Who has cut the cord?

[JVM225]

We cut the cable a couple years ago and just have Comcast internet service. For the first year we just used a antenna and Netflix but now I have Netflix, YoutubeTV and Amazon Prime Video. For the boat I installed a Ruku Stick and can stream the same services I have at home using the hotspot off my phone(Verizon) or marina WiFi. The boat has the KVH M1 but never use that.

These streaming services are getting more sophisticated with more choices coming on all the time.
I’m holding out for a service that allows at least 4 users on at a time in different locations (like Netflix lets us do) at no extra charge, has Cable News and Business Networks, Hallmark Channels (for the boss), History, Discovery, and Motor Trend (for me). Those are all basic channels and the ones we watch on cable about 90% of the time.
Once Game of Thrones, Ray Donovan and Shameless get cancelled I wouldn’t be upset about giving up HBO and Showtime. I could easily live without any of their other shows.
Roku is about to roll out their streaming live TV channel package, hopefully Amazon and Netflix won’t be far behind. Those three seem to have been the earliest and most sophisticated of the streaming services and once they’ve all gotten in to the Live TV end of it there should be some good competition.

 

[KevinC]

These streaming services are getting more sophisticated with more choices coming on all the time.
I’m holding out for a service that allows at least 4 users on at a time in different locations (like Netflix lets us do) at no extra charge, has Cable News and Business Networks, Hallmark Channels (for the boss), History, Discovery, and Motor Trend (for me). Those are all basic channels and the ones we watch on cable about 90% of the time.
Once Game of Thrones, Ray Donovan and Shameless get cancelled I wouldn’t be upset about giving up HBO and Showtime. I could easily live without any of their other shows.
Roku is about to roll out their streaming live TV channel package, hopefully Amazon and Netflix won’t be far behind. Those three seem to have been the earliest and most sophisticated of the streaming services and once they’ve all gotten in to the Live TV end of it there should be some good competition.

PlayStation Vue covers most of that. History is one exception now. There are 5 stream included. Only catch is the anywhere anytime. It just cannot be on a TV connected device like a firetv stick. A small computer with HDMI out is fine - go figure. My biggest kick is MSG for the hockey. Very few options for that. With the firetv sticks I get all my prime content and also run the Netflix app.

-Kevin

 

[bbwhitejr]

I am always hearing about “unlimited data.” My Verizon work phone has unlimited data and runs full speed all of the time when used as a Hotspot or when streaming directly from it. My wife went to Verizon’s unlimited plan on her personal phone and it ran full speed for the first few ‘gigs” and then it slowed down.

Which carrier has true unlimited data on a personal device and how much per month? When I retire, we have to figure out how to get the best deal for unlimited data.

Thanks,
Bennett

 

[KevinC]

I am always hearing about “unlimited data.” My Verizon work phone has unlimited data and runs full speed all of the time when used as a Hotspot or when streaming directly from it. My wife went to Verizon’s unlimited plan on her personal phone and it ran full speed for the first few ‘gigs” and then it slowed down.

Which carrier has true unlimited data on a personal device and how much per month? When I retire, we have to figure out how to get the best deal for unlimited data.

Thanks,
Bennett

I have unlimited 4g LTE hotspot off my T-Mobile phone. They also offer a a basic and 10gig plan. To get the unlimited l upgraded my phone for $25 per month - it comes with a bunch of other benefits too (especially if you travel). You can also add and remove the option whenever you want. I have also been tempted to add an additional line and move the unlimited hotpsot to a separate phone so that it is not reliant on where I am.

-Kevin

 

[Havana Shamrock]

We have T-Mobile unlimited on our phones the hotspot option works well but I added another T- Mobile unlimited hotspot device for the boat to stream the cameras and not rely on Marina wifi
We use our phones out of the country without worry T-mobile does have good options.
The device was not expensive and it's $10/month for the 3rd line
I haven't tried streaming video with it as it's new will

 

[JVM225]

PlayStation Vue covers most of that. History is one exception now. There are 5 stream included. Only catch is the anywhere anytime. It just cannot be on a TV connected device like a firetv stick. A small computer with HDMI out is fine - go figure. My biggest kick is MSG for the hockey. Very few options for that. With the firetv sticks I get all my prime content and also run the Netflix app.

-Kevin

Both kids are away at College. One in DC, and the other up in Troy. They both use Netflix while I’m using it at home or on the boat so the ability for seperate users to use it anywhere/anytime is a priority for now. My son watches it on his laptop in the dorm, but my daughter is in an apartment down in DC and she uses a Firestick with a TV so the PlayStation Vue wouldn’t work out for us right now.
The immediate future looks bleak too. Although she hopes to be moving to a Manhattan apartment with a friend when she graduates in May, it appears as though her plans don’t include paying for her own cell plan or TV service. That’s what they keep me around for.

 

[JVM225]

I am always hearing about “unlimited data.” My Verizon work phone has unlimited data and runs full speed all of the time when used as a Hotspot or when streaming directly from it. My wife went to Verizon’s unlimited plan on her personal phone and it ran full speed for the first few ‘gigs” and then it slowed down.

Which carrier has true unlimited data on a personal device and how much per month? When I retire, we have to figure out how to get the best deal for unlimited data.

Thanks,
Bennett

I’ve got an unlimited family talk, text, data plan with AT&T paired with the Direct TV account for the boat. The monthly bill is about $275.00 for service on four iPhones, one iPad, and the boat TV service.
We use a lot of data, especially the kids, and they don’t throttle it.
We’ve traveled all over the US and in Europe with it and had no service problems. You can up to an international plan when you leave the US, and I have done it in the past, but those plans are expensive and have restrictions on data, text, and calls.
We now find it cheaper and easier to just get local SIM cards for our unlocked phones when in Europe and only use the iPad with hotel WiFi there.

 

[bobeast]

I am always hearing about “unlimited data.” My Verizon work phone has unlimited data and runs full speed all of the time when used as a Hotspot or when streaming directly from it. My wife went to Verizon’s unlimited plan on her personal phone and it ran full speed for the first few ‘gigs” and then it slowed down.

Which carrier has true unlimited data on a personal device and how much per month? When I retire, we have to figure out how to get the best deal for unlimited data.

Thanks,
Bennett

Here you go

Truly unlimited, no throttling, no data cap.

 

[dtfeld]

Here you go

Truly unlimited, no throttling, no data cap.

Found it, prepaid plans, but has data caps on the hotspot similar to my other data caps. I'm using a Netgear mobile LTE router for data on the boat, so I think I'll still be limited to as they will consider this a hotspot. Might be worth looking at for just 1 ipad for streaming from.

I've been reading up on the new 5G stuff coming and I think data will start to open up this year as that technology starts to roll out. once that happens, streaming TV to the boat becomes a much better option.

 

[dtfeld]

Maybe an option??? Looks like $90 first month and then $60 there after. Looks kinda like a pre paid plan, but for hotspots. What is doesn't say is if the data is ever throttled.

https://www.otrmobile.com/shop/

 

[bbwhitejr]

Here you go

Truly unlimited, no throttling, no data cap.

I am not in need just yet, but will certainly keep this on the radar!

Thanks a lot!

Bennett

 

[bbwhitejr]

Found it, prepaid plans, but has data caps on the hotspot similar to my other data caps. I'm using a Netgear mobile LTE router for data on the boat, so I think I'll still be limited to as they will consider this a hotspot. Might be worth looking at for just 1 ipad for streaming from.

I've been reading up on the new 5G stuff coming and I think data will start to open up this year as that technology starts to roll out. once that happens, streaming TV to the boat becomes a much better option.

I hope you are right!!!!

Bennett

 

[Captn TJ]

Both kids are away at College. One in DC, and the other up in Troy. They both use Netflix while I’m using it at home or on the boat so the ability for seperate users to use it anywhere/anytime is a priority for now. My son watches it on his laptop in the dorm, but my daughter is in an apartment down in DC and she uses a Firestick with a TV so the PlayStation Vue wouldn’t work out for us right now.
The immediate future looks bleak too. Although she hopes to be moving to a Manhattan apartment with a friend when she graduates in May, it appears as though her plans don’t include paying for her own cell plan or TV service. That’s what they keep me around for.

why should you be any different from all of us parents out there.

 

[HUMPH]

Holy crap!!!...I was told last week mine is going to $70 w/modem and nothing else... its just a racket. My neighborhood has one provider.... it’s like government run health care.... it will just keep going up without competition

Holy Crap! I have Comcast Xfinity for 3 TV’s, high speed internet and a hard line phone and recently moved our security onto the package. We are consistently over $300 a month for our home service. This doesn’t include Netflix or any other online subscriptions. We are considering cutting cable and just using Netflix, Amazon Prime, Roku and others but will still need the high speed internet service and security. I am planning on researching options this month so this thread is timely!

 

[KevinC]

... it appears as though her plans don’t include paying for her own cell plan or TV service...

Cord cutting is not just for TVs... Sometimes it works for kids too

Funny thing is I know a few (real) adults who are still on their parents plans.

-Kevin

 

[Great Lakes]

Holy Crap! I have Comcast Xfinity for 3 TV’s, high speed internet and a hard line phone and recently moved our security onto the package. We are consistently over $300 a month for our home service. This doesn’t include Netflix or any other online subscriptions. We are considering cutting cable and just using Netflix, Amazon Prime, Roku and others but will still need the high speed internet service and security. I am planning on researching options this month so this thread is timely!

This was me for 2 years, besides the landline. We cut the TV part from xfinity in November but still use their internet. $99/m for internet plus Hulu Live $40. Saving $160/m without even trying. I’ll cut xfinity internet when 5g is up and running consistently.

We have a 3400sqft house plus 1500 sqft finished basement and we use a netgear router/modem combo from Best Buy. Signal is good throughout the house and basement.

I’ll be buying a smart tv for the cockpit this year and stream Hulu. We have a M3 tracvision but the feed is the same for the whole boat.

 

[Irie308]

This was me for 2 years, besides the landline. We cut the TV part from xfinity in November but still use their internet. $99/m for internet plus Hulu Live $40. Saving $160/m without even trying. I’ll cut xfinity internet when 5g is up and running consistently.

We have a 3400sqft house plus 1500 sqft finished basement and we use a netgear router/modem combo from Best Buy. Signal is good throughout the house and basement.

I’ll be buying a smart tv for the cockpit this year and stream Hulu. We have a M3 tracvision but the feed is the same for the whole boat.

$99 is still too much for their internet services.

 

[Irie308]

Holy Crap! I have Comcast Xfinity for 3 TV’s, high speed internet and a hard line phone and recently moved our security onto the package. We are consistently over $300 a month for our home service. This doesn’t include Netflix or any other online subscriptions. We are considering cutting cable and just using Netflix, Amazon Prime, Roku and others but will still need the high speed internet service and security. I am planning on researching options this month so this thread is timely!

We have the same overpriced setup. My wife is fully onboard. Going to replace our main family room tv for a more stream friendly smart tv.

 

[Great Lakes]

$99 is still too much for their internet services.

100% agree! We downgraded services so they jacked up the internet cost. I don’t expect anything else from Comcast. I’ll be free from land WiFi sooner than later

I suspect Comcast and others are starting to feel the pinch now. They better change their business model soon or it’s not going to be good for them. So many people I know have either cut already or are seriously considering it.

 

[KevinC]

... Going to replace our main family room tv for a more stream friendly smart tv...

Just my personal opinion, but I would go look for a TV that fits your needs and not worry about "stream friendly" portion. Just make sure it have the number of inputs you need and feed your stream from an external device (FireTV, Roku, etc.)

Things are changing way to fast and there is no need to pay more now and to have to upgrade your TV later because an app update is not available.

BTW, I run my FireTVs at home from an HDMI cable that is fed through the wall. Makes powering, accessing, replacing or rebooting easier if needed.

-Kevin