Cutting the Cord

You hear about it often... people that give up Satellite or Cable TV and just use the over the air signal.

For the past 6 months that is exactly what I have done.

I have 7 flat screen TV's in my house. I noticed that over the years I was watching less and less TV, so, I knocked my DirecTV  service down to just one TV.

I had the middle tier package and the DVR service.

One TV and my bill was $97 a month. 97 bucks for just one fricking TV!

I called DirecTV and told them I wanted to cancel their service. They transferred me to their Retention Department.  

The job of these people is to get you to not drop their service. They can give you some pretty good deals. If you have DirecTV, call them and threaten to quit, I promise your bill will be lowered. 

I told the guy that I thought it was ridiculous that I was paying $100 for 1 TV set. Right away he says he can knock $20 off that price. 

We talked a bit longer and then he said he will throw in the HD channels for free...another $10. So now were down to $70 a month, but still that is just for one TV.

He says he'll throw in HBO and Showtime for 6 months at no charge. He also says if I want the Sunday NFL Ticket I can have it for half price.

I tell him all that sounds good and I am willing to stay a customer under that new deal.

Then he tells me I would have to sign on for 2 more years.

What?!

I tell him that I'll take the deal, but I'm not getting locked into another 2 year contract. He tells me that is the only way I'm getting the deals he offered.

I said to him, if DirecTV's service is so good, why do you have to lock the customer in a long term contract? If your service is good, wouldn't I just want to stay a customer without the contract?

He said no contract, no deal. I cancelled the service that day.

Everyday DirecTV sends me an email saying that want me back. I have deleted every email.

I bought and HD antenna for my TV. Did you know that the HD on the over the air signal is a much better picture than anything with cable or satellite? It is....I mean it really looks good.

Between watching my local stations and having an Apple TV with Netflix, I really haven't missed Satellite/Cable TV much at all.

I do miss having the Golf Channel, but I really don't miss anything else. I sure don't miss paying that $100 every month that's for sure.

I might go back to cable at some point, but I'm in no hurry.

It's funny that I worked in TV most of my adult life and now I barely even watch it. Not sure what that says about TV or me....but cutting the cord  is something that more and more people are starting to do.