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Steep cable price hikes could soon make cord-cutting a reality

Cord-cutting is already a reality and has been for several years.
 
Our family did it two years ago and we love it. No more wasting time watching crappy reality shows or meaningless sports.
 
I think content is on the verge of the same kind of renaissance that the music industry experienced 15 years ago. Cable companies are fighting it tooth and nail, but it's coming. Some of the shows on Netflix have been nominated for award, all the sports are moving to their own networks...hell, if you removed blackout restrictions and people could subscribe directly to the NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., it would drastically reduce cable subscribers overnight. It's going to take the combined efforts of companies like Apple, Google, Netflix, etc. to drive the change, but it's coming. Streaming is the future.

Of course then you run into the issue of those same companies also control internet access, but that's another bridge to cross.
 
I don't watch much online, but one drawback I can see of cord-cutting is that they can force you to watch commercials. It's gotten to the point where the vast majority of everything I watch is on the DVR. With live shows I typically hit record, go do something for 10 or 15 minutes and then watch. If I don't do that, I usually flip to something else for the 3 minuites (which I think would be more difficult if streaming). I hate commercials.
 
And therein lies why cable needs to go to an a la carte model. Pay the cable company for services and then pay the networks to subscribe to them. As it is now, the networks can jack up the fees they charge cable companies with no repercussions. The price goes up and the cable company is the bad guy. If it goes a la carte and the networks continue being greedy people will just stop subscribing.
 
And therein lies why cable needs to go to an a la carte model. Pay the cable company for services and then pay the networks to subscribe to them. As it is now, the networks can jack up the fees they charge cable companies with no repercussions. The price goes up and the cable company is the bad guy. If it goes a la carte and the networks continue being greedy people will just stop subscribing.

This.
 
If cable goes a la carte, the majority of networks go dark. The production of content -- pretty much any professional content for any media -- is extraordinarily expensive.

The diffusion of media in the information age continues to be one of the most disruptive forces of our generation. Tech companies are indeed changing the delivery of video, but until that can be effectively monetized, and streamlined for a mass audience, it's not going to be a viable alternative to the current cable/networks model.
 
I cut it last January and haven't looked back. Once I discovered First Row Sports I was done. It might be a little sketchy, but I've never had a problem.
 
I feel like the obvious solution to this from the cable provider's perspective is to start charging higher rates for internet and/or installing tiers or caps when the internet service does not accompany a subscription for TV services. Ultimately, they will get their money.
 
I feel like the obvious solution to this from the cable provider's perspective is to start charging higher rates for internet and/or installing tiers or caps when the internet service does not accompany a subscription for TV services. Ultimately, they will get their money.

Yep, Comcast and TWC are experimenting with a 5gb cap (for a $5 discount!!1). http://gigaom.com/2013/08/01/comcas...scribers-but-dont-worry-you-get-a-5-discount/

The article mentions that the median monthly data use on Comcast's network is 16 gb, to put that in perspective. I hit >30gb most months:

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The article mentions that the median monthly data use on Comcast's network is 16 gb, to put that in perspective. I hit >30gb most months:

You're not getting your money's worth. I do that most weeks. :thumbsup:

24mvoyx.png


Here's my last few months since we moved into the new place and I reset my router. First month was "low" because it was a short month.

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Um, cable providers are a utility?

so were milkmen and ice truck drivers

Cable TV is going the way of the DoDo Bird, and I seriously doubt the free market will simply allow for Cable companies to just transfer all of their current profitability over to the ISP side of their business.
 
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