It is truly a shame that these giant corporations are purposefully, taking advantage of people, and in particular, elderly people. This industry should be better regulated to prevent such abhorrent behavior.
I did this for years with my Dad in Indianapolis. He just had basic cable and internet. Every time I visited him, his bill was above $140 per month, and I was able to get it down to less than $100 per month. When Dad died, it was SO satisfying to call Comcast and cancel the service.
My father was in assisted living in Farmington CT and his finances were managed and, for that matter hidden by an unscrupulous woman who "helped" seniors managed their finances. After some serious digging I found he had a $200 package from Comcast that had many of the same sketchy surcharges for stuff had were basically useless for a retiree with a single 24 inch LCD TV. In addition, when I checked his bank account it seems he was being hit with monthy bank fees due to similar mismanagement. Long story short, be active in your parents finances as much as you can because it's a jungle out there!
@@supriyasou3722 check out your local health department, not the Government one but the local health administration office and a lot of times they have things for seniors including social workers
i agree. Lon is helping expose the greedy bullshit cable industry and to be real honnest roku in my opinion is damaging cable industry , why should i pay comcast or AT&T cable service if Roku has the shows youre into for 100% free???
@@me4654 im jsing that why should you pay comcast for tv service that you dont care or like to watch if roku has your shows for free with the exception of internet service
@@me4654 right thats what im saying here , is disconnect the cable and only use their internet service , we dont need cable only need internet once you get internet you can open the flood gate to a hell ton of entertainment shows for free
I had my senior aged parents cut the cord 4 years ago. They were paying $200 for triple bundle service; about $70 went to an assortment of taxes/cable box rental fees! Moved their 40+ years old landline number to Magic Jack and bought them a few Roku devices. They don't regret it.
Doing a great job looking out for your parents. It's real shame that big companies are incentivized to have terrible customer service. This crap really needs to stop.
Is he really doing a great job looking out though? Sure, the run around returning the devices is ridiculous and its great he is helping there today, but this has been ongoing since at least 2018. You could buy your own modem back then, as well as Roku was a thing already. If he was really looking out they would have been bringing their own equipment for years.
I have Spectrum, or better said, Spectrum has me. Over 10 years ago I gave them back their modem because I had purchased my own. In 2015 I discovered that a Roku box would work instead of their overpriced box. I have saved thousands! I have a spare cable modem and I have more than enough Roku boxes. Congrats on saving your mom a ton of money.
Also have Spectrum, just jammed down my throat in the complex I live in but that is another issue, and I wanted no wires in my home except going to the modem. My issue is their must be a deal that both Spectrum and Comcast have with Roku. I already had a Nvidia Shield and a Fire stick on every TV but the app is not available for those devices. So buying used Roku devices and the downside there is the inability to have Audio go to my Bose speakers. Roku will only allow Roku speakers to be connected to a Roku device. I have never been a fan of Roku which is why I already had 5 Fire sticks. Obviously the Roku deal with Spectrum/Comcast has money changing hands to keep Amazon out of the picture.
@@paulk468 yes I noticed that with Roku app,I couldn't scan broadcast channels with the Roku plugged in and the Samsung TV won't let me go to speakers and set up Bluetooth with the antenna! If no one believes that this is a huge plan? Their wrong
I have an insider that audits the Comcast customer service calls and a majority of the call are about bill increase. Now I understand why, I'll give this feed back.
Great job! Thank you for helping your parents. I did exactly the same thing with my cousin, now from paying $181.00 per month, she only pays $35 a month.She is saving a total of $1,752 per year. It feels good to help . 👍
Good on you Lon for walking through this in great detail to highlight the challenge faced by non-technical customers. Tech companies need to begin to understand that honesty and customer first attitudes are the only way they will succeed in the future. Everyone with a Grandparent or elderly Parent should watch this. Job well done!
I just helped my mom with the exact same thing. We installed a Roku to replace her cable box in an additional room on an old TV. That process was fairly easy as I already do the same thing in my home. You were exactly right, passwords were an issue. Because my mom is a retired senior on a fixed income she qualified for the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program. We jumped through a lot of hoops to make it happen but she now saves $30 on her monthly Comcast/Xfinity bill. Thanks for sharing your experience and tips, good info!
Great going Lon! We all need to help our parents out theses days. I just went though this with dishnetwork, they were charging my parents for 5 TV's, boxes and 4k... at most they use 2... they now have roku boxes where they need them. Saving over $100 per month.!
As a parent, thank you! Right now my hubby handles it. If it were up to me we would be in big trouble. My youngest asks questions to make sure we are on top of stuff and we appreciate it.
I wish I could get my parents to cut the cord but they have a triple-play package as well and refuse to give it up despite how much they complain about it. My mom is the type that says she only needs a few shows/channels but actually doesn't want to give up all of the other channels "just in case" nothing is on her usual channels that she wants to watch. My dad is stuck keeping mom happy even though he's the one most willing to cancel since he has to pay the bill. I cut the cord 13 years ago and never looked back. He's paying over $300 a month, I never payed more than $80.
Have you tried introducing her to DirecTV Stream? Has 99% of the channels Comcast does, and has the feel of cable. Will be switching my parents over to DirecTV Stream, just the taxes and fees plus equipment will cover most of the cost
Thank you much for these tips. I was able to get my mother's bill reduced by having rental equipment charges removed (she has Internet and phone via Comcast but cancelled the TV service. Comcast was still charging her rental fees for equipment she longer uses!!!). Your insight is much appreciated. Keep up the good work!! -Kevin
The answer to cable company issues is _always_ cancel the cable. Find the cheapest broadband service in the area and use streaming boxes / services. Being able to instantly swap out services (move to any other internet provider / streaming box / streaming provider) is the key to keeping prices low. As soon as a company becomes a monopoly in an area / industry, prices start going up because the consumer has no choice to move to someone else.
Definitely was miraculous how our internet went from 5mbps to almost 50mbps for a slightly lower price once att fiber installed conduit and started advertising. For years the cable company (not comcast) was the only option. I'd switch over, just haven't wanted to sign a contract.
Wow. Those equipment fees… We had just a single box in the house, using our own cable modem, etc. But when January rolled around, our bill went up $15 just in fees. Luckily Frontier Fiber blanketed both my town and the one next door (where my parents live). We’ve all switched. Saving about $75 a month for us, with gigabit symmetrical. Just had to switch to another TV service (we went with RUclips).
Thanks for the walkthrough of this. I disconnected my Xfinity box Monday morning and walked it to the shopping store saving me the $10 a month rental PLUS now I can get my service in my bedroom through my Roku. Now, to pick apart the rest of the bill!
Great video! I did this same thing for a senior family member, except she opted to replace her tvs with Roku tvs instead of the HDMI devices. She loves this new configuration and says she likes having Roku tvs better. Saving a bunch of money by not using Xfinity boxes of any kind.
Excellent video!! I have the same problems with Comcast/Xfinity. It is extremely complicated and maddening to deal with these people--almost impossible to speak to a human--and when (if) you do get one, they have great difficulty with English! Perhaps this is part of Comcast's plans to make it difficult for us to understand what's going on and/or make any changes. Your video is a great start on something important to many of us . Please stay on it.
Just did the same for my parents because Xfinity had added all kind of fees into their account as well. Kept Xfinity internet & landline phone (parents didn’t want to give it up) then switched their TV to RUclips TV and saved them roughly $125 per month.
You can keep just internet and phone. I didn’t think Comcast let us do that. The Cable bill is so high, I don’t watch cable except news, I have Hulu so most network shows are on their streaming app a day later
@@MarcoThePHX hey Marco bro hear me out , i did the same thing and i noticed that by getting roku which i personally have the roku 4K stick well i did the match and discovered that youtube tv only cost $780 for 12 months vs AT&T that charged us $165/month making the bill be $1,980 for 12 months. i tried out youtube tv and noticed that with youtube tv they have everything i love from nascar to wwe wrestling monday and friday nights to college football and baseball and then they actually have shows on youtube tv that my ma loves to genuinely see so we can both use youtube tv at the same win win situation for us both and add fuel the fire im saving a hell ton $$$ by giving AT&T the middle finger to their bullshit money so i personally love youtube tv so much more then only anything my ownly regret i didnt get youtube tv back in Decemeber another thing i really really really looooooove about youtube tv is you get to pause your live program and can rewind and fat forward for up to 15 seconds you can then add your channel and youtubetv will record the show and do the work for you so then later you can see your program best part $65/per month hell of a lot better then that greedy bull shit service you so call fubo with fubo they're greedy clowns are charging between $90 - to $107 depending ont he package which would be like over the $thousands mark
We cancel each year and sign up again as a new customer for the intro rate. Tip: when cancelling tell the operator your are moving this will insure a hassle free termination. If you just cancelling they will redirect your call to a so call cancelation department and eventually they will just hang up on you.
Where I leave the regulatory agency stipulates that old customers can have the same discounts and promotions that new ones. So, if an ISP or cable company denies this, it is just a matter of creating a ticket with "ANATEL."
I've done this for several family members who were paying too much for Xfinity, but I switched them to RUclips TV in the process. Now they just pay Xfinity for internet.
Great video Lon, I’m in the UK but really interesting to see how crazy some of the prices are in the US! We’ve never had to pay to rent equipment in the UK, just sometimes there is a one off fee to start but that’s only ever ~$/£30. Our internet speeds aren’t the best (I get a solid 45Mbps down 16Mbps up, which is more than ample normal home usage) but I only pay £33 (about $40) a month and that’s it. We have the annual “TV Licence” which is £150 a year but that does get you all the BBC iPlayer as well as multiple other ad supported alternatives. The only alternative which is priced in a similar way as you describe is Sky TV, which charges for additional TV boxes, extra channels etc. but that is easily avoided if you don't want it. Lots of people moan about the UK but it seems like we get a much better deal with TV and internet costs! (Obviously we’re a lot smaller in size!) Good to see you were able to save your mom some money
In the USA we are allowed to buy the equipment..... So I don't have any monthly fees for equipment... My internet Download speed is three times as fast as yours but my upload speed is about the same as yours .... Includes one free Xfinity streaming box... Plus a Paramount Plus streaming service, which I can watch on any device.... And I only pay $30 a month.... And the pound is higher than the dollar, so you do pay more.... Plus OTA is free in the US.... And there's even a program now that reimburses up to $30 for the internet, for people with a limited income... The bottom line is not every American is paying extremely high prices quoted here... Or even more than Europeans or Brits.... Is the UK still part of Europe?
@@nc3826 Haha yeah still part of Europe but no longer in the EU so we won't automatically get included in the laws and rules that they are pushing Apple/Google/Facebook to adhere to.
@@andydavies27 Yep you, Switzerland, Norway etc... but don't forget to tell, Northern Ireland how great it is.... i hope Rishi's plan works out...I would hate to see the troubles start up again...
I just dropped my Xfinity cable completely. They sent me a Flex box and all it did was essentially a duplicate the kind of thing a Roku offered. I disconnected the Flex and put it in a drawer to be returned someday. Then I got a Roku and I’m happy as a clam. Xfinity is not a customer oriented company.
You ask the customer about old set top boxes. They don’t know where they are, they don’t understand SD vs HD. That can’t even tell a difference from SD to HD. You can blame both parties. Comcrap for not trying to help her and people who don’t know want they are paying for
As a person who used to work for another cable provider I am actually surprised how much worse Comcast is. A lot of the stuff is done the same but there are some crazy charges I never saw where I worked. The lack of support on devices and platforms for apps is crazy though and these companies need to work on that. It is the number one complaint I get.
Great video. I just kicked xfinity tv service to the curb. The fees and taxes are ridiculous. I had to keep internet service however I own my on modem. We own all smart TV and are able to watch free services that offer live tv. We will be saving over $1000 per year
We did the same thing in our house. We already a ROKU Premier and an Ultra. After watching your channel for a while I bought 2 NVIDIA shields for the Living room and Mast bedroom. I put the Rokus in the Kitchen and an upstairs bedroom. I wired my house with Cat 5E years ago so everything except the kitchen is wired. When COVID hit we dumped cable and signed up for RUclips TV for television. And when I retired a few years ago, I dumped the Comcast gateway and put in a Arris Surfboard modem and a Synology 2600 router. My bills dropped about $100 a month. I would recommend cutting as much Comcast exposure as you can.
Every time I got my bill it was higher and I had to call Comcast and fight with them to try to speak to someone and then waste my time. That's the reason I paid to have an antenna professionally installed on my roof, That, Apple TV with Pluto, free Sling, etc., is all I need, for free, well besides internet.
Hey Lon. I have been sharing a small apartment in SF with a senior lady that onky knows how to consume TV using the garbage COMCAST service. After struggling with passwords and all, I came to a conclusion that the easy way to handle her accont passwords is to create an account on a password manager like Bitwarden and then use a smartphone to login into the services. To provide internet a bought a used Motorola modem. What still kills me every month is seeing and paying - on the top of theirs TV bills - extra $45 in Broadcast and Sports Fees on what I call the "rip off of the century" practice by this old elephant tv corporations.
I would suggest that you consider installing an indoor or attic antenna for your local stations and keeping comcast only for the internet connection, this will give your Mother all the local stations on all of her 4 TV's. Also purchase your own modem which will pay for itself in less than a year. As all the TVs are connected to cable you just have to replace the cable connection with an antenna. this should cut the monthly bill to less than $70.00/mo
I’ve been dealing with this same thing for a week. You are right, no one is in the USA. They are a call center in the Philippines. Sweet girls but you get someone new each time I call. I kept my main channels in the living room and my grandson put Roku in the bedroom. I got my own modem/router. They talked me into getting my phone through them. I changed from Tmobile to Comcast. They had a hard time doing it. No telling what my bill will look like. I’m glad for your post though. I thought maybe I was just too old to understand . Glad to know I’m not just stupid and that they are crooked.
They are so crooked! My bill literally goes up each month, they tried to get me to do the phone thing but absolutely not. Next time you have a problem with your bill call them and when you finally get a rep ask to be sent to the retention department. They are so awful I could go on for hours on how they keep screwing me over 🥲
Comcast originally started using those adapters when they changed over from analog to digital and at that time they were sent out completely free. In fact, they made a big deal about advertising that they were completely free. Then they have started charging a couple dollars a month for something that was supposed to have been free. Then they charged more and more. We're now paying $10 a month per tv for something that was originally supposed to be free. Comcast is a sleazy outfit.
I am *never* buying a house or renting an apartment in Comcast/Xfinity territory where they are the only realistic ISP option. It's on my dealbreakers list. I've heard/read too many horror stories that I'm comfortable boycotting the company. For the people who have already bought a house and grown roots, they don't necessarily have that freedom. Just appalling how monopolistic and price-gougy the Internet/telecom/cable industry is in the USA. Fiber to the Home/Premises (including municipal fiber) cannot roll out fast enough, especially to suburban and rural locations!
Same, it was literally on our deal break list with our Realtor. The house we purchased (our first home) has multiple ISP's, and I'm keen on making sure each know it and know they have competition 😂
Lon, I enjoy so many of your videos. But THIS ONE... This one hit it out of the park for a bases-loaded home run! This is a giant public service announcement for TV and internet consumers everywhere! Thank you so very much. Also, this reminds me that I need to do my annual check to see if my set of services from my various vendors is still the best deal for my needs.
Hello Lon, good deal. I did this 5 years ago when I got rid of Directv. I purchased a Tivo Edge w/cable card for the main TV and use Tivo 4k Mini's and Xfinity Stream via ROKu's on 3 other TVs. I also purchased on own router (Asus RT-82U) and my own modem for internet. This way I am not paying for any rental equipment. I have only 1 cable entering the house with a spitter where one cable goes to internet router and one goes to my Tivo DVR. All others are connected via Ethernet cat-6 cables. I would suggest using all of your own equipment which would be much more reliable in the long run. Good Luck PM
I dropped Xfinity in Nov 2022 to a fiber only provider. My internet is now 3X the speed and I save $150.00 per month. I was so happy to rip out all the coaxe cable. Not one regret!
The X1 box you showed is the 4K XG1 DVR box, that is most likely why she got hit with the additional $10 Premium DVR charge. She should've had the XG2 which would've given her cloud DVR.
We dropped Xfinity several years ago for RUclipsTV when ATT put fiber in our neighborhood. Still more channels than we watch but it has our locals, plenty of sports, and many available premium services. We pay slightly less than $170 a month for 500 Mbps Internet (its tests as 650+ down), 6 TVs with 85 channels & HBO Max (one time cost for Rokus not included), and VoIP phone with 2 numbers. A bit more work to roll your own and set up but way more reliable than our old cable service. It was such a hassle to cancel Xfinity that we will never go back.
Just setup RUclips Tv on all 6 ROKU'S , planning to drop Spectrum DVR and cable package should drop my bill by $65 per month. I'll still get every channel, all local channels, also DVR of all my family favorites. Sad our lowest basic internet is costing $80/ month. (Intro price is $49 then jumps to $80) Thanks for you insight I've been following your tech advice for years and appreciate your expertise!
Thanks for this info! My concern unfortunately is OTHER fees lately such as the “TV Broadcast” fee. It was only $10 in 2018. Jump 5 years and it’s $27!! 😳😱 This is NOT in addition to the $30+ for Basic TV that USED to be free!! So we’re paying $57 for FREE TV!! (+ the boxes so that’s another $25 here so it’s actually 82). It’s ABSURD!! Like many others I’m ditching TV and will just buy the internet. I barely have the $70 for that let alone the other crap.
If your currently in a promotion/contract with Concast, you can change/downgrade service without incurring the early termination. As long as you keep at least one service with Concast, you won't be charged the early termination fee. Next month going to be switching my elderly parents over to streaming, as their paying almost $300, which they will be paying over $300 once their promotion expires. Downgrading their service to just phone and internet and will be switching their TV service over to Directv Stream, offers unlimited DVR storage, has way better picture quality and doesn't have all those added fees like regional sports fee and broadcast TV fee. They currently pay almost $100 just for equipment + taxes and fees, so that alone will cover most of the cost for Directv Stream. Sure there are cheaper streaming services like RUclips TV, but they don't have all the channels Directv Stream does.
I cancelled my cable tv service in 2023 and bought an amazon fire cube. I then cancelled several apps/channels that I was not watching very often. Finally, I bought a Motorola modem and returned my Comcast modem. I have not signed up for a live tv streaming service such as Sling TV, RUclips TV, etc. Because of these steps I am saving approximately $100.00 a month vs what I was paying when I had cable.
Thanks Lon! I just did this with a Roku 4200 x that had been sitting in it's box for years! Now I can return the TV box and it'll save me $120+ a year!
My fiber connection dropped spontaneously the other day; I called support and they confirmed the box failed. My service had been sold and re-sold to two other providers since I'd gotten it and I honestly hadn't paid much attention to progress in the industry. My provider does in fact offer Gigabit service, but I was on 50/50. Imagine my surprise when I found I was paying the same amount new customers are charged for the Gigabit service! Who knows how long I could have had my existing 50/50 service for half price. Just shows it pays to set aside some time at the beginning of the year to ring up all your customer service lines and ask about renegotiating any service plans.
With optimum it was every month I would have to call up and complain about some extra added crap I never signed up for. Ugh I can't explain the bs I went threw. Those folks Kno they r ripping u off n do it sneaky hoping u won't notice the bill slowly climbing into oblivion. When I cancelled cable it felt so good to keep those managers on their toes. I got them down to free for 2 years then 15$for life after. I laughed n still told them no cause the bill would go up like it did in the past. I was a customer before all that for over 30 years. Wanna play games, u lose a customer for life. Keep it up companies I'm on a roll.
Dish Network was very similar. Finally got my mom to agree we didn't need it for $160 a month since she was the main one using it since I just stream everything. They really really really didn't want to cancel had to talk to 3 different people. Over the years they kept raising it higher and higher and just got BS when she'd try to complain. Purposely never upgraded the equipment since didn't want to sign a new contract. The receivers were so old they didn't even want them back but were still charging rental fees for them. And were about to break them entirely due to a mandatory equipment changeover.
I was told by one representative that most people don't like changes and just put up with these price increases year after year. When I find someone who might want to make a change I ask them to list all the programs they actually watch and then check all the lower cost streaming services to see if they provide those programs and if it will actually save money - after the initial cost of something like a Roku. (Also have heard of a lot of horror stories from people who have had Xfinity.)
Boiled frog syndrome. I kept AT&T landline (copper) longer than I should have. They just kept up with continuous small increases until it was almost $50 a month. That is when I had enough. Ported the number over to Ooma. Now less than $10 which is all taxes.
$10/month for set-top-boxes is a blatant money grab. As you've mentioned, those boxes are 10 years old so now it's pure profits for Xfinity. The big cable company cannot resist being the stereotypical evil money grabbers. Xfinity Stream is proof that rental boxes is a cash grab. Just give us an option to buy the box instead of renting, problem solved.
Thank you very much for this info. I have been wanting to cut the cord for a while now. I am going to now try to buy my own modem and I will have to buy 2 Roku boxes for 2 TVs in my house. I still won't be completely cutting the cord but, I can at least give Comcast back their modem and 2 cable boxes. This I hope will lower my bill some. I am looking to cut my cable bill completely and just keep the internet service. I am not a movie watcher. I like watching my local TV Channels. Movies on occasion. I also have an antenna. I am going to get my husband to get it on the roof to see how many local channels it will pick up. Thank you for this information.
Comcast/Xfinity has a monopoly in my area and they way they ratchet up fees like this for folks that don't even understand what they are paying for is truly criminal. They also have a real grip on the older customers that aren't willing to accept new tech solutions like my Mother in Law. I wanted to move her to internet only but she will not/can not learn to use any of the equipment. So she is stuck paying comcast for the boxes she really doesn't need. Xfinity has also crafted the channel packages so you can't get all the channels someone in her agegroup might want cheaply. For example History channel and TLC are on two separte packages so if you want them both you have to buy so many additional channels you don't want or need at an additional cost. Thier anti consumer management needs to be seen and understood by as many people as possible and something needs to be done about it.
You can stream the History channel and TLC with internet only. Of course a lot of the elderly folks don't understand that. They don't want to step outside their comfort zone. I get that.
"aren't willing to accept new tech solutions... will not/can not learn to use any of the equipment..." yet we're mad at a corporation who is doing what corporations do. I have a feeling if they charged $100 per month per box all of a sudden there would be more interest in those new solutions.
Thanks for covering this important topic. I'd probably remove Peacock from her account because it's going to be 4.99 and not free anymore later this year.
I noticed my Comcast bills getting higher and higher, so I cut back to basic and HD channels. I got the bill down to under $80 a month from $130 plus. Then it climbed up above $100 without me making any changes, twice. I researched for alternatives and settled on RUclips TV for $65 a month ($68.xx with tax). I was able to rearrange the channels list the way I wanted with most often watched. things on top. Ask yourself how many channels you really watch. I'll bet it is less than 20 unless you are a sports nut. Now I can start watching a program 15 minutes late and start from the beginning, then skip the commercials while watching. With a smart phone I can watch anywhere there is WiFi. Just make sure your TV is either ethernet or wireless capable. You can watch on 5 devices simultaneously (TV, smart phone or computer). And yes, there are a few steps you need to go through to set this up. BTW, you are probably much better off NOT watching a lot of TV. I call it the propaganda box. And don't get me started on the "woke" commercials.
Lon, this is my 1st visit here and I'm really happy I found you. RE Roku: I am in 100% agreement, but there is a caveat. I also have elderly parents (in their early 90s). I bought them a Roku, and while they're thrilled with all the options there, they cannot remember how to switch to it on the TV set, and they refuse to give up Xfiniti's TV service. So I'm back to Square 1 with them. LOL. However, I will be looking into all the other factors you brought up to see what we can cut. And I'm subscribing. Continued success to you!
In Thailand I pay $18.33 for 3BB Internet 300 down 100 up internet, basic TV with HBO and Cinemax with all the equipment, 2 year agreement. I am happy paying my bill every month. I pay $9 a month for AIS mobile phone unlimited internet, free messaging apps, charge per text but everyone uses apps. I never realized how much I was being robbed until I moved to Thailand.
Good tips. I'm curious if streaming via Xfinity Stream goes against your data cap on your internet service? If that's the case you could run out of data and get charged an overage. They get you coming and going. I hate Xfinity so much but they are the only decent service provider in my area.
Currently no, it’s zero rated so long as you’re connected with your Xfinity internet. Like all things with them, it could change anytime in the future.
yes your current data cap over internet is 1.2 terabytes unless you can get the unlimited internet but I'm sure you can't get unlimited without renting there modem! So streaming on 4 tvs you'll go over your 1.2 terabytes of data plus all your other devices!
@Jordan Fisher actually you can get unlimited data. With their X1 modem it's an extra 24 a month and without it, it's 30. However I still suggest dropping them over other issues anyway
Wish I could get my Grandma to use the Xfinity stream apps but she needs to have something where she has a remote with numbers and can just type in the channel numbers and that is not possible with those.
This is a great video. I’ve been going through this with my mother for almost 2 years now, but at age 93 she refuses to learn how to use a streaming net work. She wants to be able to use the channel up down button to change channels. She never uses the on screen guide, nor does she punch in a channel number. She just flips channel to channel till she sees something she wants to watch.
Hey Lon thank you for this information. I did call Comcast and I am getting rid of all my cable boxes and using the Xfinity Stream, I will be saving close to 80.00 per month, and I still will be able to use the DVR Service.
One thing I have learned in my experience is check with your cable company and mobile phone company websites and your bill every month to see if there are offering anything or have your service on for cheap that could make your bill a little cheaper. Works really well if you are not under contract.
Have you thought switching your mom to RUclips TV or another tv streaming service to try and save money. Also, if she needs a landline, she could try Ooma. There is an upfront equipment purchase but then you only pay monthly taxes which is around $6. Then you only pay Comcast for internet or choose another provider, maybe Fiber.
Ooma helped with my parents' situation, also. I got them Ooma, and their monthly layout for phone service went down about $60 (tho Xfiniti continues to find ways to increase the fees incrementally). I hate Xfiniti/Comast. They are the worst for billing support. I have FIOS, which is a bit cheaper, but their customer service is light years ahead of Comcast's.
I cut the cord with Comcast years ago. When I got my house in 2012, one of the first things I did is mount a large antenna to get all my local live channels. There are a number of DVR so,unions for use with an antenna. I’m on a current deal with Comcast for Internet only. But recently have a AT&T Fiber option I may end up going with. I’m not really a fan of them either, but not much of a choice here.
I would ask this: I am using the Xfinity cable modem which provides the Wi-Fi. Right now there is a box with the DVR which uses coax and provides TV to the living room and the little sub units to 3 other TV’s. Four TV’s total in the house. Using ROKU, Apple TV and the LG app between the 4 TV’s - is it possible then to take back all of the boxes in the whole house and not have to pay rental fees for them? We would be giving up DVR ability but otherwise saving a ton and still have channels we like. I have a LG TV and the Xfinity app does work on it - it is a bit slower than the remote units that Xfinity provides (and we pay for).
A couple years ago, I asked a customer service rep at the Xfinity store about using my own equipment instead of renting theirs. He said I could do that, but there was a $40 a month fee for using your own equipment. I didn't follow up since that was more than the rental fee I was being charged.
really good video and advice for xfinity/comcast customers. we did this several years ago, and just something to keep in mind. we have had our roku devices for couple years now, and they seem to buffer more, have good wifi connections, so not sure if these devices are only good for several years or not. liked that you showed other streaming boxes that work with xfinity, found out the hard way that the walmart brand ONN, they do not work with xfinity. just for your followers.
Thank you for this. I just got rid of my cable service and kept the internet and phone. If I didn’t need the internet for work or a landline for my condo’s intercom, I would cancel everything! I was paying over 240 a month for one cable box and no premium channels.
I always helped as much as I could a service tech even if the work order didn't call for it becasue I knew could save someone a huge headache and alot of time if I just fixed everything I could while I was on the service call but no cares about the techs smh
Months ago I got rid of the TV box and have been using the Stream app on my Apple TV. Shortly after they jacked up the Broadcast TV fee to $22.50 and Regional sports fee to $17.25 so I’m pretty much going to cancel TV service entirely on the 1st.
I was going to post this a few days ago. Remember companies are not your friend. Keep in mind when you rented a telephone and they had no problem not telling you about just purchasing a phone so you don't have to rent one. I remember hearing about cable companies charging you per TV in your house. No box or anything. Just per tv. Somehow the cable company in the small town I grew up in didn't do that. Unless you rented cable boxes from them. Then it was per cable box.
rokus are the best for classic TVs since a lot of them are designed to be readable on a 480p TV set. only about a year or two ago you could get a roku with composite out still, but now it's probably cheaper to get an HDMI to composite adapter along with a roku, though unfortunately that's $10 more you need to spend on top of the $25 ones.
I have been using roku for about 5 years on 7 tv's in the house to stream xfinity. I just switched to fire sticks. The interface is easier to maneuver in.
Comcast is horrible. I dropped everything except the internet service (and I had my own modem so I didn't have to pay the monthly rental fee for Comcast's modem.) Then I dropped the internet service as well. So no more Comcast. Every year the fees would go up with Comcast. Now I have T-Mobile home internet - $40 a month, no fees or taxes, and the price will never increase.
I just went thru this exact same thing last month after noticing in January my Comcast bill was creeping towards 300 a month🤬🤬🤬Roku been working great for us ….I still need to buy my own modem…they have been charging 15 a month to rent a modem …total rip off
Will need a cablemodem / wifi combo, or a cablemodem plus a router. Expensive nut at least you own the equipment. I am in the same situation. Would like to get a MESH network due to poor signal in areas of our house. Going to Xfinity store today. Plan to get rid of their modem and X1 service and premium boxes. Would like to use just Amazon Firestick and have only xfinity internet. Setup I wish to get will probably cost around 600$. If you got rid of the x1 modem what did you replace it with ?? Thanks
Did the 30 days with the cable and when the new bill comes in. It doubles what the actual plan is. They say the fees for broadcast and regional sports is a must and can’t be not paid. They have good packages that look good but that’s without the fees and taxes that 45$ package can come out to $100. If they didn’t have so many fees it would be a good cable service. I save money by going with RUclips TV for my cable needs.
I have lived close enough to Comcast offices to drop off their hardware, most recently their cable box after the "free" TV deal expired. "Why are you returning it?" the guy asks. "Because I don't use it" I reply. "Good enough." It was clear that trying to argue or upsell to me would be fruitless. I did make absolutely certain that I got a receipt, which he produced without asking. This raises the importance of examining ALL your bills and financial statements monthly. It is NOT just "old" people who get confused; it is plenty of the youngers who do not check them. I do find errors and there are legal time limitations to get corrections.
This nickel and diming one to death is why 3 yrs ago I gave the local provide a special 1 finger salute and cancelled all tv service and returned all the equipment. I do not miss it at all. Ihave Netflix for streaming and that is it.
$250 per month for TV? That is too expensive. In India I pay $15 for internet, around $10 for Netflix and $5 for few other apps including Apple one (all of these are per month). And a separate $50 per year for dish tv. Even converted to ppp it should be way less than what you pay currently.
One little gift I'd recommend getting is a "password journal/book" tell them whenever they create an account to put the password in the book so it's all in a place they can remember, since finding them on the phone or pc can be challenging.
It is truly a shame that these giant corporations are purposefully, taking advantage of people, and in particular, elderly people. This industry should be better regulated to prevent such abhorrent behavior.
👍
Nothing changes unless people go to jail.
That won't happen unless the rich are eaten. Grab your ...forks and torches for cooking.
Yes, and the sad part is they know it and exploit it but they say the don’t!
but that would be "SoCiAliSm"!!!!
I did this for years with my Dad in Indianapolis. He just had basic cable and internet. Every time I visited him, his bill was above $140 per month, and I was able to get it down to less than $100 per month.
When Dad died, it was SO satisfying to call Comcast and cancel the service.
Sorry for your loss. Same boat here. Parents are stuck with Spectrum for $250 (basic cable, phone and internet)
My father was in assisted living in Farmington CT and his finances were managed and, for that matter hidden by an unscrupulous woman who "helped" seniors managed their finances. After some serious digging I found he had a $200 package from Comcast that had many of the same sketchy surcharges for stuff had were basically useless for a retiree with a single 24 inch LCD TV. In addition, when I checked his bank account it seems he was being hit with monthy bank fees due to similar mismanagement. Long story short, be active in your parents finances as much as you can because it's a jungle out there!
breaks my heart to read this. I wish there were trustable finance management companies for seniors.
There are hyenas out there who regularly hunt for elderly people. Keep an eye on your parents and grandparents.
@@supriyasou3722 check out your local health department, not the Government one but the local health administration office and a lot of times they have things for seniors including social workers
Thanks for calling out the cable industry BS Lon. You're a hero.
i agree. Lon is helping expose the greedy bullshit cable industry and to be real honnest roku in my opinion is damaging cable industry , why should i pay comcast or AT&T cable service if Roku has the shows youre into for 100% free???
@@KRDP because you still need internet unless you have figured out a way around it?
@@me4654 im jsing that why should you pay comcast for tv service that you dont care or like to watch if roku has your shows for free with the exception of internet service
@@KRDP I don't pay for Comcast TV, I had DirecTV and I disconnected it in early January
@@me4654 right thats what im saying here , is disconnect the cable and only use their internet service , we dont need cable only need internet once you get internet you can open the flood gate to a hell ton of entertainment shows for free
I had my senior aged parents cut the cord 4 years ago. They were paying $200 for triple bundle service; about $70 went to an assortment of taxes/cable box rental fees! Moved their 40+ years old landline number to Magic Jack and bought them a few Roku devices. They don't regret it.
Doing a great job looking out for your parents. It's real shame that big companies are incentivized to have terrible customer service. This crap really needs to stop.
Is he really doing a great job looking out though? Sure, the run around returning the devices is ridiculous and its great he is helping there today, but this has been ongoing since at least 2018. You could buy your own modem back then, as well as Roku was a thing already. If he was really looking out they would have been bringing their own equipment for years.
I love that you can use your platform to voice what has probably been many peoples frustration for several decades now. thank you!
I have Spectrum, or better said, Spectrum has me.
Over 10 years ago I gave them back their modem because I had purchased my own.
In 2015 I discovered that a Roku box would work instead of their overpriced box.
I have saved thousands! I have a spare cable modem and I have more than enough Roku boxes.
Congrats on saving your mom a ton of money.
@T Raybern Over 20 years ago, when I first got service, buying your own modem was not an option. That came several years later, Dummkopf!
What does spectrum charge for the tv service just for streaming? Also, do you have dvr service without the receivers?
Also have Spectrum, just jammed down my throat in the complex I live in but that is another issue, and I wanted no wires in my home except going to the modem. My issue is their must be a deal that both Spectrum and Comcast have with Roku. I already had a Nvidia Shield and a Fire stick on every TV but the app is not available for those devices. So buying used Roku devices and the downside there is the inability to have Audio go to my Bose speakers. Roku will only allow Roku speakers to be connected to a Roku device. I have never been a fan of Roku which is why I already had 5 Fire sticks. Obviously the Roku deal with Spectrum/Comcast has money changing hands to keep Amazon out of the picture.
But you can't use it as a DVR can you? If so let me know which one and I'll be at Walmart tomorrow 🤣
@@paulk468 yes I noticed that with Roku app,I couldn't scan broadcast channels with the Roku plugged in and the Samsung TV won't let me go to speakers and set up Bluetooth with the antenna! If no one believes that this is a huge plan? Their wrong
I have an insider that audits the Comcast customer service calls and a majority of the call are about bill increase. Now I understand why, I'll give this feed back.
This is exactly why I left Xfinity, it’s their mission to raise your bill as high as they can.
Great job!
Thank you for helping your parents. I did exactly the same thing with my cousin, now from paying $181.00 per month, she only pays $35 a month.She is saving a total of $1,752 per year. It feels good to help . 👍
Good on you Lon for walking through this in great detail to highlight the challenge faced by non-technical customers. Tech companies need to begin to understand that honesty and customer first attitudes are the only way they will succeed in the future. Everyone with a Grandparent or elderly Parent should watch this. Job well done!
I just helped my mom with the exact same thing. We installed a Roku to replace her cable box in an additional room on an old TV. That process was fairly easy as I already do the same thing in my home. You were exactly right, passwords were an issue. Because my mom is a retired senior on a fixed income she qualified for the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program. We jumped through a lot of hoops to make it happen but she now saves $30 on her monthly Comcast/Xfinity bill. Thanks for sharing your experience and tips, good info!
Great going Lon! We all need to help our parents out theses days. I just went though this with dishnetwork, they were charging my parents for 5 TV's, boxes and 4k... at most they use 2... they now have roku boxes where they need them. Saving over $100 per month.!
As a parent, thank you! Right now my hubby handles it. If it were up to me we would be in big trouble. My youngest asks questions to make sure we are on top of stuff and we appreciate it.
I wish I could get my parents to cut the cord but they have a triple-play package as well and refuse to give it up despite how much they complain about it. My mom is the type that says she only needs a few shows/channels but actually doesn't want to give up all of the other channels "just in case" nothing is on her usual channels that she wants to watch. My dad is stuck keeping mom happy even though he's the one most willing to cancel since he has to pay the bill. I cut the cord 13 years ago and never looked back. He's paying over $300 a month, I never payed more than $80.
Sounds like your mom is the problem. Time for an intervention!
Oof $300 is a lot. I even feel like paying just for internet can be expensive.
Try switching the boxes for Roku's like Lon did in this video.
Have you tried introducing her to DirecTV Stream? Has 99% of the channels Comcast does, and has the feel of cable. Will be switching my parents over to DirecTV Stream, just the taxes and fees plus equipment will cover most of the cost
Thank you much for these tips. I was able to get my mother's bill reduced by having rental equipment charges removed (she has Internet and phone via Comcast but cancelled the TV service. Comcast was still charging her rental fees for equipment she longer uses!!!).
Your insight is much appreciated. Keep up the good work!!
-Kevin
I left Xfinity A LONG time ago because I am on a tight income and they jacked up the prices when ever they pleased!
The answer to cable company issues is _always_ cancel the cable. Find the cheapest broadband service in the area and use streaming boxes / services. Being able to instantly swap out services (move to any other internet provider / streaming box / streaming provider) is the key to keeping prices low. As soon as a company becomes a monopoly in an area / industry, prices start going up because the consumer has no choice to move to someone else.
Definitely was miraculous how our internet went from 5mbps to almost 50mbps for a slightly lower price once att fiber installed conduit and started advertising. For years the cable company (not comcast) was the only option. I'd switch over, just haven't wanted to sign a contract.
You are so patient with these customer support robots. I tend to lose my mind talking to these folks.
Wow. Those equipment fees… We had just a single box in the house, using our own cable modem, etc. But when January rolled around, our bill went up $15 just in fees. Luckily Frontier Fiber blanketed both my town and the one next door (where my parents live). We’ve all switched. Saving about $75 a month for us, with gigabit symmetrical. Just had to switch to another TV service (we went with RUclips).
Thanks for the walkthrough of this. I disconnected my Xfinity box Monday morning and walked it to the shopping store saving me the $10 a month rental PLUS now I can get my service in my bedroom through my Roku. Now, to pick apart the rest of the bill!
Great video! I did this same thing for a senior family member, except she opted to replace her tvs with Roku tvs instead of the HDMI devices. She loves this new configuration and says she likes having Roku tvs better. Saving a bunch of money by not using Xfinity boxes of any kind.
does she still have xfinity service?
Excellent video!! I have the same problems with Comcast/Xfinity. It is extremely complicated and maddening to deal with these people--almost impossible to speak to a human--and when (if) you do get one, they have great difficulty with English! Perhaps this is part of Comcast's plans to make it difficult for us to understand what's going on and/or make any changes. Your video is a great start on something important to many of us . Please stay on it.
Just did the same for my parents because Xfinity had added all kind of fees into their account as well. Kept Xfinity internet & landline phone (parents didn’t want to give it up) then switched their TV to RUclips TV and saved them roughly $125 per month.
perfect, they really are trying to rip people off sounds like
How are they liking it? I'm going to directv stream from yttv because there's no channel numbers and price would be roughly the same
You can keep just internet and phone. I didn’t think Comcast let us do that. The Cable bill is so high, I don’t watch cable except news, I have Hulu so most network shows are on their streaming app a day later
@@MarcoThePHX hey Marco bro hear me out , i did the same thing and i noticed that by getting roku which i personally have the roku 4K stick well i did the match and discovered that youtube tv only cost $780 for 12 months vs AT&T that charged us $165/month making the bill be $1,980 for 12 months. i tried out youtube tv and noticed that with youtube tv they have everything i love from nascar to wwe wrestling monday and friday nights to college football and baseball and then they actually have shows on youtube tv that my ma loves to genuinely see so we can both use youtube tv at the same win win situation for us both and add fuel the fire im saving a hell ton $$$ by giving AT&T the middle finger to their bullshit money so i personally love youtube tv so much more then only anything my ownly regret i didnt get youtube tv back in Decemeber another thing i really really really looooooove about youtube tv is you get to pause your live program and can rewind and fat forward for up to 15 seconds you can then add your channel and youtubetv will record the show and do the work for you so then later you can see your program best part $65/per month hell of a lot better then that greedy bull shit service you so call fubo with fubo they're greedy clowns are charging between $90 - to $107 depending ont he package which would be like over the $thousands mark
@@KRDP I only need reelz tbh
I am a internet only customer and own my own equipment with xfinity, I found its the best way to save over time.
We cancel each year and sign up again as a new customer for the intro rate. Tip: when cancelling tell the operator your are moving this will insure a hassle free termination. If you just cancelling they will redirect your call to a so call cancelation department and eventually they will just hang up on you.
@traybern Wife, husband, or roommate can be a new customer at any time.
Where I leave the regulatory agency stipulates that old customers can have the same discounts and promotions that new ones. So, if an ISP or cable company denies this, it is just a matter of creating a ticket with "ANATEL."
I've done this for several family members who were paying too much for Xfinity, but I switched them to RUclips TV in the process. Now they just pay Xfinity for internet.
Great video Lon, I’m in the UK but really interesting to see how crazy some of the prices are in the US! We’ve never had to pay to rent equipment in the UK, just sometimes there is a one off fee to start but that’s only ever ~$/£30.
Our internet speeds aren’t the best (I get a solid 45Mbps down 16Mbps up, which is more than ample normal home usage) but I only pay £33 (about $40) a month and that’s it. We have the annual “TV Licence” which is £150 a year but that does get you all the BBC iPlayer as well as multiple other ad supported alternatives.
The only alternative which is priced in a similar way as you describe is Sky TV, which charges for additional TV boxes, extra channels etc. but that is easily avoided if you don't want it.
Lots of people moan about the UK but it seems like we get a much better deal with TV and internet costs! (Obviously we’re a lot smaller in size!)
Good to see you were able to save your mom some money
In the USA we are allowed to buy the equipment..... So I don't have any monthly fees for equipment... My internet Download speed is three times as fast as yours but my upload speed is about the same as yours .... Includes one free Xfinity streaming box... Plus a Paramount Plus streaming service, which I can watch on any device....
And I only pay $30 a month.... And the pound is higher than the dollar, so you do pay more.... Plus OTA is free in the US....
And there's even a program now that reimburses up to $30 for the internet, for people with a limited income...
The bottom line is not every American is paying extremely high prices quoted here... Or even more than Europeans or Brits.... Is the UK still part of Europe?
@@nc3826 Haha yeah still part of Europe but no longer in the EU so we won't automatically get included in the laws and rules that they are pushing Apple/Google/Facebook to adhere to.
@@andydavies27 Yep you, Switzerland, Norway etc...
but don't forget to tell, Northern Ireland how great it is.... i hope Rishi's plan works out...I would hate to see the troubles start up again...
I just dropped my Xfinity cable completely. They sent me a Flex box and all it did was essentially a duplicate the kind of thing a Roku offered. I disconnected the Flex and put it in a drawer to be returned someday. Then I got a Roku and I’m happy as a clam. Xfinity is not a customer oriented company.
Now you know how Comcast is able to purchase companies like NBC Universal, and Sky News.
You ask the customer about old set top boxes. They don’t know where they are, they don’t understand SD vs HD. That can’t even tell a difference from SD to HD. You can blame both parties. Comcrap for not trying to help her and people who don’t know want they are paying for
As a person who used to work for another cable provider I am actually surprised how much worse Comcast is. A lot of the stuff is done the same but there are some crazy charges I never saw where I worked. The lack of support on devices and platforms for apps is crazy though and these companies need to work on that. It is the number one complaint I get.
Comcast literally is those cable guys from that episode of Southpark.
Great video. I just kicked xfinity tv service to the curb. The fees and taxes are ridiculous. I had to keep internet service however I own my on modem. We own all smart TV and are able to watch free services that offer live tv. We will be saving over $1000 per year
Now you no why so many Americans hate there cable providers (Comcast)
We did the same thing in our house. We already a ROKU Premier and an Ultra. After watching your channel for a while I bought 2 NVIDIA shields for the Living room and Mast bedroom. I put the Rokus in the Kitchen and an upstairs bedroom. I wired my house with Cat 5E years ago so everything except the kitchen is wired. When COVID hit we dumped cable and signed up for RUclips TV for television. And when I retired a few years ago, I dumped the Comcast gateway and put in a Arris Surfboard modem and a Synology 2600 router. My bills dropped about $100 a month. I would recommend cutting as much Comcast exposure as you can.
Lon you are the Ralph Nader of the digital age. Thank you.
Every time I got my bill it was higher and I had to call Comcast and fight with them to try to speak to someone and then waste my time. That's the reason I paid to have an antenna professionally installed on my roof, That, Apple TV with Pluto, free Sling, etc., is all I need, for free, well besides internet.
Hey Lon. I have been sharing a small apartment in SF with a senior lady that onky knows how to consume TV using the garbage COMCAST service. After struggling with passwords and all, I came to a conclusion that the easy way to handle her accont passwords is to create an account on a password manager like Bitwarden and then use a smartphone to login into the services. To provide internet a bought a used Motorola modem. What still kills me every month is seeing and paying - on the top of theirs TV bills - extra $45 in Broadcast and Sports Fees on what I call the "rip off of the century" practice by this old elephant tv corporations.
I would suggest that you consider installing an indoor or attic antenna for your local stations and keeping comcast only for the internet connection, this will give your Mother all the local stations on all of her 4 TV's. Also purchase your own modem which will pay for itself in less than a year. As all the TVs are connected to cable you just have to replace the cable connection with an antenna. this should cut the monthly bill to less than $70.00/mo
The modem I use for Comcast internet cost $3.99 at Goodwill. I see them there all the time. I left the price sticker on.
Thanks for taking the time. My parents are experiencing the same. You need to post this on all social media, over and over, again and again.
THIS is part of the reasons why a lot of people including myself went away from cable!! They do what they want with or without contracts...
I’ve been dealing with this same thing for a week. You are right, no one is in the USA. They are a call center in the Philippines. Sweet girls but you get someone new each time I call. I kept my main channels in the living room and my grandson put Roku in the bedroom. I got my own modem/router. They talked me into getting my phone through them. I changed from Tmobile to Comcast. They had a hard time doing it. No telling what my bill will look like. I’m glad for your post though. I thought maybe I was just too old to understand . Glad to know I’m not just stupid and that they are crooked.
They are so crooked! My bill literally goes up each month, they tried to get me to do the phone thing but absolutely not. Next time you have a problem with your bill call them and when you finally get a rep ask to be sent to the retention department. They are so awful I could go on for hours on how they keep screwing me over 🥲
Comcast originally started using those adapters when they changed over from analog to digital and at that time they were sent out completely free. In fact, they made a big deal about advertising that they were completely free. Then they have started charging a couple dollars a month for something that was supposed to have been free. Then they charged more and more. We're now paying $10 a month per tv for something that was originally supposed to be free. Comcast is a sleazy outfit.
ikr, that alone makes me mad.
I am *never* buying a house or renting an apartment in Comcast/Xfinity territory where they are the only realistic ISP option. It's on my dealbreakers list. I've heard/read too many horror stories that I'm comfortable boycotting the company. For the people who have already bought a house and grown roots, they don't necessarily have that freedom. Just appalling how monopolistic and price-gougy the Internet/telecom/cable industry is in the USA. Fiber to the Home/Premises (including municipal fiber) cannot roll out fast enough, especially to suburban and rural locations!
Same, it was literally on our deal break list with our Realtor. The house we purchased (our first home) has multiple ISP's, and I'm keen on making sure each know it and know they have competition 😂
Lon, I enjoy so many of your videos. But THIS ONE... This one hit it out of the park for a bases-loaded home run! This is a giant public service announcement for TV and internet consumers everywhere! Thank you so very much.
Also, this reminds me that I need to do my annual check to see if my set of services from my various vendors is still the best deal for my needs.
Hello Lon, good deal. I did this 5 years ago when I got rid of Directv. I purchased a Tivo Edge w/cable card for the main TV and use Tivo 4k Mini's and Xfinity Stream via ROKu's on 3 other TVs. I also purchased on own router (Asus RT-82U) and my own modem for internet. This way I am not paying for any rental equipment. I have only 1 cable entering the house with a spitter where one cable goes to internet router and one goes to my Tivo DVR. All others are connected via Ethernet cat-6 cables. I would suggest using all of your own equipment which would be much more reliable in the long run.
Good Luck
PM
Don't mess with Lon's mama!
I dropped Xfinity in Nov 2022 to a fiber only provider. My internet is now 3X the speed and I save $150.00 per month. I was so happy to rip out all the coaxe cable. Not one regret!
The X1 box you showed is the 4K XG1 DVR box, that is most likely why she got hit with the additional $10 Premium DVR charge. She should've had the XG2 which would've given her cloud DVR.
We dropped Xfinity several years ago for RUclipsTV when ATT put fiber in our neighborhood. Still more channels than we watch but it has our locals, plenty of sports, and many available premium services. We pay slightly less than $170 a month for 500 Mbps Internet (its tests as 650+ down), 6 TVs with 85 channels & HBO Max (one time cost for Rokus not included), and VoIP phone with 2 numbers. A bit more work to roll your own and set up but way more reliable than our old cable service. It was such a hassle to cancel Xfinity that we will never go back.
Can you get Fox News?
Just setup RUclips Tv on all 6 ROKU'S , planning to drop Spectrum DVR and cable package should drop my bill by $65 per month. I'll still get every channel, all local channels, also DVR of all my family favorites. Sad our lowest basic internet is costing $80/ month. (Intro price is $49 then jumps to $80) Thanks for you insight I've been following your tech advice for years and appreciate your expertise!
Thanks for this info! My concern unfortunately is OTHER fees lately such as the “TV Broadcast” fee. It was only $10 in 2018. Jump 5 years and it’s $27!! 😳😱 This is NOT in addition to the $30+ for Basic TV that USED to be free!! So we’re paying $57 for FREE TV!! (+ the boxes so that’s another $25 here so it’s actually 82). It’s ABSURD!!
Like many others I’m ditching TV and will just buy the internet. I barely have the $70 for that let alone the other crap.
If your currently in a promotion/contract with Concast, you can change/downgrade service without incurring the early termination. As long as you keep at least one service with Concast, you won't be charged the early termination fee. Next month going to be switching my elderly parents over to streaming, as their paying almost $300, which they will be paying over $300 once their promotion expires. Downgrading their service to just phone and internet and will be switching their TV service over to Directv Stream, offers unlimited DVR storage, has way better picture quality and doesn't have all those added fees like regional sports fee and broadcast TV fee. They currently pay almost $100 just for equipment + taxes and fees, so that alone will cover most of the cost for Directv Stream. Sure there are cheaper streaming services like RUclips TV, but they don't have all the channels Directv Stream does.
I cancelled my cable tv service in 2023 and bought an amazon fire cube. I then cancelled several apps/channels that I was not watching very often. Finally, I bought a Motorola modem and returned my Comcast modem. I have not signed up for a live tv streaming service such as Sling TV, RUclips TV, etc. Because of these steps I am saving approximately $100.00 a month vs what I was paying when I had cable.
Thanks Lon! I just did this with a Roku 4200 x that had been sitting in it's box for years! Now I can return the TV box and it'll save me $120+ a year!
I told my sister to cut her cable a long time ago and she did this year and oh man it's a new world for her
My fiber connection dropped spontaneously the other day; I called support and they confirmed the box failed. My service had been sold and re-sold to two other providers since I'd gotten it and I honestly hadn't paid much attention to progress in the industry. My provider does in fact offer Gigabit service, but I was on 50/50. Imagine my surprise when I found I was paying the same amount new customers are charged for the Gigabit service! Who knows how long I could have had my existing 50/50 service for half price. Just shows it pays to set aside some time at the beginning of the year to ring up all your customer service lines and ask about renegotiating any service plans.
With optimum it was every month I would have to call up and complain about some extra added crap I never signed up for. Ugh I can't explain the bs I went threw. Those folks Kno they r ripping u off n do it sneaky hoping u won't notice the bill slowly climbing into oblivion. When I cancelled cable it felt so good to keep those managers on their toes. I got them down to free for 2 years then 15$for life after. I laughed n still told them no cause the bill would go up like it did in the past. I was a customer before all that for over 30 years. Wanna play games, u lose a customer for life. Keep it up companies I'm on a roll.
This is close to a kind of elder abuse.
Dish Network was very similar. Finally got my mom to agree we didn't need it for $160 a month since she was the main one using it since I just stream everything. They really really really didn't want to cancel had to talk to 3 different people. Over the years they kept raising it higher and higher and just got BS when she'd try to complain. Purposely never upgraded the equipment since didn't want to sign a new contract. The receivers were so old they didn't even want them back but were still charging rental fees for them. And were about to break them entirely due to a mandatory equipment changeover.
I was told by one representative that most people don't like changes and just put up with these price increases year after year. When I find someone who might want to make a change I ask them to list all the programs they actually watch and then check all the lower cost streaming services to see if they provide those programs and if it will actually save money - after the initial cost of something like a Roku. (Also have heard of a lot of horror stories from people who have had Xfinity.)
Boiled frog syndrome. I kept AT&T landline (copper) longer than I should have. They just kept up with continuous small increases until it was almost $50 a month. That is when I had enough. Ported the number over to Ooma. Now less than $10 which is all taxes.
$10/month for set-top-boxes is a blatant money grab. As you've mentioned, those boxes are 10 years old so now it's pure profits for Xfinity. The big cable company cannot resist being the stereotypical evil money grabbers. Xfinity Stream is proof that rental boxes is a cash grab. Just give us an option to buy the box instead of renting, problem solved.
Thank you very much for this info. I have been wanting to cut the cord for a while now.
I am going to now try to buy my own modem and I will have to buy 2 Roku boxes for 2 TVs in my house. I still won't be completely cutting the cord but, I can at least give Comcast back their modem and 2 cable boxes. This I hope will lower my bill some. I am looking to cut my cable bill completely and just keep the internet service. I am not a movie watcher. I like watching my local TV Channels. Movies on occasion. I also have an antenna. I am going to get my husband to get it on the roof to see how many local channels it will pick up.
Thank you for this information.
Comcast/Xfinity has a monopoly in my area and they way they ratchet up fees like this for folks that don't even understand what they are paying for is truly criminal. They also have a real grip on the older customers that aren't willing to accept new tech solutions like my Mother in Law. I wanted to move her to internet only but she will not/can not learn to use any of the equipment. So she is stuck paying comcast for the boxes she really doesn't need. Xfinity has also crafted the channel packages so you can't get all the channels someone in her agegroup might want cheaply. For example History channel and TLC are on two separte packages so if you want them both you have to buy so many additional channels you don't want or need at an additional cost. Thier anti consumer management needs to be seen and understood by as many people as possible and something needs to be done about it.
Depending on where you live, you might of a choice of cable/internet providers because Comcast/Xfinity may be the only one available in the area
You can stream the History channel and TLC with internet only. Of course a lot of the elderly folks don't understand that. They don't want to step outside their comfort zone. I get that.
"aren't willing to accept new tech solutions... will not/can not learn to use any of the equipment..." yet we're mad at a corporation who is doing what corporations do. I have a feeling if they charged $100 per month per box all of a sudden there would be more interest in those new solutions.
Thanks for covering this important topic. I'd probably remove Peacock from her account because it's going to be 4.99 and not free anymore later this year.
I noticed my Comcast bills getting higher and higher, so I cut back to basic and HD channels. I got the bill down to under $80 a month from $130 plus. Then it climbed up above $100 without me making any changes, twice. I researched for alternatives and settled on RUclips TV for $65 a month ($68.xx with tax). I was able to rearrange the channels list the way I wanted with most often watched. things on top. Ask yourself how many channels you really watch. I'll bet it is less than 20 unless you are a sports nut. Now I can start watching a program 15 minutes late and start from the beginning, then skip the commercials while watching. With a smart phone I can watch anywhere there is WiFi. Just make sure your TV is either ethernet or wireless capable. You can watch on 5 devices simultaneously (TV, smart phone or computer). And yes, there are a few steps you need to go through to set this up. BTW, you are probably much better off NOT watching a lot of TV. I call it the propaganda box. And don't get me started on the "woke" commercials.
I had RUclips TV for a while and it's ok but I ended up dropping it because I can just stream all my TV content. I don't miss it at all.
@@sinebar I could totally do without TV but my wife has to have a few of her favorite channels, so we compromised. But she is paying for it.
Lon, this is my 1st visit here and I'm really happy I found you. RE Roku: I am in 100% agreement, but there is a caveat. I also have elderly parents (in their early 90s). I bought them a Roku, and while they're thrilled with all the options there, they cannot remember how to switch to it on the TV set, and they refuse to give up Xfiniti's TV service. So I'm back to Square 1 with them. LOL. However, I will be looking into all the other factors you brought up to see what we can cut. And I'm subscribing. Continued success to you!
Try setting up the Roku as the default HDMI source, or plug it into HDMI1 instead.
In Thailand I pay $18.33 for 3BB Internet 300 down 100 up internet, basic TV with HBO and Cinemax with all the equipment, 2 year agreement. I am happy paying my bill every month. I pay $9 a month for AIS mobile phone unlimited internet, free messaging apps, charge per text but everyone uses apps. I never realized how much I was being robbed until I moved to Thailand.
Good for you. Sad that Comcast does this to senior and the non tech savvy folks. Should report them to FCC and BBB.
Good tips. I'm curious if streaming via Xfinity Stream goes against your data cap on your internet service? If that's the case you could run out of data and get charged an overage. They get you coming and going. I hate Xfinity so much but they are the only decent service provider in my area.
Currently no, it’s zero rated so long as you’re connected with your Xfinity internet. Like all things with them, it could change anytime in the future.
yes your current data cap over internet is 1.2 terabytes unless you can get the unlimited internet but I'm sure you can't get unlimited without renting there modem! So streaming on 4 tvs you'll go over your 1.2 terabytes of data plus all your other devices!
@Jordan Fisher actually you can get unlimited data. With their X1 modem it's an extra 24 a month and without it, it's 30. However I still suggest dropping them over other issues anyway
Wish I could get my Grandma to use the Xfinity stream apps but she needs to have something where she has a remote with numbers and can just type in the channel numbers and that is not possible with those.
This is a great video. I’ve been going through this with my mother for almost 2 years now, but at age 93 she refuses to learn how to use a streaming net work. She wants to be able to use the channel up down button to change channels. She never uses the on screen guide, nor does she punch in a channel number. She just flips channel to channel till she sees something she wants to watch.
Kudos! Most comprehensive, EZ to understand guide I've seen on the subject.
Hey Lon thank you for this information. I did call Comcast and I am getting rid of all my cable boxes and using the Xfinity Stream, I will be saving close to 80.00 per month, and I still will be able to use the DVR Service.
One thing I have learned in my experience is check with your cable company and mobile phone company websites and your bill every month to see if there are offering anything or have your service on for cheap that could make your bill a little cheaper. Works really well if you are not under contract.
COMCRAP!!!!...made the switch to youtube tv......YAY!!!....thanx for your video Lon....Great as always!!!
Have you thought switching your mom to RUclips TV or another tv streaming service to try and save money. Also, if she needs a landline, she could try Ooma. There is an upfront equipment purchase but then you only pay monthly taxes which is around $6. Then you only pay Comcast for internet or choose another provider, maybe Fiber.
Ooma helped with my parents' situation, also. I got them Ooma, and their monthly layout for phone service went down about $60 (tho Xfiniti continues to find ways to increase the fees incrementally).
I hate Xfiniti/Comast. They are the worst for billing support. I have FIOS, which is a bit cheaper, but their customer service is light years ahead of Comcast's.
I cut the cord with Comcast years ago. When I got my house in 2012, one of the first things I did is mount a large antenna to get all my local live channels. There are a number of DVR so,unions for use with an antenna. I’m on a current deal with Comcast for Internet only. But recently have a AT&T Fiber option I may end up going with. I’m not really a fan of them either, but not much of a choice here.
I would ask this: I am using the Xfinity cable modem which provides the Wi-Fi. Right now there is a box with the DVR which uses coax and provides TV to the living room and the little sub units to 3 other TV’s. Four TV’s total in the house. Using ROKU, Apple TV and the LG app between the 4 TV’s - is it possible then to take back all of the boxes in the whole house and not have to pay rental fees for them? We would be giving up DVR ability but otherwise saving a ton and still have channels we like. I have a LG TV and the Xfinity app does work on it - it is a bit slower than the remote units that Xfinity provides (and we pay for).
A couple years ago, I asked a customer service rep at the Xfinity store about using my own equipment instead of renting theirs. He said I could do that, but there was a $40 a month fee for using your own equipment. I didn't follow up since that was more than the rental fee I was being charged.
Thank you, I also noticed the DVR charged, they had been charging me for years, cancelled it and they only credited me for the last 4 months.
really good video and advice for xfinity/comcast customers. we did this several years ago, and just something to keep in mind. we have had our roku devices for couple years now, and they seem to buffer more, have good wifi connections, so not sure if these devices are only good for several years or not. liked that you showed other streaming boxes that work with xfinity, found out the hard way that the walmart brand ONN, they do not work with xfinity. just for your followers.
Thank you for this. I just got rid of my cable service and kept the internet and phone. If I didn’t need the internet for work or a landline for my condo’s intercom, I would cancel everything! I was paying over 240 a month for one cable box and no premium channels.
I always helped as much as I could a service tech even if the work order didn't call for it becasue I knew could save someone a huge headache and alot of time if I just fixed everything I could while I was on the service call but no cares about the techs smh
Remember when TV was free?? I miss those days.
Months ago I got rid of the TV box and have been using the Stream app on my Apple TV. Shortly after they jacked up the Broadcast TV fee to $22.50 and Regional sports fee to $17.25 so I’m pretty much going to cancel TV service entirely on the 1st.
I was going to post this a few days ago. Remember companies are not your friend. Keep in mind when you rented a telephone and they had no problem not telling you about just purchasing a phone so you don't have to rent one. I remember hearing about cable companies charging you per TV in your house. No box or anything. Just per tv. Somehow the cable company in the small town I grew up in didn't do that. Unless you rented cable boxes from them. Then it was per cable box.
rokus are the best for classic TVs since a lot of them are designed to be readable on a 480p TV set. only about a year or two ago you could get a roku with composite out still, but now it's probably cheaper to get an HDMI to composite adapter along with a roku, though unfortunately that's $10 more you need to spend on top of the $25 ones.
I have been using roku for about 5 years on 7 tv's in the house to stream xfinity. I just switched to fire sticks. The interface is easier to maneuver in.
Over the last 2 years they've doubled the rental fees on their boxes, even if they're 5 years old. We cut em off for internet only.
Lon, thanks for this! I need to switch my Grandmom to Xfinity Stream. You're the real MVP
Comcast is horrible. I dropped everything except the internet service (and I had my own modem so I didn't have to pay the monthly rental fee for Comcast's modem.) Then I dropped the internet service as well. So no more Comcast. Every year the fees would go up with Comcast. Now I have T-Mobile home internet - $40 a month, no fees or taxes, and the price will never increase.
Technical guardians unite!
I just went thru this exact same thing last month after noticing in January my Comcast bill was creeping towards 300 a month🤬🤬🤬Roku been working great for us ….I still need to buy my own modem…they have been charging 15 a month to rent a modem …total rip off
Will need a cablemodem / wifi combo, or a cablemodem plus a router. Expensive nut at least you own the equipment. I am in the same situation. Would like to get a MESH network due to poor signal in areas of our house. Going to Xfinity store today. Plan to get rid of their modem and X1 service and premium boxes. Would like to use just Amazon Firestick and have only xfinity internet. Setup I wish to get will probably cost around 600$. If you got rid of the x1 modem what did you replace it with ?? Thanks
Did the 30 days with the cable and when the new bill comes in. It doubles what the actual plan is. They say the fees for broadcast and regional sports is a must and can’t be not paid. They have good packages that look good but that’s without the fees and taxes that 45$ package can come out to $100. If they didn’t have so many fees it would be a good cable service. I save money by going with RUclips TV for my cable needs.
I have lived close enough to Comcast offices to drop off their hardware, most recently their cable box after the "free" TV deal expired. "Why are you returning it?" the guy asks. "Because I don't use it" I reply. "Good enough." It was clear that trying to argue or upsell to me would be fruitless. I did make absolutely certain that I got a receipt, which he produced without asking.
This raises the importance of examining ALL your bills and financial statements monthly. It is NOT just "old" people who get confused; it is plenty of the youngers who do not check them. I do find errors and there are legal time limitations to get corrections.
This nickel and diming one to death is why 3 yrs ago I gave the local provide a special 1 finger salute and cancelled all tv service and returned all the equipment. I do not miss it at all. Ihave Netflix for streaming and that is it.
I pay $5 a month for my IPTV service.......UFC PPV this last weekend was awesome!!!!!!!
$250 per month for TV? That is too expensive.
In India I pay $15 for internet, around $10 for Netflix and $5 for few other apps including Apple one (all of these are per month). And a separate $50 per year for dish tv.
Even converted to ppp it should be way less than what you pay currently.
One little gift I'd recommend getting is a "password journal/book" tell them whenever they create an account to put the password in the book so it's all in a place they can remember, since finding them on the phone or pc can be challenging.