Cutting the cord

Illwinsagain · Jan 31, 2024

I know that there have been some wonderful posts about best options to drop cable. I couldn't find them and bring them back, so starting new. I am finally ready, went to YouTube TV, based on recommendations from here and it is telling me that the service is not available in my zip code (Cary, IL, 35 miles NW of Chicago). Can this be true or is it just some bug. I went online and tried to use their "help" center, but the AI doesn't understand me. I didn't find a phone number. I tried several other local zip codes and they didn't have the service either. Any thoughts?

GoDucks349 · Jan 31, 2024

I don't know if this info will be helpful, but I had a bad experience when I tried "cutting the cord". Xfinity/Comcast had been my cable provider and when I dropped the TV and kept the internet service, all of a sudden my internet speed became inconsistent and I had a lot of buffering issues. Xfinity said it was on my end and it was my problem. It's "amazing" that all the streaming services I had before dropping cable worked just fine. I made no equipment changes. Just seemed to be a "coincidence" that my internet service could no longer handle streaming. I think the term is "throttling or Internet throttling" just be aware. I'd recommend running some internet speed tests before you cut cable and document those speed tests then make sure you are still getting the same speed after you cut cable.

chrisRunner7 · Jan 31, 2024

Illwinsagain said:
I know that there have been some wonderful posts about best options to drop cable. I couldn't find them and bring them back, so starting new. I am finally ready, went to YouTube TV, based on recommendations from here and it is telling me that the service is not available in my zip code (Cary, IL, 35 miles NW of Chicago). Can this be true or is it just some bug. I went online and tried to use their "help" center, but the AI doesn't understand me. I didn't find a phone number. I tried several other local zip codes and they didn't have the service either. Any thoughts?

That sounds like a bug... I would be shocked if it's not available everywhere in the U.S. at this point. I just checked their website and they offer service to 60013 ZIP code, btw, so you should be able to sign up if that's your ZIP.

It's not cheap. Used to be $35 when it started out, but now it's just like paying for cable, but it's the best streaming service and the DVR is great.

Only drawback is now you have to play the maybe-I'll-cancel-unless-I-get-a-promotion game with your cable company on Internet plans or they will take every penny from you that they can, and they will also inevitably try to upsell you bigtime.

GrayGhost77 · Jan 31, 2024

GoDucks349 said:
I don't know if this info will be helpful, but I had a bad experience when I tried "cutting the cord". Xfinity/Comcast had been my cable provider and when I dropped the TV and kept the internet service, all of a sudden my internet speed became inconsistent and I had a lot of buffering issues. Xfinity said it was on my end and it was my problem. It's "amazing" that all the streaming services I had before dropping cable worked just fine. I made no equipment changes. Just seemed to be a "coincidence" that my internet service could no longer handle streaming. I think the term is "throttling or Internet throttling" just be aware. I'd recommend running some internet speed tests before you cut cable and document those speed tests then make sure you are still getting the same speed after you cut cable.

See if there is a fiber optic network provider near you. Should eliminate any unreliability and bandwidth issues and will have much higher upload speeds.

Illwinsagain · Jan 31, 2024

chrisRunner7 said:
That sounds like a bug... I would be shocked if it's not available everywhere in the U.S. at this point. I just checked their website and they offer service to 60013 ZIP code, btw, so you should be able to sign up if that's your ZIP.

It's not cheap. Used to be $35 when it started out, but now it's just like paying for cable, but it's the best streaming service and the DVR is great.

Only drawback is now you have to play the maybe-I'll-cancel-unless-I-get-a-promotion game with your cable company on Internet plans or they will take every penny from you that they can, and they will also inevitably try to upsell you bigtime.

You are right, it works now. I also appreciate the warning about Xfinity.

GoDucks349 · Jan 31, 2024

GrayGhost77 said:
See if there is a fiber optic network provider near you. Should eliminate any unreliability and bandwidth issues and will have much higher upload speeds.

It's all on fiber optic networks, I'm telling you the company was throttling the internet speed because I no longer subscribed to the cable tv they provided. Their was nothing wrong until I was only paying for internet via fiber optics.

bdutts · Jan 31, 2024

GoDucks349 said:
It's all on fiber optic networks, I'm telling you the company was throttling the internet speed because I no longer subscribed to the cable tv they provided. Their was nothing wrong until I was only paying for internet via fiber optics.

That's interesting. I did the same thing as you and didn't see any drop in service. They actually increased download speeds and in the process, raised rates some.

Would be nice to have a service that offered ala cart channels, as I probably watch 15 total.

IlliniSaluki · Jan 31, 2024

We just "cut the cord" on Monday. We had DirecTV and were also paying for a few diff streaming services. One reason we decided to go with Hulu + LIve TV because it came with the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ Bundle. I had the disney bundle already so was able to cancel that subscription. All in all we ended up saving around $125 dollars between dropping DirecTV and canceling the Disney bundle since it is included in the Hulu Live TV subscription.

The main reason we decided to go with Hulu was because of the A&E channels (A&E, History channel, etc) that YoutubeTV does not have. We have had Spectrum Gig internet + Home Phone and have had no issues with speeds with it. So far so good on the Hulu Live tv streaming. We are using our Roku on the main tv with no issues and in my room I just watch stuff on my PC.

Hopefully it stays running this smoothly going forward.

pruman91 · Jan 31, 2024

IlliniSaluki said:
We just "cut the cord" on Monday. We had DirecTV and were also paying for a few diff streaming services. One reason we decided to go with Hulu + LIve TV because it came with the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ Bundle. I had the disney bundle already so was able to cancel that subscription. All in all we ended up saving around $125 dollars between dropping DirecTV and canceling the Disney bundle since it is included in the Hulu Live TV subscription.

The main reason we decided to go with Hulu was because of the A&E channels (A&E, History channel, etc) that YoutubeTV does not have. We have had Spectrum Gig internet + Home Phone and have had no issues with speeds with it. So far so good on the Hulu Live tv streaming. We are using our Roku on the main tv with no issues and in my room I just watch stuff on my PC.

Hopefully it stays running this smoothly going forward.

I've had Hulu live + for over 5 years and had very few issues other than their price increases.........customer service is the best I have ever had in all my tv subscriptions over the years..........it really really is.............