NYers: tell me about your cable/phone/internet situation

R

Regan

New Member
#1
#1
Hi Fellow New Yorkers,
My roommate is moving out and we had a landline, internet connection through landline, and a cable package with all the HBOs, etc. As you can imagine, it was pretty pricey. I think I want to downgrade from all that now that she's moving, but I'm not sure to what yet. I've looked at the packages offered on Time Warner, but I'm still not sure what to go with.

I'd love to hear about your current cable/internet/landline situations and (if it's not intruding too much) what you pay for them. This is how I make decisions-gathering data and comparing it.

Barrage me with this semi-personal information. Thank you.
 
TerryJ

TerryJ

totoro
#2
#2
Regan said:
Hi Fellow New Yorkers,
My roommate is moving out and we had a landline, internet connection through landline, and a cable package with all the HBOs, etc. As you can imagine, it was pretty pricey. I think I want to downgrade from all that now that she's moving, but I'm not sure to what yet. I've looked at the packages offered on Time Warner, but I'm still not sure what to go with.

I'd love to hear about your current cable/internet/landline situations and (if it's not intruding too much) what you pay for them. This is how I make decisions-gathering data and comparing it.

Barrage me with this semi-personal information. Thank you.
Click to expand...
I'd look into those TimeWarner "triple play" packages (Internet, phone, cable). I think they start at $90 a month or so. I think that might be the most cost effective thing if you still want all three things. The phone service would be through the internet connection, so it wouldn't be exactly the same as an old landline, but it would tons cheaper. (And generally work the same.)

-Terry
 
Ross Bergman

Ross Bergman

Steven Slate Rules
#3
#3
It's interesting that this topic comes up, because I'll be spending the summer at Terry's alma mater where my cable company will be Time Warner. (Terry, they still only charge $500 a month to live at Hudson Heights... including all utilities, so that's where I'll be. The apartment's bigger than my current one and it's right next door to Rogan's Pizza.)

All of the Triple Play horseshit is a bait and switch game. After a year, they automatically bill you at the inflated rates. And, by then, they'll raise those rates yet again. (Also, in 2009, all analog TV antenna signals become illegal.) I get along just fine using my cell phone as my only phone. Verizon charges a very fair $35 per month for their wireless service and I've seldom gone over on my minutes. So I'm skipping Time Warner's phone all together. Here's what I recommend: Try signing up for just their basic service plus internet. That's what I'm currently doing with Cablevision. Even though I'm only supposed to be getting channels 2-13, I get up to channel 56 before it starts to get fuzzy.

When I lived in Ohio, it was awesome. They only charged $20 a month for all of the channels (except HBO, etc.).
 
M

MotorDolly

FireKeepsTheWaterClean
#4
#4
Ross Bergman said:
Here's what I recommend: Try signing up for just their basic service plus internet. That's what I'm currently doing with Cablevision. Even though I'm only supposed to be getting channels 2-13, I get up to channel 56 before it starts to get fuzzy.
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this seems tragic. ross, please stop paying for strangers' improv classes, keep your money and get yourself proper cable. remember, charity begins at home...
 
R

Regan

New Member
#6
#6
Ithaca in the summer is lovely.

Let me rephrase my question slightly; does anybody know what's the least I can pay and still get the Sci Fi Channel and internet? Yeah, I know I can always just watch Battlestar Galactica on-line, but I don't wanna.
 
D

d_chadwick

Damian
#7
#7
I lived in several Brooklyn apartments which had "bootleg cable" -- there was a cable installed, but not activated, but plugging it into the TV yielded a variety of basic cable channels (plus scrambled porn). I asked the Neilsen ratings tech about this and he said sometimes the cable people just don't shut off the signal, and even though you don't have a box, your TV can pick up some of the stations.
 
TerryJ

TerryJ

totoro
#8
#8
Regan said:
Ithaca in the summer is lovely.

Let me rephrase my question slightly; does anybody know what's the least I can pay and still get the Sci Fi Channel and internet? Yeah, I know I can always just watch Battlestar Galactica on-line, but I don't wanna.
Click to expand...
SciFi is on their basic tier, so if you just get the cheapest cable, you should get it. That's $57 a month (with the cable box.)

There is a slow speed TW Road Runner broadband internet that is cheaper than the "normal" speed. $30 a month for 1.5 Mbps down/256 kbps up. (The "normal" is 10 Mbps down/512 kbps up... and is $45 a month.)

I have Vonage for phone service (similar to Time Warner's digital phone) for $20 a month (after all the taxes/fees.) Obviously you can just use your cell phone as your home phone, too.

Ithaca is gorges™.

-Terry
 
MichelleD

MichelleD

i declare shenanigans
#9
#9
Sorry for jumping in and hijacking slightly, but does anyone have any experience with 'self install?' I got a package from TWC (I think it's 99 a month with phone, internet, cable) and promised to pick up the stuff and 'self install.' I am a bit terrified.
 
TerryJ

TerryJ

totoro
#10
#10
MichelleD said:
Sorry for jumping in and hijacking slightly, but does anyone have any experience with 'self install?' I got a package from TWC (I think it's 99 a month with phone, internet, cable) and promised to pick up the stuff and 'self install.' I am a bit terrified.
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I've upgraded my cable box and put in my own cable modem. As long as the cable itself is where you want it, it should be easy. You may have to call in to get things activated, however. They sometimes need to push something to the cable box to get it going... and might need the MAC address of the cable modem to get that going. (Although I assume they have streamlined that process for a "self install".)

-Terry
 
MichelleD

MichelleD

i declare shenanigans
#12
#12
I am still afraid that I will end up with a phone on my shoulder, three screwdrivers and a days' worth of frustration. Yet, I must try!
 
Ross Bergman

Ross Bergman

Steven Slate Rules
#13
#13
MotorDolly said:
this seems tragic. ross, please stop paying for strangers' improv classes, keep your money and get yourself proper cable. remember, charity begins at home...
Click to expand...
The charity stuff doesn't affect my ability to pay for cable. Anything TV and internet related is a deductible business expense for me anyway. I'm a stubborn little man who stands on principle. When the cable companies started intentionally dividing up the tiers so that you were forced to get a zillion channels that you didn't want... in order to get one or two channels you did want... that's when I turned into Super Jew. Also, since I'm always working, I don't have much time for TV anyway.
 
timmybono

timmybono

ORANGEMIME
#14
#14
i want SNY cause i would like to watch the 5 met games per month i may be home for, but it seems the only way to get that channel is by subscribing to the "basic" package, which costs about 55 bucks a month...and that only entitles you to about 50 something channels. i heard or saw maybe in the AM NY paper that Verizon may soon be having a cable service in manhattan which would hopefully increase the competition and make someone go cheaper. like you ross i am rarely home and all i want is one channel. maybe we can split the cost and just move in together...or get a really long cable line and splitter. bunch of bullshit if you ask me
 
shrivelednoodle

shrivelednoodle

It's about poor Uncle Joe
#15
#15
3play back and forth

Do Time Warner (TW) triple play for 1year. Switch to Verizon (VZ) Fios triple play for 1yr. then back to TW then bak to VZ. They'll almost always offer you better deal if you coming from competition or threaten to move to competition.

Unless you're glued to your Cell like most people these days, I'd opt for a 1year Tracfone ( http://www.tracfone.com ) basic sh-t fone. Cost you very little for 12 months if you use it for important calls only.

What was the question again?
 
Ross Bergman

Ross Bergman

Steven Slate Rules
#16
#16
shrivelednoodle said:
Do Time Warner (TW) triple play for 1year. Switch to Verizon (VZ) Fios triple play for 1yr. then back to TW then bak to VZ. They'll almost always offer you better deal if you coming from competition or threaten to move to competition.
Click to expand...
I just tried that. Verizon got hip to it and will now only let you keep your previous number if it's coming from a land line.
 
Ross Bergman

Ross Bergman

Steven Slate Rules
#18
#18
shrivelednoodle said:
Not an issue if you don't mind getting a new number each year. How many of us give our numbers to people and end up regretting it?
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Technically speaking, one could convert to a land line... and then convert that to Verizon... then convert back to a land line... then convert to Time Warner. But that probably costs just as much.
 
shrivelednoodle

shrivelednoodle

It's about poor Uncle Joe
#19
#19
Ross Bergman said:
Technically speaking, one could convert to a land line... and then convert that to Verizon... then convert back to a land line... then convert to Time Warner. But that probably costs just as much.
Click to expand...
Well I just give up then. You win, Ross. :jump:

Technically, a spool of string, knot tying skills, and a large package of 16oz red Solo cups would be cheaper. They have to be red to indicated importance but if you're not important then blue would work almost as well.

Being within earshot with those you'd need to contact or have contact you is surely the best bet.
 
Ross Bergman

Ross Bergman

Steven Slate Rules
#20
#20
Great news for new Time Warner customers!

Between the package deals and the current promotions, here's what the customer service lady just gave me for my swinging Midlife Crisis Pad:

1. Showtime... free for 12 months
2. Road Runner... discounted for the first 12 months
3. Turbo (to boost internet speed)... free for the first 6 months
4. All (non pay) channels... discounted for the first 12 months

Total Cost: $68.37 per month

After 6 months, it goes up by $9.95 because that's when the Turbo promotion ends, but it's still a great deal. (Plus, unlike my current sucky Cablevision lineup, they actually have BBC America.) When I had a similar package deal here in Jersey, I was paying at least $160 per month... and that didn't even include half these channels.

(I actually shouldn't be subscribing to cable at all because I'm trying to re-live my summer experience from a quarter century ago in the exact same apartment, but I need to watch these shows for my job as a comedy writer/political satirist.)

Keep in mind, this is only for NEW Time Warner customers, not just for people moving. So I don't think you could get this deal if you ever had an account with them before.
 
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