Comcast "Internet service" is actually pretty decent in my area, and also the best game in town as the only other thing available is DSL. Very few outages, I can only remember 1 or 2 in the last few years other than electricity outages. I am getting a steady 75-90Mbps down, and about 5 Up. The speed should increase to 150 down after my downsizing kicks in next month. They have not enforced a bandwidth cap in the last 5 years in my area, no nastygrams whatsoever, and I consume around 1Tb a month, give or take. Although I have seen what they are doing in some test markets, and I think bandwidth metering is in all of our futures. $XX for the first Tb and then $10 per 50Gb over that. They will meter it just like electricity, because they are painfully aware that they cant compete with internet streaming. And I am good with that... I will pay for ONLY what I want.
My current $129.95 "Triple Play" plan works out to a bottom line bill of $188 a month after all of their add-ons, most of which are a type of fleecing that "should" be considered "false advertising". This includes 75Mb internet, telephone, basic HD channels, and HBO.
My new plan is for 150Mb Internet (only) at $83 a month. I subscribed to HBO-Now for $15 (yes I know I could get it for free on Kodi, but I value the content so I am willing to pay for it), and telephone with validated E911 for $5 a month.
Comcast customer (non)service absolutely sucks. I have war stories about them that could go on for hours. You are forced into packages full of useless content you could care less about, just to get the 2-3 things you actually do want. Their pricing strategies borderline on false advertising (we will sell you a HD package for $XXX
BUT we add on an extra "HD Technology fee" of $10 above the price of the package if you actually want to view it in HD etc.. etc.. etc..). The biggest thing I hate though is that every single year you have to call and haggle for a "promotion" or you get reamed on the charges. I am just so damn tired of the annual haggling...........
The problem is that in most markets they are a monopoly and could get away with it (not just Comcast, TWC is just as bad). Nowadays, streaming from HBO, Netflix, etc is a viable option, and "On Demand" eliminates the need for a DVR. I will
buy Internet bandwidth, and subscribe to the things I actually want. I no longer need to haggle!
$188 X 12 = $2,256
($83 + $15 + $5) X 12 = $1,236
Savings of $1,020 a year ($1k less in Comcast's pocket) and I am still getting all of the content I truly want.
