OT: Bruins games without cable? Slingbox?

[bostonphoenix]

I'm led to believe that NHL gamepass does the same thing as mlbtv.

If you are overseas, you have to understand what the change in time means.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Let's all give a rousing hand to the man primarily responsible for giving us the outrageous bills and monopolistic cable business we enjoy today.

Huh? I have my choice of Directv, Comcast and Verizon. Monopolistic? Outrageous bills? Not here (less than $50 a month for two TVs with genie, more channels than I need and free Sunday Ticket Max).

 

[ReggieMoto]

Huh? I have my choice of Directv, Comcast and Verizon. Monopolistic? Outrageous bills? Not here (less than $50 a month for two TVs with genie, more channels than I need and free Sunday Ticket Max).

Curious where your market is?

Here in southern NH there is no cable/fiber competition. Your choices are Comcast or nothing. You can go the satellite route, but as was mentioned earlier it is difficult to get line-of-sight here without some logging exercise first.

Curious what you get for $50.00? My Comcast bill for Internet alone is almost $60.00! Then there are the digital television charges on top of that which aren't insignificant.

I read a bit on the telecomm act and from what I can see, the results are more in line with what the opposition thought was going to happen instead of the proponents. Competition has been reduced as a result of deregulation due to the mergers and acquisitions that have occurred. Perhaps larger markets (urban and suburban) haven't been impacted as much.

 

[DoubleAAAA]

it was constantly freezing/buffering or whatever and would lag anywhere from 4-8 minutes depending on whatever issues. i tested it at my mom's house with a different internet connection and it was the same. was the same on my phone, though i had sprint at the time so i'm not really surprised since i could barely send text messages with sprint.

i just can't justify $150 for it. $50 was one thing. more money for less content than mlb.tv is ridiculous.

Crazy, that sucks dude. I wouldn't pay if I had the same issues either. My experience on the whole has been good, so I guess it's buyer beware.

 

[Bridges31]

Cable and internet for me is $140 a month. That's without any premium channels (i.e. HBO, Starz). I have one HD DVR and that's it. No other TV's in the apartment. I wish I could drop Comca$t but my landlord says that's all I can use (no sat.)

I wish I could just get NESN and NBCSports. I have no need for any other channel

 

[bostonphoenix]

Cable and internet for me is $140 a month. That's without any premium channels (i.e. HBO, Starz). I have one HD DVR and that's it. No other TV's in the apartment. I wish I could drop Comca$t but my landlord says that's all I can use (no sat.)

I wish I could just get NESN and NBCSports. I have no need for any other channel

I don't believe legally they can make you chose like that.

It would probably take more time and money than it's worth, but you should be able to fight that.

 

[BNHL]

I don't believe legally they can make you chose like that.

It would probably take more time and money than it's worth, but you should be able to fight that.

I think you are right,that fight has been won by tenants I believe. Here's a start
"In 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules for Over-the-Air-Reception Devices (“OTARD” rules). The OTARD rules prohibit restrictions on a property owner or tenant’s right to install, maintain, or use an antenna to receive video programming from direct broadcast satellites (DBS), broadband radio services (formerly referred to as multichannel multipoint distribution services or MMDS), and television broadcast stations (TVBS). However, there are exceptions to the OTARD rules, including provisions for safety and preservation of historic areas."

 

[Alicat]

I don't believe legally they can make you chose like that.

It would probably take more time and money than it's worth, but you should be able to fight that.

Yes they can.

I can have RCN or Comcast only. Fios isn't available in Boston and we aren't allowed to mount dishes to the side of the building

 

[GordonHowe]

Huh? I have my choice of Directv, Comcast and Verizon. Monopolistic? Outrageous bills? Not here (less than $50 a month for two TVs with genie, more channels than I need and free Sunday Ticket Max).

Where do you live? In Boston, cable bills from Comcast (our provider) and AT&T are through the frigging roof. I wouldn't say this stuff if I hadn't experienced it. I'm an equal opportunity supporter/hater per a given politician.

I remember when my Cablevision bill was $28. Yes, things have changed considerably since the early '90s, but a $200 plus monthly bill is outrageous, and Markey had a large hand in bringing this about. Again, I'm no Republican or "conservative."

 

[Minny Shinny]

Where do you live? In Boston, cable bills from Comcast (our provider) and AT&T are through the frigging roof. I wouldn't say this stuff if I hadn't experienced it. I'm an equal opportunity supporter/hater per a given politician.

I remember when my Cablevision bill was $28. Yes, things have changed considerably since the early '90s, but a $200 plus monthly bill is outrageous, and Markey had a large hand in bringing this about. Again, I'm no Republican or "conservative."

Public utilities in general are natural monopolies and get such protection from government it maddens me.

As far as TV service, I get crappy line of sight to no real chance of satellite for me unless I alter how my backyard looks. RCN and Fios aren't available, so I am hamstrung by Comcast, who I detest.

This is why I don't feel the least bit bad about people who cry foul about 'illegal streams.' Perhaps if more entities were able to participate in the market and have to at least look like they give a **** for the public dollar, I'd be more inclined to follow the "rules." They don't, so I don't.

It's the man, man.

 

[GordonHowe]

Public utilities in general are natural monopolies and get such protection from government it maddens me.

As far as TV service, I get crappy line of sight to no real chance of satellite for me unless I alter how my backyard looks. RCN and Fios aren't available, so I am hamstrung by Comcast, who I detest.

This is why I don't feel the least bit bad about people who cry foul about 'illegal streams.' Perhaps if more entities were able to participate in the market and have to at least look like they give a **** for the public dollar, I'd be more inclined to follow the "rules." They don't, so I don't.

It's the man, man.

It is "The Man," man. I wasn't hurting anyone when I found "alternative online means" to watch the B's when our Comcast service was cut off due to lack of $.

"Then don't get cable." A fair response. Just making my way through the labyrinth, Ladies & Germs.

 

[Mad-Marcus]

I surprised at how many people don't know the following fact about the lack of further FIOS expansion anywhere. Do a search for Comcast/Verizon Fios agreement. I found this article by accident on a communications financial news site. A few years back Verizon agreed to stop expanding into Comcast's business areas so that Comcast would not go into the wireless business. If it smells like collusion and tastes like collusion. Some anti trust laws we have in this country. I wish I had the link to share.

 

[DOGSTARMAN]

A few years back Verizon agreed to stop expanding into Comcast's business areas so that Comcast would not go into the wireless business. If it smells like collusion and tastes like collusion. Some anti trust laws we have in this country.

Interesting, had not heard that wrinkle to the FiOS expansion halt. The government usually is pretty aggressive on anti-trust matters, or at least as much as "aggressive" applies to anything the government does. But with the current "do nothing" situation in Washington, I guess it is not a big surprise that all manner of shady maneuvers will happen while Rome burns

 

[ReggieMoto]

A few years back Verizon agreed to stop expanding into Comcast's business areas so that Comcast would not go into the wireless business. If it smells like collusion and tastes like collusion. Some anti trust laws we have in this country. I wish I had the link to share.

Interesting, had not heard that wrinkle to the FiOS expansion halt. The government usually is pretty aggressive on anti-trust matters, or at least as much as "aggressive" applies to anything the government does. But with the current "do nothing" situation in Washington, I guess it is not a big surprise that all manner of shady maneuvers will happen while Rome burns

This may be what Mad-Marcus is referring to (this is a year old):

From an article in Deadline.com (July 9, 2012):

House Dems Say Verizon Wireless Deal With Comcast “Raises Serious Concernsâ€

The letter from 32 House Democrats to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski and Attorney General Eric Holder comes as the two agencies head into the home stretch of their review of Verizon‘s nearly $4B deal to buy wireless spectrum from Comcast and other cable companies — and cross-market each other’s services.

Then there was this about a month later:

From an article in CNN Money (Aug 16, 2012):

DOJ approves major Verizon spectrum deal, with amended terms

The U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday that it will approve a controversial spectrum sale deal between Verizon, Comcast and three other cable companies, after some revisions to remove terms that the DOJ considers anti-competitive.

The agreement bars Verizon from selling cable services in areas where FiOS is available. The agency also limited the length of the agreement to five years, ending in December 2016. At that point, the cable companies can begin selling other wireless companies' services.

From the perspective of a consumer living in southern NH, neither the DoJ nor the FCC did anything substantial to maintain any degree of competition since Verizon has abandoned FIOS and left us with no real alternative other than Comcast/Xfinity.