HBO's standalone streaming service launches next month. $15/mo.

[Sanlmar]

Holy Shit. You need to call them and threaten to cancel. That's what I do to comcast when the bill creeps up. I've got 3 cable boxes (2 hd) with hbo and sports channels, internet and 1 phone line for 125.

Yeah, I've been with them for about 4 years or so. Those 12-month specials are long gone now. They even charge about $8/mo for renting the cable internet modems. Paid for the cost of those 4 times over already.
Just been too busy & procrastinating on trimming the fat. Need to to get my inner Jewish nit into action one of these days.

EDIT: Charter does give you loyalty points. Think I racked up 90,000 or so and I haven't bothered to look at the catalogue yet, lol. Yet another nit project to work on, since the points expire after 2 years. Already let a bunch of them expire..

Loyalty points? I would take the cruise or save a few more and pick the Toyota.

$300/mo? The ToasterOven call to CSR would be the most fun you will have all day. Brinksmanship. Take it to the last possible second if you live in some rural area with a monopoly.

[SrslySirius]

These companies aren't just going to roll over and die. The cable companies will simply start realizing more profits through their internet services. Because if you think you will be constantly streaming shit you have no other viable option than cable internet

We'll see. Of course I don't expect cable television to ever completely die. We still have terrestrial radio and newspapers after all.

These companies do have a monopoly on internet service, but how much more can they squeeze us? I'm sure they're currently gouging us for the optimal amount. As helplessly reliant as we are on internet service, it is still possible to price some people out, especially younger people that spend most of their time on their phones and perhaps elderly folks that don't see it as a necessity.

Meanwhile, Google is expanding their fiber network, the FCC has just made it easier for municipalities to build their own, and Virgin Galactic is launching satellites to provide internet service (albeit at high latency). Comcast and TWC are already the most hated companies in America, ranking dead last and 2nd to last in customer satisfaction. As soon as viable alternatives become available, the door will be promptly slammed in their faces.

Maybe it will be a slow death, but I think the tide is beginning to turn. They can stubbornly cling to their shitty business model and go the way of Blockbuster, or adapt and remain somewhat relevant like Kodak.

[SrslySirius]

I stream all 3 sports you listed. NFL needs to come down in price though.

I tried to order NFL Sunday Ticket when I moved to Atlanta, but they required me to have a particular cable subscription. I see that they now have standalone streaming. I don't think that was an option at the time.

Good for them, but I agree $50/mo. is way too much.

EDIT: Wait, I think it's still tied to DirecTV...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200...eaming-options

The service is only available to those who: 1) live in apartment buildings where DirecTV service is unavailable; 2) live in metro New York, Philadelphia or San Francisco; or 3) attend college at Michigan (Ann Arbor), Alabama, Washington, Texas (Austin), USC, Florida, Colorado (Boulder), Syracuse, Ohio State or Harvard.

[simpdog]

I tried to order NFL Sunday Ticket when I moved to Atlanta, but they required me to have a particular cable subscription. I see that they now have standalone streaming. I don't think that was an option at the time.

Good for them, but I agree $50/mo. is way too much.

EDIT: Wait, I think it's still tied to DirecTV...

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200...eaming-options

The service is only available to those who: 1) live in apartment buildings where DirecTV service is unavailable; 2) live in metro New York, Philadelphia or San Francisco; or 3) attend college at Michigan (Ann Arbor), Alabama, Washington, Texas (Austin), USC, Florida, Colorado (Boulder), Syracuse, Ohio State or Harvard.

Sorry didn't realize it isn't available in the usa. Funny I order my subscription and also use a VPN (to make it seem like I'm in the USA) to avoid blackouts.

*Certain restrictions apply. NFL Game Pass is only available to users located outside the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Antigua, the Bahamas, and any U.S. territories, possessions and commonwealths. Game broadcasts included in the service are available only in English. For a full description of device-specific features, requirements, limitations, and other information, visit our FAQ.

Too bad for Micon too.

[SrslySirius]

Sorry didn't realize it isn't available in the usa. Funny I order my subscription and also use a VPN (to make it seem like I'm in the USA) to avoid blackouts.

*Certain restrictions apply. NFL Game Pass is only available to users located outside the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Antigua, the Bahamas, and any U.S. territories, possessions and commonwealths. Game broadcasts included in the service are available only in English. For a full description of device-specific features, requirements, limitations, and other information, visit our FAQ.

Too bad for Micon too.

This is exactly what I meant before about piracy being a service problem. I had my wallet out, ready to give the NFL my money, but they wouldn't take it. Now I watch Texans games through *ahem* alternative providers.

[simpdog]

Sorry didn't realize it isn't available in the usa. Funny I order my subscription and also use a VPN (to make it seem like I'm in the USA) to avoid blackouts.

*Certain restrictions apply. NFL Game Pass is only available to users located outside the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Antigua, the Bahamas, and any U.S. territories, possessions and commonwealths. Game broadcasts included in the service are available only in English. For a full description of device-specific features, requirements, limitations, and other information, visit our FAQ.

Too bad for Micon too.

This is exactly what I meant before about piracy being a service problem. I had my wallet out, ready to give the NFL my money, but they wouldn't take it. Now I watch Texans games through *ahem* alternative providers.

Well if you have a VPN you can order it from another country, then apparently stream it no problem from the USA.

[thesparten]

I hate ball watchers and men that like watching other men play with balls..use your money, time and effort to do other more productive things..

[LegalizeMeth]

like post on a poker forum?

[ThreeBet]

Pretty sure you can order Sunday ticket through PS 3 & 4, and the other sports through most other streaming players.

Not really sure this HBO standalone makes that big of a dent. Are there really that many people who have Cable just because of HBO?

To "cut the cord" how many different streaming services are you going to have to get? Imagine if you wanted NFL, MLB, Coll FB, NHL, NBA plus HBO, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, etc.etc Like are we going to have 15 different subscriptions just to get everything we want? People like things packaged together which is kind of the whole point of cable.

Everyone says people are cutting the cord yet the cable companies have only lost like 0.2% of their base the last couple of years. I do think the cable companies will start providing a more "a la carte" type of programming so people can bring their bills down and not get bundled with a bunch of stuff they don't want. Cable will be around for a long, long time.

[ThreeBet]

ANd by cable companies, Im including satelitte and telco companies that provide that "cable" experience