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Want REAL alternative to cable

P

puma1552

Suspended
Original poster
Nov 20, 2008
5,559
1,948
So I'm stuck with Century Link here in my apartment since that's who the building is wired for, and quite frankly - I hate them. Everything about them.

I have my internet through Century link and that is bundled with DirecTV (I pay Century Link for both on the same bill).

I'm now paying $115 a month for CRAPPY 7 Mbps internet (second crappiest they have) and the crappiest TV package DirecTV offers. What a complete joke. Oh, and I'm halfway through a 2 year contract. Yuck.

I'm going to call them today and see what they can do because this is a rip off and they are throttling my internet too which is bogus.

If I can't work a resolution to get better service for less, what are my options?

*I need to keep internet service through them though*

I'm thinking these are a few of many:

1) Keep internet, get faster internet (maybe 20 megs?), dump the DirecTV altogether and pay the fee (not sure if I can drop half of the services in my contract though, might have to drop the whole shebang and start new). Get a rabbit ears antennae to get free TV channels.

2) Same as above, but add Hulu subscription?

3) Keep same internet, dump DirecTV, get Hulu and/or rabbit ears but probably get throttled (hell they'll probably throttle me on 50 meg internet)

I really don't care about TV to be honest but it would be nice to have. A few shows are good to watch and CNN is nice, but not necessary. I think Century Link is going to really ream me if I want just plain old internet without all that bundle garbage, when I signed up my god did they push home phone like it was 1984.

I don't know…I just need internet, and am looking for TV options/alternatives? I have an Apple TV but not sure what the best non-cable alternative is. The cable TV business model needs to die a rotten death.
 
#1

If everything except CNN you watch is available with an antenna, drop DirecTV and forget Hulu. You can just watch free network news or read.

I would definitely spend the savings on faster internet. 7 mbps sucks.
 
Well I talked to Century Link and they dropped $15 of the $25 increase for the next year. Not 100% happy, but I guess that will work for now…I've fought with them so much in my experience (took FIVE months to get the bill right when I started and CL and DirecTV kept pointing the finger at each other and telling me something different every time I called) that today I just didn't have the fight in me.

I suppose I'll stick this out, then next year at this time my contract will be up and I won't have to pay the ridiculous $240 it would cost today to break my contract, at which point I will drop the TV and get better internet, and hopefully come in closer to $50 a month.

Thanks guys.
 
Condolences, puma1552. I feel your pain. CL is the only provider in my area. Have to pay them about $80 a month for a landline and crappy DSL. My satellite TV is not bundled through CenturyLink. Cheaper not to.

Horrid service and horrible techs. That's what happens when there's no competition. :(
 
puma1552 said:
Well I talked to Century Link and they dropped $15 of the $25 increase for the next year. Not 100% happy, but I guess that will work for now…I've fought with them so much in my experience (took FIVE months to get the bill right when I started and CL and DirecTV kept pointing the finger at each other and telling me something different every time I called) that today I just didn't have the fight in me.

I suppose I'll stick this out, then next year at this time my contract will be up and I won't have to pay the ridiculous $240 it would cost today to break my contract, at which point I will drop the TV and get better internet, and hopefully come in closer to $50 a month.

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Get yourself an AppleTV or a Roku 3, subscribe to Netflix and Hulu+. I don't have any TV service and it's been nice so far
 
dagmaar75 said:
Get yourself an AppleTV or a Roku 3, subscribe to Netflix and Hulu+. I don't have any TV service and it's been nice so far
Click to expand...

We have two Apple TVs and Netflix. We pay approx. $70 after taxes, per month to Time Warner for 50mbps down and 5mbps up speed. Haven't had cable in over a year and we're happy. :)
 
I pay $220 a month for cable, 2 premiums ($20), internet ($40), security ($20) system, and phone ($15). That's about $125 a month for channels, which is an expanded plan. There must be a less expensive alternative.
 
if you live in a private home then get direct TV or dish network and go back and forth between satellite and cable using the new customer discounts
 
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