More And More Consumers Skipping TV, Going Broadband Only

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When will cable companies wake up and smell the coffee? Numbers like these have got to have them spooked.

The number of consumers that are skipping cable TV and only ordering broadband services from their ISP is accelerating, according to a new study by Marchex. In a survey of 500 customers of large ISPs, the company found that 27% are now ordering just broadband from their provider, while just 22% now order just television services. Sports -- specifically and especially ESPN -- continues to be the biggest thing keeping consumers from cutting the cord.
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Cut off cable TV a couple months ago, don't miss it. I don't watch any sports though, so that made it easier I think.
 
I either watch Netflix or Amazon Prime. Basic cable is all I have. No premium channels. Maybe, if I could sit at home all day long and watch TV, maybe I'll go back to premium channels, but that's not happening soon.
 
Since getting a bigger 4k TV... I have started to pirate all my shows since the Dish picture quality sucks...

They really should have some sort of standard other then "pixels" to qualify HD or not. While I think Netflix HD is better then Dish HD... There still should be some sort of standard for quality (bitrate?)...
 
I'm getting rid of my cable subscription as soon as the alternative FTTH company that's building out into my building finishes their install. I'm hoping less than a month. I only still have it because it's cheaper to buy cable (technically IPTV) + Internet than Internet alone, which is infuriating. I'm going to save nearly $100/month.
 
Quix said:
I'm getting rid of my cable subscription as soon as the alternative FTTH company that's building out into my building finishes their install. I'm hoping less than a month. I only still have it because it's cheaper to buy cable (technically IPTV) + Internet than Internet alone, which is infuriating. I'm going to save nearly $100/month.
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Pro tip, when cancelling cable or internet tell them you're moving out of their service area. It's an answer they can't possibly argue with.
 
all we use is netflix, amazon and hulu. have not had paid cable tv for over a year.

now.. if/when HBO finally unlocks their hbo go as a pure internet service like they have stated they will next year.. that we will look into and if they dont screw it up, might pay for as well. since many of their own shows are pretty good.
 
My wife is the the only one holding on to our TV subscription. I've been wanting to get rid of it for well over a year now, but she still watches those crappy reality shows on the E channel.
 
The only thing I miss is the occasional sports game, but I just found out I could use my family's Comcast xfinity login. Family sharing FTW (also we do this with Netflix and Hulu plus).
 
I work for mediacom cable company as a internet tech, every week we have tech meetings and they talk about this stuff, and honestly i don't think they are to concerned, from what they tell us, internet and phone are our prime money makers and the best growth right now, they say they make very little of TV service because of all fee's they have to pay network providers, where as internet and phone yield a lot more pure profit for them
 
No cable TV here. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Plex and HD antenna are all my wife and I need. It was awkward at first, but after a month or two we don't miss it. I sure as hell don't miss the crazy bill.
 
Cut off TV years ago, but all the cable companies do now is jack up the price of internet while implementing data-caps to keep you from streaming too much TV from other providers.

So either way they end up making their money.

I'm paying $82 a month just for internet for example.
 
If there is one thing I have noticed about "cord-cutters" its that they can't stop telling you how great not having cable is. Guess what, I don't care. I wish to keep cable.
 
chinesepiratefood said:
If there is one thing I have noticed about "cord-cutters" its that they can't stop telling you how great not having cable is. Guess what, I don't care. I wish to keep cable.
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I think for a lot of people it's a pretty big transition because they grew up with televisions so it sorta marks a major change in their lifestyles. Just like someone who loans money for a new car, or gets a new mortgage, or buys a tablet computer, they wanna share their experiences. I wouldn't read into that as a thing where they're all like, "One of us! One of us!" at you and feel threatened by it. I mean it is a natural response to that situation since it's kinda the biology of the brain to feel that way, but don't take like a personal attack. I don't think anyone even knew you were or weren't a non-cable type until you mentioned it.
 
I agree i don't like data caps earther, mediacoms current 150/20 plan has a 2TB cap that is pretty generous and i think that speed tier runs about 80 a month, i do a lot downloading and streaming and i usually only do about 1tb a month, i could see some of the lower plans having issues like the 30/5 which has 350gb data cap. They tell us that statistically only 1% of all our internet users exceed there data caps they have in place, whether that is true or not i don't know, but thats the info they give me
 
temujin987 said:
holy crap. i pay 26 euros for 75mbit in central europe. why is it so expensive in the US?
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because infrastructure cost more the the us, europe doesn't have all the rural areas like we have, and probably cost less to maintain, thats my guess anyway
 
chinesepiratefood said:
If there is one thing I have noticed about "cord-cutters" its that they can't stop telling you how great not having cable is. Guess what, I don't care. I wish to keep cable.
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If the numbers keep going the way they are you won't have a choice eventually. Cord cutters will keep cutting which will drive the price up for everyone who doesn't cut the cord and eventually you'll be priced out of being able to afford even basic cable.

The only reason I have cable (technically I have IPTV, but, whatever) is because for the internet package I wanted they were willing to give me a bundled TV package that included every channel they offered (including the pay channels) for only $30 over what I would've paid for the internet alone. In a year when the offer expires they'll either give it to me again for another year or I'll pull the TV and go internet only.
 
Dregan73 said:
I work for mediacom cable company as a internet tech, every week we have tech meetings and they talk about this stuff, and honestly i don't think they are to concerned, from what they tell us, internet and phone are our prime money makers and the best growth right now, they say they make very little of TV service because of all fee's they have to pay network providers, where as internet and phone yield a lot more pure profit for them
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So what happens when enough people stop paying for TV service so the cable company doesn't bring in enough to pay the network providers?
 
Dregan73 said:
because infrastructure cost more the the us, europe doesn't have all the rural areas like we have, and probably cost less to maintain, thats my guess anyway
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LOLz if you think any of that money is actually going toward infrastructure. Maybe in the few cities being threatened by google fiber. Other than that, I don't think they are rolling out/upgrading any infrastructure.
 
Dregan73 said:
because infrastructure cost more the the us, europe doesn't have all the rural areas like we have, and probably cost less to maintain, thats my guess anyway
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I am not sure that argument flies too far... US government is still giving subsidies for 'rural' areas. Which leaves the population-dense areas with no real-excuse not to have 75mbps and such, at decent prices... I mean if we are having trouble beating 'socialist' Europe, the something is missing.
 
dandirk said:
They really should have some sort of standard other then "pixels" to qualify HD or not. While I think Netflix HD is better then Dish HD... There still should be some sort of standard for quality (bitrate?)...
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I tend to agree. Even Netflix has 3(at least) different bitrates for their UHD stream. Wish to hell Vizio would pump out their firmware update so I can compare Amazon UHD to Netflix.
 
chinesepiratefood said:
If there is one thing I have noticed about "cord-cutters" its that they can't stop telling you how great not having cable is. Guess what, I don't care. I wish to keep cable.
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Isn't about time to yell at the neighbor kids for being in your yard. :)
 
We currently have 100mbit internet which we pay $120 a month for it and the cable service is complimentary so I get free sports channels. I also have Netflix and Amazon Prime so there's that.
 
Dregan73 said:
I work for mediacom cable company as a internet tech, every week we have tech meetings and they talk about this stuff, and honestly i don't think they are to concerned, from what they tell us, internet and phone are our prime money makers and the best growth right now, they say they make very little of TV service because of all fee's they have to pay network providers, where as internet and phone yield a lot more pure profit for them
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Mediacom internet service is only doing well because they're in markets with zero competition. Plus they tack on a $15 surcharge fee if the customer decides to go with just one service. Talk about ripping people off.
 
I am not going to PAY to watch ads.. more than the OTA channels I watch it feels like sometimes.
If cable was free, then yeah I am in.
 
Dregan73 said:
They tell us that statistically only 1% of all our internet users exceed there data caps they have in place, whether that is true or not i don't know, but thats the info they give me
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They were throwing around that excuse before streaming services like Netflix...it sounded like BS even then, so you know it's BS now.
 
Got rid of cable a few months ago. I was hardly watching tv and it seems incredibly stupid to keep paying $90 a month to watch a half dozen hours of tv in that same period.

If it was $30 a month, I prolly would have kept it, but the prices have just gotten out of hand.

Timewarner constantly has a promotion going for new customers only, $79 to $89 dollars a month for Internet/TV/Phone service bundled together. Where as a loyal paying customer is paying $160+ for the same package. They want to keep people happy, lower their prices for loyal customers, stop running "promotions" that never stop. Maybe then people would stop cancelling their services so fast.
 
chinesepiratefood said:
If there is one thing I have noticed about "cord-cutters" its that they can't stop telling you how great not having cable is. Guess what, I don't care. I wish to keep cable.
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You're been assimilated. Oh. I'm not using this old rotary telephone, perhaps I can interest you in it...it's beige. ;)
 
Biznatch said:
LOLz if you think any of that money is actually going toward infrastructure. Maybe in the few cities being threatened by google fiber. Other than that, I don't think they are rolling out/upgrading any infrastructure.
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Europe is about the size of texas, infrastructure there upgrades as hell alot faster then anything here, internet has alwase been faster over seas. And Google fiber is no where near where i live ( south Georgia ) but i know mediacom is spending money on infrastructure especially for digital services, in 2 months our top speed internet will be doubling from 150 mb to 300 mb. DSL in this area tops out at 12mb there not even any competition as far internet goes. cable has nothing to worry about, what i wonder is what satellite company's are going to do because all they really have is TV and there very funny commercials about how bad cable is
 
Biznatch said:
LOLz if you think any of that money is actually going toward infrastructure. Maybe in the few cities being threatened by google fiber. Other than that, I don't think they are rolling out/upgrading any infrastructure.
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In my area we're constantly upgrading headend equipement (CMTS's and routers) and splitting nodes. I guess that's why we're still gaining subs even with all the cord cutting and google coming soon.
 
Cord cutting is fine as long as your using legitimate streaming services. Where I take issue is that many many cord cutters are pirating their TV shows instead of paying content providers.

Also, cutting the cord in Canada is a bit trickier because there are fewer streaming services available. The CRTC has a lot to do with this.

Except for a few big cities and boarder cities, OTA TV has become unusable since the DTV conversion. I WENT FROM 5-6 watchable channels (including CBC, the government owed TV station my tax dollars fund...), down to 2, no CBC because they didn't want to upgrade their broadcast equipment. The cable and satellite companies hold a monopoly here in my opinion.

I went through my college years and then some without cable TV. I got TV when I was able to afford it. IA couple years ago, I cancelled it for a year to see what it was like to be without. Honestly, I came to the conclusion that I enjoy the convenience. I don't spend much money on other forms of entertainment and I'm almost always home when not at work. I have decided it's a justifiable expense for me.
 
temujin987 said:
holy crap. i pay 26 euros for 75mbit in central europe. why is it so expensive in the US?
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Government rubber stamped monopolies in return for spreading broadband around. Well, we got the first half of that deal, no so much the 2nd.
 
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