Your Comcast/Xfinity bill....

[The Quadfather]

Boy, check this out.....
We are restructuring house around here, so I was making some calls to the various utilities, and also places like Comcast/Verizon, anything that gets your money every month.
We were paying $275.00 a month for a bundled package of TV, Internet, and land line. Good lord, I thought. I haven't turned the TV on in 10 years. I have to have my 12 y/o show me how to navigate my way through the HDMI etc. The way this stuff works now is that when you sign up for some kind of package, they give you the best "Package" at the time you call. This offering might be nice for 6 months,, and then it might blow up in your face and go to a "Non-special offer" and jump to an inflated price. Or a better offer might just be out there down the road and you don't know it.
So the point is, the Comcast dude did a "Contract Review" of my contract. He immediatly gave me the current flavor of the month savings package.
He gave me the SAME channels/phones/internet for $160.00 instead of $275.00 a month.
i highly suggest you call up Comcast and do a contract review. You might just be able to afford some new rods and reels this winter.

one other thing.... These places are notorious for if you call and say that you are pretty sure you want to cancel some service..... they immediatly come at you and want to drop your pricing way down for 3 months to keep you on board. What a joke.... but it's worth a try.

[Amx]

I did that Sat or Sun. Got more channels, HD and all, for $10.00 a month LESS. $129 now. Bundled with int. tv. and phone.

[Aaron]

I had all 3 services, 12Mb internet, phone, all HD DVR TV services for a few years.. it was about $200 a month. I haven't watched the TV in years since I "acquire" all of my shows online now in 720p w/o commercials... so I went to drop the DVR and TV package completely and it turns out that the basic cable service is only $1 more a month than NO cable service if you have another service with them, like internet or phone. I dropped the phone and switched that to Vonage to save a few bucks, and now my cable bill is $61.

[natetreat]

I only have internet from comcast. I had a 12 month deal, which just went out, so I guess I should probably give it a try. Even though my bill isn't very much. We don't use or watch TV, we have a Wii and netflix, and a highspeed internet connection that downloads our favorite show. Although we're always behind on our pop culture, TV shows and stuff, don't know about the recent films coming out because we never go to the theatre, it makes for an inexpensive upkeep with Netflix only 12$ a month or whatever.

[dicinu]

yeah i got my bill the other day I told my wife I am cutting it off she happily told me she will pay for it lol my bill is like yours 270.00 I will call them and tell them I am going to switch carriers that usually gets them motivated to give you a great deal.

[MotoBoat]

Pricing is absolutely nuts for that tri-fecta of services. Over a year ago I got fed up with a ongoing issue with non reliable DSL connection. About that time an offer in the mail from Verizon, peddling FIOS with phone for 59.99. Two year price guarantee. $150.00 gift card that is used like cash for anything, anywhere.

Not touting Fios, could take it or leave it. But with 25mb/15mb speed and phone, free installation, pricing guarantee, 150.00 gift card.....it works! Especially at the price. When installed, the C.O. comes from a box connected to the outside of your house. The central office is where your signal comes from when using DSL. The farther your location from the C.O. the weaker your signal gets, hence....slower speeds than what your paying for. There is a free line speed test available to you on the net. Forget who Verizon and comcast uses. But I was shocked at the low/slow speeds of my DSL!!. I had a low reading during one speed check for FIOS, customer service twisted the speed nob to HD tv speed 25/15. Free of charge, said enjoy your Fios, and have a nice day! Been peddle to the metal for about a year now. Fios installation is no quick install. Took 4-6 hours of wire running, C.O. installing, drilling, crawling in the crawl space. Does not feed through your phone line like DSL does. Again, not touting FIOS, just a bit of info. I added basic cable to that and see a bill of 79.00 every month for all 3 services. We all know what the taxes do the overall bill.

Next topic.............cell phone bill. Anyone happy with a 201,000 dollar bill caused from texting with roaming charges? Was on the news recently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Quadfather]

What is FIOS?

[SculpinKing]

FIOS is a fiber optic line run all the way to you house. It allows for very high speed internet, tons of channels, etc. It was only available in areas that were served by Verizon (and now Frontier) AFAIK. The internet is a little more expensive than Comcast, but can get very fast for those who need it fast.

I'm trying to imagine getting a $270 cable bill. My wife already complains about the $55 bill for internet. What exactly did/does $200+ get you? I've seen plenty of offers for $99 a month for Cable/Phone/Internet so my only guess is that you have every HBO/Showtime/NFL Network channel? How many fishing/hunting channels do you get? I did some work in a place with DirectTV last year and I was surprised how many fishing channels there were.

[Gringo Pescador]

Up until about two years ago my company paid for my home internet because I was oncall 24x7. Then they got wise to it and cut us off. I have Comcast Business class for internet for $60 and the basic cable just went up to $13 (from $12). AT&T for cellphone (2 cells, 2 different #s) for $76 and no landline (haven't had one in years).

I think the thing that gets people is all of the channel packages! I have never had anything more than basic cable, so don't know what I am misssing and therefor not missing it. John Stewart Show? Never seen it. Supranos - never watched an episiode. I stick to 4,5,7,8 & 13 - sometimes I feel a little out of the loop, but it's more $$ in MY pocket. If we want to watch a movie - netflicks or the library. I have even entertained the idea of cancelling the basic cable as most (if not all) of the network shows can be streamed online anyway. My problem is if I sit down in the evening to watch TV, I get hypnotised and the next thing I know it is the wee hours of the morning and I have to get up in a couple hours to go to work/fishing

[MotoBoat]

Up until about two years ago my company paid for my home internet because I was oncall 24x7. Then they got wise to it and cut us off. I have Comcast Business class for internet for $60 and the basic cable just went up to $13 (from $12). AT&T for cellphone (2 cells, 2 different #s) for $76 and no landline (haven't had one in years).

I think the thing that gets people is all of the channel packages! I have never had anything more than basic cable, so don't know what I am misssing and therefor not missing it. John Stewart Show? Never seen it. Supranos - never watched an episiode. I stick to 4,5,7,8 & 13 - sometimes I feel a little out of the loop, but it's more $$ in MY pocket. If we want to watch a movie - netflicks or the library. I have even entertained the idea of cancelling the basic cable as most (if not all) of the network shows can be streamed online anyway. My problem is if I sit down in the evening to watch TV, I get hypnotised and the next thing I know it is the wee hours of the morning and I have to get up in a couple hours to go to work/fishing

I pretty much feel the same way about basic cable. There is waaaaay less channel surfing going on with less channels and less t.v. watching in general. I get channels 99, 2,3,4,5,5.1, 5.2, 6, 7, 7.1,7.2, 8,9,9.1,9.2,10,11,11.1,12,13,13.1,13.2,15.4,19. Not including any gov, uw, or selling stuff channels. Which, do not count. Red box gets a couple visits a month. I am one of the few using pay as you go for cell service. I buy a block of 1000 minutes for 150.00 that lasts all year long. So 150.00 flat rate for cell service including all taxes and fees, what's that......12.50 a month with all fees. I don't text, twitter or access the internet. If I do not have it, am I missing it?. I can text, just don't. I know I am not doing the annoying, constant cell phone check for missed calls or constant receiving and sending of texts. To each there own. Calls can be annoying enough. I have a neighbor teen that has 10,000 text a month. Serously! How is that possible. Has happened more than just one month, more like several. We are good friends with the parents.

[The Quadfather]

Interesting to hear how you all are covering this thread, regarding what things you are all plugged into. Somebody asked, what sort of channels do we get for 275 bucks a month? (remember even though it was a crazy price... that included internet, and landline) But regarding the channels we get, hell I don't even know, like I said, the family watches it. I do know that the cable box goes from about channel 2 up into the 900's. sure there are a lot of spaces in between with no channels, but there also was HBO, Showtime, Starz? a butt load of music channels, etc. Like I said, we got the price trimmed down, now i just need to go through there and trim the channel package down to something simple.

[dicinu]

if we could just get the movie channels our house hold would be golden but we have to have the complete package to get the movie channels HBO Starz Skinamax ect... I only wath 635 once in a while and rarely any other channels I do not watch sports on the tube. mainly Hbo and showtime for movies and boxing. but I have the internet highest speed comcast offers I could get that reimbursed if I sent it in to my company I work for and the land line I did not know my number until i called my cell phone the other day and it has been the same number since I moved to Wa almost 2 years ago. I never answer it as I get the telemarketers calling 100 times a day... friggen Newpaper does not get it through their thick skulls i do not what it. even if it is for free.

[racfish]

I too pay outrageous ammounts to Comcast. My internet speed is like have a 56K modem again. I call and complain to no avail. Their customer service absolutely sucks. They pat their own backs and praise themselves on customer service but it stinks. Half the time there is no cable channels to watch because of errors. So you call for help . You have to say your name adress, mothers maiden name, your pets middle intial, whats your favorite drink and so on. If you slur even the slightest you need to start over again. Its them or Dish network which is the same. Unfortunately they have you by the Huevos and there are no other games in town. When you do find one Xfinity buys them out and youre back to square one again.

[Bodofish]

Sounds like you need to do a speed test then make them come out and fix it. It's probably between your house and the CO. Don't take no for and answer, you pay for the service. The key words are Frontier and Centurylink.

[Raft Man]

I had all 3 services, 12Mb internet, phone, all HD DVR TV services for a few years.. it was about $200 a month. I haven't watched the TV in years since I "acquire" all of my shows online now in 720p w/o commercials... so I went to drop the DVR and TV package completely and it turns out that the basic cable service is only $1 more a month than NO cable service if you have another service with them, like internet or phone. I dropped the phone and switched that to Vonage to save a few bucks, and now my cable bill is $61.

I did the same thing. Now I just use my boxee box and paired with being able to add to my DL queue from my phone it is a dream setup (for me)

[Kfedka]

If you get Comcast Internet & VOIP you get a multi service discount. Then replace Comcast video with Netflix at $9. After watching Netflix commercial free, then turning on my TV's local channels its get very annoying wasting all that time watching commercials.