jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I spent half an hour on the phone with Spectrum yesterday, trying to find out how much I'd save by dropping TV from my Phone/Internet/TV package. I was paying $130 a few months ago. Now I'm paying $162. The woman said she could switch me to Spectrum, and I'd pay $160 plus fees. I'm paying $130 plus fees now, so that move would have me up near $200 a month. The $162 I'm paying is a "discounted rate" that will soon go up again. As for Spectrum - remember how T-W became Spectrum? - I'm still on the T-W plan. So, apparently, T-W still exists as a ghost company.

After half an hour, she said that if I dropped the TV portion, I would pay $89.98 (for a year) plus fees. Adding Hulu for $40 plus fees, would not save me very much, and after a year, that $89.98 would probably be over $100.

Consumer Reports is trying to do something about those "fees," but the prices for cable are still too high and too variable. It's like buying a plane ticket. I bet no two people pay the same for cable or the same for a plane ticket. To make matters worse, cable has no real competition. I don't need five hundred channels, but that's what I'm paying for, and I have no choice.

Michael1079 Loc: Indiana

Went thru the same woes. Decided thst we didn't watch enough tv to warrant nearly 200 dollars a month. Dropped it all and just have internet now. Don't miss it at all...
Good luck!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

You are not alone.

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Jerry, just yesterday, the merger was rejected by New York State and Spectrum is being booted out of the state. It was all over the news.

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

I am considering dropping TV as well. It is bundled with internet services so don't know how that will play out. We dropped all the premium channels to save money but somehow it still keeps creeping up. Our phones stand alone and at last look our phones alone came to 85.00 a month for two- down from nearly 200.00 a month. We bought the phones outright so that dropped all the add ons from Sprint including insurance(s), taxes, fees, fees, and more fees. And we limited data to 4 G a month. Before we made the above changes we were getting close to 400.00 a month for phone, TV, Internet-Ridiculous !!

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Suntouched, have you checked out T-Mobil? My wife and I have senior unlimited plans and pay 60.00 a month for 2 phones. We don’t see any difference in coverage with our previous carrier Verizon. You might want to check them out and check their coverage area to see how strong their signal is in your area. The 60.00 per month for 2 phones includes all taxes as well. Good luck. Don’t know your age( you look pretty young to me). If you are 55 or older, the senior rate applies.

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

I dropped cable TV and don't miss it at all. There are times when I don't turn a TV on for days. I get good reception on local channels. About the only thing I watched was college football. The rest is junk, and I enjoy listening to the radio, especially talk shows. Switched to Xfinity for internet, $36/mo, works flawlessly, and most important I am happy.

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

We have an antenna so network TV is what we watch mostly. I used to feel like a country cousin because we couldn't get or afford any internet service that would let us stream or upload photos freely, plus 3G was the highest speed. Phone was a separate landline. Then last year our local electric company installed fiber optic cable in our rural area. Now we have an internet and phone package that costs $99 a month and are able to stream easily. Sprint cellphone is $73 a month. Netflix is the only extra we're paying for. The fiber optic internet is fast and reliable.

Chaostrain Loc: Hillsboro, Oregon

My wife and daughter have Xfinity cable for $39.99 a month and Hulu for $11.99 a month. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have any of it. I quit watching TV many years ago and don't miss it at all. I wasn't even a big fan of it even when I did watch it.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

We live in the digital age now, and to many, that means an addiction to it. I remember when cable TV alone, was a monthly fee of about $50. Later, they enticed you with the so called Bundle membership, phone, TV, and computer, to save you money. Many got HBO, Showtime, etc, which was extra in cost. I didn't really need all those extras, for extra money. I don't watch all the channels I already have. I don't think much can really be done about it, in the same way that Electric Utility Companies can file to raise their fees. With approvals.

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

Stopped watching the s___ on TV in 1984. Do not miss it. Not a prude, but I think a good bit on TV approaches porn, "no redeeming moral or social value". Wonder how many $$$ I have saved?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Fantastic!

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

My Consumer Cellular phone bill is $30/month(ZTE smartphone cost $80.00), My internet is $43/month, and I am shopping around to see if I can get it cheaper. No TV.... Netflix takes care of my yearnings there.

Graveman Loc: Indiana

No more than I watched TV I couldn't justify paying for more than 5 or 6 channels so I just dropped it. That was about 30 years ago and I haven't missed it at all.