Pay-TV Bills Rising Exponentially

[Smokey]

In this article it predict that pay TV such as Cable and Satellite will rise 132% by year 2020.

The average monthly pay-TV bill is projected to top $200 by 2020, up 132% from $86 per month consumers paid for bundled TV service in 2011 – despite more households forgoing premium channels, according to new data from The NPD Group.

The meteoric rise in monthly fees for access to basic TV and premium channels such HBO, Showtime, Epix and Starz is noteworthy considering the influx of lower-cost over-the-top subscription video on demand services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus.

The average monthly pay-TV bill is expected to reach $123 by 2015, according to NPD. The projected fees do not include charges for broadband, basic Internet or telephone service. The company reports 16% of domestic households currently do not subscribe to pay-TV channels — a percentage that is up, with 5 million fewer households opting for premium channels due to the ongoing mortgage crisis.

“As pay-TV costs rise and consumers’ spending power stays flat, the traditional affiliate-fee business model for pay-TV companies appears to be unsustainable in the long term,” said Keith Nissen, research director for The NPD Group. “Much-needed structural changes to the pay-TV industry will not happen quickly or easily; however, the emerging competition between StreamingVOD and premium-TV suppliers might be the spark that ignites the necessary business-model transformation of the pay-TV industry.”

More info:

NPD: Pay-TV Bills Rising Exponentially | Home Media Magazine

[recoveryone]

what are you going to do smoke!, Dial up is non exsitent in most areas and about time you find a cheap BD player that meets your needs there will be no service that you would be willing to pay for to stream ......... I guess you will have to go back to the CRT and rabbit ears (plus the cost of the digital converter box) and catch all the OTA channels you can. Man progress sucks...........................LOL

[JoeE SP9]

Some of us are quite satisfied with OTA TV. I know that I am. The networks broadcast mostly in 1080i so I get free HDTV OTA.


For whatever else I want to watch I've got DVD, BR, the Internet (from one of my computers) and VHS tapes.

The audio and video from my computer network is just another source to my audio video gear.

[recoveryone]

Some of us are quite satisfied with OTA TV. I know that I am. The networks broadcast mostly in 1080i so I get free HDTV OTA.


For whatever else I want to watch I've got DVD, BR, the Internet (from one of my computers) and VHS tapes.

The audio and video from my computer network is just another source to my audio video gear.

Joe I'm only giving Smoke a hard time because he is soooooo cheap. He wants free broadband, A BR player that upconverts DVD to HD perfect for under $50 dollars and who knows what else. OTA is fine if you live in a major city with strong signals, but if you live 50-60 miles plus your choice/options will be limited, along with channel options. I'm no fan of paying for my TV viewing, but my location leaves me with no other choice. Price you pay for living near the hills , little crime, nice safe parks, clean streets......................

[markw]

Some people don't mind paying what they consider a fair price for services rendered. I get quite a few OTA stations but fingd the incredible variety and simplicity of having cable TV a bit too enticing. Call me lazy, stupid, or whatever you choose but with the bundle price of cable TV (with DVR, 3 TV's and premium stations), high-speed internet and a phone line to be fair and, considering the cost of stand-alone phone and high speed internet, actually quite reasonable.

My rates haven't gone up in four years. Of course, having FIOS also available gives me a very good bargaining chip.

[recoveryone]

I love my FIOS

[markw]

I love my FIOS

Now that we've come to an understanding, Comcast has been berry. berry good to me. It actually went down $8 this year. Like I said in my other post, it's nice when you have two competing services to play against each other. Now, when Comcast was the only game in town, it as a different story.

One thing about Comcast/Xfinity is that as long as we have hi-speed internet where we stay, virtually all of it's content is accessable from our laptops when we're traveling. ...at no extra charge.

[JoeE SP9]

If FIOS was offered in my hood I've already have it. for me it would be for the faster internet connection. Even though I've had the same DSL for 13+ years I wish it was faster.

[bobsticks]

Some people don't mind paying what they consider a fair price for services rendered. I get quite a few OTA stations but fingd the incredible variety and simplicity of having cable TV a bit too enticing. Call me lazy, stupid, or whatever you choose but with the bundle price of cable TV (with DVR, 3 TV's and premium stations), high-speed internet and a phone line to be fair and, considering the cost of stand-alone phone and high speed internet, actually quite reasonable.

Yup. I have the U-Verse system and having everything bundled up nice and neat is just too sweet. Ask 'em for a corporate bundle and the price is cut even further. I've had great service and even had my package upgraded for free several times just for taking surveys.

On the other hand, if prices doubled or tripled in a year's time I'd be pissed...

[Smokey]

My rates haven't gone up in four years.

Four years ago (post #3 below) you said were paying $140 (and up to $160 in few months) for bundled service. Are you still paying the similar amount for the same service?

Can you do live without Cable/satellite?

Like JoeE SP9, with OTA HD channels, DVDs and PC hooked up directly to TV with broadband, there is plenty to watch given limited time in front of TV in 24 hour period. I get four PBS channels and always find something interesting to watch on these channels. And it is commercial free

[markw]

If you re-read that four year old post and then re-read my initial post in this thread, you should be able to see the difference. ...or, are you trying to subtly imply that I'm a liar, which I really don't put past you.

If you had read both posts more carefully instead of trying to find fault in my words and actions, you would have noticed that that four years ago I didn't have phone service or a DVR. As part of the solution to my trials then, I upped the ante and went for the full bundle which includes phone service and a DVR. It's up somewhat from that $140 but hasn't gone up since then. Oh, at that time I only had one HD box. I now have two.

And, having Caller ID info displayed on the TV still tickles me.

Sometimes, if ya want the good stuff, ya gotta man up an pay the piper. Otherwise, enjoy doing without and playing the sour grapes game. How does your woman feel about your "frugalness"?

I gotta say, I'm impressed with your researching avbilities and ability to search back four years for one particular post in order to try to make a point. I guess not having a life outside of the internet does have it's advantages, doesn't it?

[Hyfi]

Joe I'm only giving Smoke a hard time because he is soooooo cheap. He wants free broadband, A BR player that upconverts DVD to HD perfect for under $50 dollars and who knows what else. OTA is fine if you live in a major city with strong signals, but if you live 50-60 miles plus your choice/options will be limited, along with channel options. I'm no fan of paying for my TV viewing, but my location leaves me with no other choice. Price you pay for living near the hills , little crime, nice safe parks, clean streets......................

Smokey is not totally alone..although I would not consider myself cheap. I did buy an OPPO 93 and never looked back.

But, I still just use a roof antenna and CHOOSE not to spend my money on pay TV. I also still use DSL which has gotten much faster since almost everyone was bullied into switching to FIOS as Verizon makes it sound as if we have no choice. I still use the same old Motorola Razr that I have had for 5 years with nothing but phone calls activated. I am not addicted to my phone as most people are these days walking around with no awareness of their surroundings or who they bump into as they text and surf.

Now add up all that savings per year.

[Smokey]

If you re-read that four year old post and then re-read my initial post in this thread, you should be able to see the difference. ...or, are you trying to subtly imply that I'm a liar, which I really don't put past you.

If you had read both posts more carefully instead of trying to find fault in my words and actions, you would have noticed that that four years ago I didn't have phone service or a DVR. As part of the solution to my trials then, I upped the ante and went for the full bundle which includes phone service and a DVR. It's up somewhat from that $140 but hasn't gone up since then. Oh, at that time I only had one HD box. I now have two.

And, having Caller ID info displayed on the TV still tickles me.

Sometimes, if ya want the good stuff, ya gotta man up an pay the piper. Otherwise, enjoy doing without and playing the sour grapes game. How does your woman feel about your "frugalness"?

I gotta say, I'm impressed with your researching avbilities and ability to search back four years for one particular post in order to try to make a point. I guess not having a life outside of the internet does have it's advantages, doesn't it?

Man, take it easy. I just wanted to know how much price of cable have risen during last four years as a follow up to my original post predicting that price of pay TV (not include broadband, basic Internet or telephone service) will rise from $86 to $123 by 2015.

[markw]

Man, take it easy. I just wanted to know how much price of cable have risen during last four years as a follow up to my original post predicting that price of pay TV (not include broadband, basic Internet or telephone service) will rise from $86 to $123 by 2015.

EVERY price on every utility rises. Why are you shocked at cable prices going up, particularly with the increased increased types/levels of services, and thereby increaded demand, for the service itself, they provide?

To ansewr your question, as it it's any of your business, since that time I've added:

Another HD box with a HD DVR

Telephone service with all the features that POTS offered, plus on-screen Caller ID.

What they've also provided is many additional channels, HD and on-demand included. Do you think new channels are added at no cost to the cable provider? Don't you think they should be able to pass those costs on?

Add in, additional on-demand services, and the ability to access any TV programming from any computer in the country that's connected to hi-speed internet, which is no biggie anymore.

I'm now paying $172 for the whole she-bang and I feel I'm getting a fair deal.