NON-comcast cable

[weary]

i haven't had cable in forever and now that i'm actually considering getting it, i need some help picking a provider. all i know right now is that i will absolutely NOT go with comcast. so...can you guys weigh in on the others? vote on the poll, comment, or both.

ETA: i don't need a bajillion channels and i don't want to piss away a ton of $ b/c even though i have the TV on a lot , i only [I]really watch it a few times a week. i do watch the news almost every day though.

[arrow]

Do you have comcast in your area? That's what I use and they work pretty well. Better than Verizon.

Here in NY all the prices are the same (high), but that's because there's something of a trust going on that needs to be busted.

[weary]

Do you have comcast in your area? That's what I use and they work pretty well. Better than Verizon.

Here in NY all the prices are the same (high), but that's because there's something of a trust going on that needs to be busted.

yes (DC metro area), but they suck. everyone has problems with them and when i've called even considering them, i couldn't get straight answers on their plans, rates, services, etc.

they have the highest complaint rate in the FCC [for cable providers].

[Kitty]

I flippin' HATE Comcast. Man, the stories I could tell..

Unfortunately, they are the only cable provider here...

[WorkInProgress]

We have DirecTV, and, in general, I think they're pretty ok. Not a big fan of the wait for service sometimes, though, and bad weather sometimes knocks out reception.

Basically, I figure that service is going to suck no matter which one anyone picks. I've heard bad stories about all cable/sat. TV providers.

[cache]

Few more details: What kind of internet do you have? Is it bundled with a local phone service?

You can get some good deals when you bundle services; we pay $85 for basic cable and 3 megabit cable internet.

[Skyblade]

Hmm.. I WISH I had the option of Comcast here. We have this crappy provider called Wave Broadband. They are relatively new to the cable market and they suck so much. Why does everyone hate Comcast? Granted, most cable companies charge exhorbitant rates, but changing cable companies WON'T change that. Is there something wrong with the Comcast service? Wave is constantly having issues, it being a new service provider and all.

[weary]

Few more details: What kind of internet do you have? Is it bundled with a local phone service?

You can get some good deals when you bundle services; we pay $85 for basic cable and 3 megabit cable internet.

i had verizon DSL for a while, but i was so slow and pitiful i got it turned off. now i just use work, or piggyback on one of my many wireless neighbors (bad, i know. :redface: ).

but now that you say it, i do think i remember hearing something about a direcTV deal w/ verizon internet customers...

[embrassezla]

weary, I forget where you are exactly, but I think you live not-too-too-far from me, and Milennium cable is available in my area. I don't have it (or any cable), but it's cheaper than Comcast and, I've heard, not as douche-y.

[WorkInProgress]

i had verizon DSL for a while, but i was so slow and pitiful i got it turned off. now i just use work, or piggyback on one of my many wireless neighbors (bad, i know. :redface: ).

I have VerizonDSL at home too, and I hate it. It's better than dial up, but still not great. Certainly not what it should be. I'm mostly on my computer at work as well for that reason.

[arrow]

Shoot, I meant optimum, not comcast. Here, Verizon is the crappiest. Comcast next, and then optimum.

They're all kind of fraudulent, though.

[CTGirl]

I have gotten nothing but fantastic customer service from Comcast personally.

I keep seeing ads for At&T having tv and internet services, and claiming to be much cheaper, but I'm not sure what sorts of things they offer.

[Winter Storm]

Wow, I wish I had any advice but I have Comcast and Verizon DSL and I've had no problems with either, except Comcast's price increase. Both work great for me, especially the DSL.

[weary]

Hmm.. I WISH I had the option of Comcast here. We have this crappy provider called Wave Broadband. They are relatively new to the cable market and they suck so much. Why does everyone hate Comcast? Granted, most cable companies charge exhorbitant rates, but changing cable companies WON'T change that. Is there something wrong with the Comcast service? Wave is constantly having issues, it being a new service provider and all.

ha. i guess the grass is always greener. i don't need cable...and in all honesty i don't really care that much. it's a combo of me finally giving in to the kid and also just wanting a few more options when i actually do sit down to take a look at the boob tube. i love netflix, but am not always in the mood to watch what's been sent.

anyway, everyone hates comcast b/c they SUCK! customer service is incredibly lacking, especially in areas where they are the only option. i've never heard anyone say they've been w/ comcast and had no major problems.

[weary]

:0

open mouth...insert foot.

i'd like to say that i hadn't seen CTgirl's or winter's posts when i said the above...

[arrow]

Maybe you should wait for AT&T to come around. I think they may be the trust-busters we're all waiting for. Their cable is supposed to be better, faster, and cheaper, from what I've heard.

[weary]

weary, I forget where you are exactly, but I think you live not-too-too-far from me, and Milennium cable is available in my area. I don't have it (or any cable), but it's cheaper than Comcast and, I've heard, not as douche-y.

don't you mean douchepotato-y? LOL.

milennium? never heard of them....i'll have to take a look. i would think it would be available. i'm probably only about 20-30 minutes from you. thanks. :)

[and1grad]

I hate Comcast also. I found their customer service to be lacking also. I have Directv and I love it. You can look at the plans and decide what packages you actually want (same with Dish). You should take a look at their websites. The only thing that might matter to you is contract length.

[vivo]

don't you mean douchepotato-y? LOL.

milennium? never heard of them....i'll have to take a look. i would think it would be available. i'm probably only about 20-30 minutes from you. thanks. :)
used to have them too when i lived in aaco. good i guess but i lived with my parents so didn't deal with cust svc. but good enough. im not sure if it's outside of aa co but u can call of course. what's so bad about verizon?

is rcn cable available in the area? not sure if they r good or not. also i think millenium dsl +cable is a good deal but check w/them. comcast isn't cheap to my knowledge.

[blueyes]

Comcast and I are fighting - the f*ckers shut off my cable by mistake and it took them FIVE DAYS to get back out to fix it.

I'll be sending them this month's bill, prorated by five days. If they hate on me, I'll cancel my cable. The asshats.

[EmberMae]

My apartment complex has a contract with BDR Broadband, the WORST cable company EVER. The only reason they keep customers is because they convince apartment owners to force residents to go with them. Our cable would be out for 3 days in a row and they would do nothing. You can't even get satellite here, if you want direct-tv you have to go thru BDR to get it. I would be thrilled to have comcast at this point. My parents had them for years and they weren't great but BDR makes them look like saints.

[cheshrcarol]

I have Time Warner, and they're all right. IMO they're too expensive, and it took WAY too long to get my cable connected, but other than that I haven't had any real problems. Service has been fine.

ETA: I also don't have any choice here, or anything to compare them to.

[Deavan]

RCN is only in a few bigger city area's from my understanding but their customer service is terrible, the company itself is rather shady, they spike up their prices every year...I swear in 3 years my cable bill alone went up $12/month... their channel line ups is subpar at best.

[CTGirl]

I have Time Warner, and they're all right. IMO they're too expensive, and it took WAY too long to get my cable connected, but other than that I haven't had any real problems. Service has been fine.

ETA: I also don't have any choice here, or anything to compare them to.

LOL, I wish I had a cable service as cheap as Time Warner :p

[cache]

Anyone in the midwest or Colorado, look into Wide Open West. I had them in Ohio, and it was the absolute best cable, best service, best everything.

[weary]

i had TW when i lived in NYC and same thing: too long to hook-up, but thereafter, no problems. and yes, they were cheap. i think like $40/month or something. that was the last time i had cable.

[cheshrcarol]

LOL, I wish I had a cable service as cheap as Time Warner :pHow much do you pay?

Mine is ~$100 for digital cable + roadrunner, then I have a dvr and HBO, so another $15 or so. Plus taxes, it all adds up.

[weary]

How much do you pay?

Mine is ~$100 for digital cable + roadrunner, then I have a dvr and HBO, so another $15 or so. Plus taxes, it all adds up.

oh HELLS NO!!! $100+? it ain't happening. not in my house.

[and1grad]

My apartment complex has a contract with BDR Broadband, the WORST cable company EVER. The only reason they keep customers is because they convince apartment owners to force residents to go with them. Our cable would be out for 3 days in a row and they would do nothing. You can't even get satellite here, if you want direct-tv you have to go thru BDR to get it. I would be thrilled to have comcast at this point. My parents had them for years and they weren't great but BDR makes them look like saints.
You can actually ask for written permission from the property manager to install something else. Thats what I did.

[Skyblade]

ha. i guess the grass is always greener. i don't need cable...and in all honesty i don't really care that much. it's a combo of me finally giving in to the kid and also just wanting a few more options when i actually do sit down to take a look at the boob tube. i love netflix, but am not always in the mood to watch what's been sent.

anyway, everyone hates comcast b/c they SUCK! customer service is incredibly lacking, especially in areas where they are the only option. i've never heard anyone say they've been w/ comcast and had no major problems.

Of the two cable companies that I've been a customer of, Wave and Cox Communications, both have been awful at customer service. I think its a common thing among ANY service provider lately. Hell, I'm even having issues with Southern California Edison (the electric company) with the way they treat me as a customer. When there's only one service provider you can go to, its like it gives them license to treat their customers like crap.

[CTGirl]

How much do you pay?

Mine is ~$100 for digital cable + roadrunner, then I have a dvr and HBO, so another $15 or so. Plus taxes, it all adds up.

I pay a little over $100 for the regular cable channels and internet.