It's that time again, the annual joust with Comcast over package pricing. I've been with Comcast for many years, currently on their triple play deal and am reasonably satisfied with them but it offends me that their pricing models favor new customers over existing ones by nearly $100./month. A cursory look seems to indicate Dish (will not consider Direct TV w/o Pac12) is the most likely alternative and I'm curious to hear from others with recent experience with Dish/Comcast. I am in the Seattle area, have 2 tvs, Tivo on 1 and prefer the landline as my primary phone although I also have cell service through Consumer Cellular. I also have a strong preference for a desktop computer over laptop or phone for internet access. Appreciate your comments.

I've used all the services (Comcast, UVerse & Dish) available locally at a couple of different residences over the last 11 years. I've been happiest with DISH in terms of service, amenities and price.

You can always call Comcast (as I and others have done) and tell them you like their services but are frustrated by their ever increasing prices and are looking at DISH (pick any option in your area) and tell them you are giving them a chance to retain your business. They always offer you the latest "special" pricing that exists.... should save you about $100

59bear;842710107 said:

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It's that time again, the annual joust with Comcast over package pricing. I've been with Comcast for many years, currently on their triple play deal and am reasonably satisfied with them but it offends me that their pricing models favor new customers over existing ones by nearly $100./month. A cursory look seems to indicate Dish (will not consider Direct TV w/o Pac12) is the most likely alternative and I'm curious to hear from others with recent experience with Dish/Comcast. I am in the Seattle area, have 2 tvs, Tivo on 1 and prefer the landline as my primary phone although I also have cell service through Consumer Cellular. I also have a strong preference for a desktop computer over laptop or phone for internet access. Appreciate your comments.

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I got fed up with Comcast, did a little research and settled on Sling TV (www.sling.com). Sling gave us the channels we want. I also have a TiVo and connected an OTA (over the air) antenna (Mohu Leaf 30) to it and have been happy with the recording of OTA programs. PLEASE NOTE: there is no way to record programs found on Sling that I'm aware of. Sling is a streaming service and for some reason (probably having to do with some obscure or otherwise opaque legal agreement of which I am not aware) TiVo machines cannot record programs from streaming services.

Mrs Slug and I aren't very upset about that...yet. Check back with us if we can't get Fargo or some other show time shifted to a more convenient time for viewing. I figure that we're saving about $105 per month under our current arrangement (which includes Sling Blue + Sling Orange + the Hollywood Extra package).

59bear;842710107 said:

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It's that time again, the annual joust with Comcast over package pricing. I've been with Comcast for many years, currently on their triple play deal and am reasonably satisfied with them but it offends me that their pricing models favor new customers over existing ones by nearly $100./month. A cursory look seems to indicate Dish (will not consider Direct TV w/o Pac12) is the most likely alternative and I'm curious to hear from others with recent experience with Dish/Comcast. I am in the Seattle area, have 2 tvs, Tivo on 1 and prefer the landline as my primary phone although I also have cell service through Consumer Cellular. I also have a strong preference for a desktop computer over laptop or phone for internet access. Appreciate your comments.

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Not sure how married you are to having a landline. For a long time, Comcast wouldn't give you a break for dropping the landline, but now they do. There are "double play" options and we went down that road in the spring...

mbBear;842710189 said:

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Not sure how married you are to having a landline. For a long time, Comcast wouldn't give you a break for dropping the landline, but now they do. There are "double play" options and we went down that road in the spring...

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What's everyone paying for their cable and internet these days anyway? I'm currently on the "Double Play" with Comcast and paying ~$130/month. Double Play for $69/month includes cable (ESPN/ESPN2), HBO for an extra $5, internet modem/router for $10, a few HD/ HD-DVR boxes for ~$20, plus taxes and other fees. If I can have significant cost savings, I'm open to it!

Unfortunately, Google Fiber isn't yet available in my area yet (east bay), so I am concerned about internet speed.

I was really tired of the fact that Comcast and UVerse kept raising their price so I did call them every two years to "renegotiate". Fortunately, earlier this year, UVerse offered the fiber service in my area and they offered fixed price for 3 years. I immediately signed up and the speed was really good.

reallybear;842710228 said:

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I was really tired of the fact that Comcast and UVerse kept raising their price so I did call them every two years to "renegotiate". Fortunately, earlier this year, UVerse offered the fiber service in my area and they offered fixed price for 3 years. I immediately signed up and the speed was really good.

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I have Uverse and need to renegotiate. What was the magic word to get a 3 year deal?

Go!Bears;842710230 said:

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I have Uverse and need to renegotiate. What was the magic word to get a 3 year deal?

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I will cancel my account

They only offered the 3 year fixed price for the fiber and TV service.

I have dish and like it. I have Comcast as my internet provider and it's ok. Probably time for me to call them and check prices again.

Edit - I should also mention Dish does not handle thunderstorms well.

I have Comcast and, as mentioned, it's a royal PITA to have to call them periodically and get the price lowered. However, the product is pretty good and, of course, there's the Pac 12 network. We have "triple play" with HBO and now the price is inching towards $200 again. Time to get back on the phone.

Last time, I got it lowered to about $140 and, because it's such a hassle, I told him I'd sign a freaking 10 yr contract if they locked in that price. You'd think they would offer something like that, what with all the people cutting the cable. But, no.

easdog1;842710241 said:

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I have dish and like it. I have Comcast as my internet provider and it's ok. Probably time for me to call them and check prices again.

Edit - I should also mention Dish does not handle thunderstorms well.

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Any system transmitting a signal thru water, thunderstorm or snow, will have problems. The Bay Area doesn't get that many T-storms or snow storms right?

travelingbears;842710194 said:

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What's everyone paying for their cable and internet these days anyway? I'm currently on the "Double Play" with Comcast and paying ~$130/month. Double Play for $69/month includes cable (ESPN/ESPN2), HBO for an extra $5, internet modem/router for $10, a few HD/ HD-DVR boxes for ~$20, plus taxes and other fees. If I can have significant cost savings, I'm open to it!

Unfortunately, Google Fiber isn't yet available in my area yet (east bay), so I am concerned about internet speed.

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I live in Berkeley. Before I cut the TV cord with Comcast, I was billed $223.40 for one month of service. The previous month was $204.17 (or thereabouts). What did I get for that monthly outlay?

Internet service at 25 Mbps download speed
Speed boost to 150 Mbps (which really means up to 6 devices downloading at 25 Mbps)
Cable TV Expanded Basic + Digital preferred Cable TV service (which means that I received digital HD channels)
2 digital cable boxes
1 cablecard (for my TiVo; changed out several cards in an effort to get Video On Demand - never was able to access VOD)

On the cable TV service, Comcast charged me -
$10/mo. each outlet over 1 by way of the set-top boxes (you must have a set-top box to receive HD channels)
$11.45/mo. (!) for a cablecard in my TiVo - Comcast credited my account $2.50 twice ($5.00 total) for "customer-owned equipment"
$10/mo. for HD Technology service
$3/mo. for "regional sports" (presumably this is for Comcast Bay Area and Comcast California channels)
$5/mo. for Broadcast channels (presumably this is for OTA channels that are carried on their cable line-up)

Fees and Taxes accounted for nearly $34/mo. All of those fees and taxes are related to cable TV service - they are not related to Internet service.

Recently, Sonic (IIRC) rolled out Gigabit fiber to West Berkeley. The plan is to expand the fiber network to more of Berkeley and the East Bay. I suspect that expansion will be at least partly dependent on how quickly Sonic can pick up new Gigabit Fiber service subscribers in the West Berkeley zone.

Isn't Sonic just using U-Verse's fiber infrastructure or am I mistaken?

philbert;842710289 said:

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Isn't Sonic just using U-Verse's fiber infrastructure or am I mistaken?

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Sonic's regular DSL offering uses AT&T wire but the 1Gb service that they're rolling out is over their own fiber.

CaliforniaEternal;842710314 said:

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Sonic's regular DSL offering uses AT&T wire but the 1Gb service that they're rolling out is over their own fiber.

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Ah, ok. Sonic only offers 50 Mbps (fiber to the node using AT&T's network) where I'm at. UVerse just rolled out their gigabit service, so I was hoping Sonic would too.

travelingbears;842710194 said:

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What's everyone paying for their cable and internet these days anyway? I'm currently on the "Double Play" with Comcast and paying ~$130/month. Double Play for $69/month includes cable (ESPN/ESPN2), HBO for an extra $5, internet modem/router for $10, a few HD/ HD-DVR boxes for ~$20, plus taxes and other fees. If I can have significant cost savings, I'm open to it!

Unfortunately, Google Fiber isn't yet available in my area yet (east bay), so I am concerned about internet speed.

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I recently bought my own modem / router for around $130. It will pay for itself in a little over a year.

Comcast did offer a "loyalty" package which would have reduced the new price a bit (with 2 year commitment) but Dish deal still better so, after 25 years with Comcast, I'm giving them a try. I realize in 2 years I'll likely go through this exercise all over again but, as I prepare to enter my 9th decade, I may not have to worry about that eventuality!

59bear;842710485 said:

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Comcast did offer a "loyalty" package which would have reduced the new price a bit (with 2 year commitment) but Dish deal still better so, after 25 years with Comcast, I'm giving them a try. I realize in 2 years I'll likely go through this exercise all over again but, as I prepare to enter my 9th decade, I may not have to worry about that eventuality!

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Stay strong, my fellow bear! It's amazing you're as sharp at your age - I'm frankly very jealous! My family has a trend to living only to the 60s-70s. =/