It seems like no matter who you ask people tell you they don't like their internet/cable carrier... and for the most part I was reasonably happy with Comcast for our Cable and Internet bundle here in South Bend. Over my years I have had DSL and Cable internet and am well versed in the pros and cons.
Well at home we have been wondering if what we paid for cable was worth it. In our bedroom upstairs we have just used an antenna since we bought out house. We get the main networks and a few other channels and the picture is better HD than we get from Comcast on our TV downstairs.
So we thought, lets cut the cable and save money. Well the hangup was, if we only got one thing from Comcast we would lose the bundle discount. So to go from cable plus internet to just cable we would of only saved $15 a month... WOW. We could save $20 a month if we went with their slowest internet speed, but without cable would also require a service visit we had to pay to have them come and install filters to ensure we didn't get cable and just internet.
I did some research and found that if I went with AT&T DSL at their fastest speed we would save $50 a month... it was a no brainer and Operation Fire Comcast commenced. There were a couple hang ups and things I had to be sure fell into place during this tactical operation.
First was purchasing an antenna for the main floor TV. After some research and reviews I picked up a $24 antenna from RadioShack and it worked like a charm. NBC, ABC, CBS, Weather, CW, PBS, and a few other channels all come in crystal clear (full HD) and with surround sound (5.1 Digital)!
Second was getting DSL installed. Our phone lines were all cut, but we got it all wired up and had a live wire in our kitchen that I found. I got it configured and the speed tests at the same speed I was getting with Comcast. the downside is that I need to find a good place to mount my router since it has to be in the kitchen (until this spring when I can work to run lines through our crawl space under the addition).
While I was at it I took the time to rewire everything. We don't need a cable box now, so I moved all of our equipment (DVD, VCR and Receiver) under the TV and it is all tucked away nicely in our built in cabinet.
Today was the final manouver of Operation Fire Comcast. I took all the equipment back to Comcast and turned off my service. The lady at the desk tried to tell me she could see if she could get me a special deal... I told her don't bother, I asked the people on the phone if they were offering me the best deal... they said yes, so I moved on. Any last minute tactic from them on a lower price because they saw I was serious about leaving wasn't going to work now...
Well they owe me $43.11 for the month I paid for already. So I guess the final move in this Operation is in their court now... to send me a refund. I am sure they will do their best to nickel and dime me out of my money, but I am ready to fight for it!
So hopefully AT&T will work well.... so far it is good and the air TV reception even through the snow storm has been great. I do miss ESPN... but hey the savings are worth it, and there are better things I can do with my time.