Cutting the Cord

Today was the day I finally rid myself of Comcast.  Well sort of.  TV services that is.

Some background, I have been a Comcast Basic cable user for over ten years.  The bundle I started with was internet which tossed in basic for the same value if I had without.  At some point the digital HDTV revolution occurred, flat-screens were purchased and I was hooked on something called QAM tuning.  It was great, I get my local TV, without the fuss of an antennae.  Aside from that, some odd ball channels would show up too, such as food, history and fox news.  Assuming it was a trial to get me hooked, I never took it too seriously when they disappeared.  Trial over I guess.

Now, I'm not 100% on this, but I had been under the impression, they had to give me non-encrypted basic service if I was a basic subscriber.  Law and stuff.  But at some point that law was phased out (lobbyists in action) and Comcast was green lit to encrypt the basic service, killing QAM across the country.

Its been a slow wave, but it happened last week for me.  The Lansing area QAM was encrypted, leaving residents to either hook up a decryption box (Free for a limited time) per TV or residents could brave the -10 weather (-30 Wind Chill) erecting an antenna.  Great timing.

Luckily, thanks to social media, I knew this day was near, and had done some preliminary research.  The result, antennas are not a hassle at all (that is, if you have warm weather).  I opted with a plugin amazon window type, which seems to get me all the local stuff, with a little breakage with FOX.  It'll do until the snow melts.

Why not just use the box?  1) I have 3 TVs so I would have been hit with a rental fee, 2) I have a home built PVR.  3) Principle; they say its for my own quality of service ...WTF?!?  4) Modern ways to consume media (Netflix, Library, etc).  Regarding the PVR, trying to get my system to work with a encryption box just seemed horrendous, better things to spend my time.

In the end, Comcast went with the choke hold.  $3.00 processing fee, and they tacked up my rate another $3 per month, because its not part of a "bundle".  The result, $57, down from $79, plus I'll be able to skip the "other TV fees" which totaled $3.00.  Huh ..$3; no coincidence there folks!

Next up, shopping for other internet options, though I'm not high hopes on this front.

PART II - Comcast Strikes Back