.  Can you beleive that you cannot watch regular TV without being hook up to something.  What can we as a people do?  HELP!!!

[bowrunner]

I was going to stop my landline except for the computer hookup but the cost was as much as keeping the phone once I dropped all of the extras like call-waiting.