Posted on 04/24/2016 5:00:48 PM PDT by Macoozie
ISPs, who once fed us lines about excessive bandwidth usage and network congestion in order to upsell people on higher-tier “business class” Internet packages, are now essentially using the same tactics to punish cord-cutters, many of which were likely former cable subscribers.
(Excerpt) Read more at techspot.com ...
Eliminate the overage charge rip-off! If I reach my limit, turn the dang thing off.
Since I live in an apt, I added the local channels to my internet service, because I couldn't find an antennae to save my life.
You do realize that after a certain point, internet providers will begin restricting data plans to anyone that “cuts the cord”, right?
The big cable companies aren’t going down without a fight.
TANSTAAFL
Best Buy, Walmart and Frys have indoor antennas. Depending on how far you are from the broadcast towers and the location of your TV in your apartment in relation to the towers, I’d recommend either getting one with a built in signal booster, or adding a separate in-line signal booster.
Most manufacturers are selling designer flat antenna models, but I prefer rabbit ears.
Heck, when this archaic computer I’m using finally konks out, I’m seriously considering dumping the internet altogether. Already got rid of my dish, and I’m more than ready to ditch that second phone-line. No way I’m going to pay a cable-company for anything, as their high rates subsidize vile, left-wing networks I would never watch.
It not a matter of a free lunch. Cable and internet companies operate near monopolies, and act against the public interest. There is what is known as “regulatory capture”, the oligarchs lobbyists control the regulators, so regulations favor the providers over the consumers.
And it is not only the cable companies. AT&T is in the TV business as well. So all the major ISPs.
My ISP has a data cap but its actually never enforced.
You’d have stream so much to exceed it. I don’t think that’s possible as I’m a single person.
It could add up for a family though.
Understand, thanks. What I meant is the cable companies are going to seek to replace lost revenue, and clearly will lobby for regulations that allow them to do so.
And what about this crapola:
(perhaps by deploying an over-the-air antenna which should probably be part of any cord-cutter’s arsenal anyway)"
Arsenal?
So now deciding on the right mix of telco options is on a part with going to war!
"Intelligent consumer" is an oxymoron. Being primarily a consumer is inherently ignorant. Being an "intelligent consumer" is no different than being a "thoughtful tic-tac-toe player" or a "strong and healthy tiddlywinker".
Historically cable companies have been very well “connected” to local politicians.
In the end, it was cheaper and convenient to just add local TV channels to my Internet service.
It could be that you are just too far from the towers.
This tool might help - an indoor antenna should be able to pick up any of the ‘green’ signals, and depending on construction and location in the building, may pick up yellow. (I’d want a signal booster to try anything yellow, and it might be needed for green). Conditions would have to be close to ideal to pick up anything brown.
https://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/dtvmaps/
Antenna web also has a tool. They specifically disclaim reliability for indoor antennas, but again, anything green and probably at least some blue should work indoors with a powered signal booster (either built in or in-line).
http://www.antennaweb.org/Address
Unfortunately, Radio Shack used to be the go-to place for equipment.
Streaming HD content requires more bandwidth than standard definition programming. As more content becomes available in only HD, normal bandwidth consumption will balloon with no additional hours watched.
.
The newer 4k televisions can handle much larger streams.
Netflix and Amazon Prime already have some SuperHD programming available. More will be added to the cable offerings, too.
My cable co. increased by data allowance from 200 to 300 Gb and increased the speed from about 18 to 50 Mbps, for an increase in the Internet price, of course.
I have the 2nd level tier. Even when the data allowance was 200 Gb, I seldom ever got close to that, even with numerous times of binge watching via Netflix and other streaming sources.
the net neutrality crap is also probably going to eliminate competitors to AT&T and Comcast...and so you see, the crony capitalists will continue to suck up to the government teat.
Until one day. A reckoning.
There is no free lunch. Without the cord we are ultimately back to the 1960s. 3 networks, basically, and nothing else. But the truth and is that they are all the same anyway so why not?
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