[mythtv-users] Switching away from comcast to online streams

[Stephen P. Villano]

On 1/30/14, 9:09 AM, Joseph DeGraw wrote:
> On 01/29/2014 07:40 PM, Stephen P. Villano wrote:
>> On 1/29/14, 5:05 PM, Joseph DeGraw wrote:
>>> How I wish a letter to the CEO (or what they call a letter bomb) would
>>> solve the problems with the current broadband / TV market. However, Its
>>> not the case in a monopoly.
>>>
>>> The current state of the US Broadband market is dismal at best. The
>>> areas of service are cut up into small monopolies that guarantee
>>> business for any company involved.
>>>
>>> Its not that they dont know what you need. Its that they dont care what
>>> you need. They also dont care about the quality of service is - to an
>>> extent. As long as they dont have to hear from the controlling board
>>> that over sees the provider in each state they are quite happy disposing
>>> of your letters in the garbage. Thats why monopolies are such a bad
>>> thing. They no longer depend on satisfying the customer because they are
>>> the only game in town. One can fire off a letter to a CEO of such a
>>> company but in the end you will find that nothing changes.
>>>
>>> What needs to be done is to deregulate the market completely. Finish off
>>> the fiber optic runs would be a good thing as then many providers can
>>> compete on a house to house market. Of course this is wishful thinking
>>> as it takes alot of money to provide fiber optic lines. Once again, This
>>> is something that the companies involved do not wish to do because it
>>> would eat into their profits and there is really no need as there is no
>>> competition to drive it. The states do not want to shoulder the costs
>>> either. The US government would never even get the job completed even
>>> after spending millions of dollars on the project. So, Things sit as
>>> they are.
>>>
>>> jdegraw
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>> Actually, AT&T ran much of their fiber for the US government to use. The
>> dark fiber has largely been leased out to private interests, as the US
>> government had sufficient circuits to conduct its business. Some dark
>> fiber remains reserved for possible US government usage though.
>> So, the government *can* get things done in grand scale problems. Small
>> scale problems rightfully should be community/county/state programs.
>>
>> Still, let's look at the monopoly where I currently live.
>> RCN cable, Comcast cable, Verizon FIOS, Dish networks, ADSL providers
>> galore.
>> That's a hell of a monopoly!
>> It's in the cities that monopolies tend to exist, largely due to city
>> governments granting monopoly to single providers or single provider per
>> division of the city.
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>>
> I would have to say you are very lucky. You didnt mention your local.
> But from my experience in the midwest (USA) you get 2 options - AT&T
> dsl, and perhaps comcast. I think monopolies are more prevalent than you
> are thinking. Its just your do darn lucky! :) .
>
> Id love to compare costs / locations with you.
>
> I am in South Bend, Indiana - USA. Comcast rapes us for 60 a month for a
> 15d / 5u connection. They also price it by zipcode/average income of zip
> code area. This I find underhanded too.
>
> I have heard that Ft. Wayne, In has verizon fiber optic availability but
> not seeing alot of that around here. Just confined to the larger markets.
>
> jdegraw
> _______________________________________________
>
I'm in Delaware County, PA. Our local cable companies are RCN, Comcast
and Verizon for the largest.
I switched from Comcast to Verizon FIOS, changing my ISP, cable and my
telephone service to FIOS fiber.
As my wires were ancient, it made sense, as the copper lines were noisy
in the extreme.

Apparently, Verizon is finishing up what areas they started to roll out
fiber and FIOS to, then they'll halt it there.  :/

Costs are relative as well, some regions cable is cheap, others,
expensive. The cable companies set their rates at what the market will
support.
So, a provider won't offer bundled cable, internet and voice for
$180-$200 in farm country, but may do so in wealthier areas. Otherwise,
they'd never have customers in farm country!