Cable-Box Rentals: A Needless $19-Billion Industry

[jos]

The box has become a fixture in the American household, not least because it is surprisingly profitable. Earlier this year, a U.S. Senate study found that American households pay $231 a year on average renting cable boxes. Further, the report estimated that 99 percent of cable customers rented their equipment, and, across the country, that added up to a $19.5 billion industry just renting cable boxes.

But if companies were required to make their services compatible with other equipment, all that might change. Some are hoping that the FCC will finally pry this beloved revenue source from the cable industry the way it did the telephone industry. Before the 1968 Carterfone decision, consumers had to lease phones from AT&T to have a landline. But then, the FCC ruled that the Carterfone—a third-party made device—could be connected to the AT&T network as long as it didn’t do any harm. The decision led to a flurry of innovation for the telephone, and some are hoping that by requiring cable companies accommodate competing devices—a similar revolution might take place. (Though the cable industry has tremendous lobbying power, and it’d be interesting to see how they’d react to this regulation.)

One solution proposed in the report is that cable services could simply be accessed through an app. Consumers would buy their own devices and access cable services the way they would access Netflix. Some budget-conscious consumers are cutting their ties to cable (and the hassle that comes with it); there are already those who opt for streaming services such as Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire. But if cable became an app—and companies made it easy to own a box without sinking huge amounts of money and time—it might just be the best of both worlds.

 

 

I had told my cable operator while changing connection can i buy it? they told it has special chip exclusive to them so that only thing i can do is rent...

Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/cable-boxes-fcc-television/403180/

[Sparviero]

Yes this needs to be killed. Even if I switch out my fios boxes with TiVo from what I've read the cable cards I would have to rent have their own issues. And I would have to get lifetime subscription for TiVo to eventually come out ahead.

[DudeWazap]

Having to pay $10 monthly rental fee for each thing from your ISP/ cable provider is dumb. They need to make it so you can just buy your own DVR and use it where ever you want. Just like Modems and routers.

[Trik'Stari]

Cable/Satellite TV is a dying industry. And good riddance.

 

We just need a hell of a lot of competition for streaming services on the internet, to ensure that we never have to deal with all-commercial TV again.

 

That, and force a law through congress that states that no TV station can play a commercial while any other station is playing a commercial. And watch the collapse begin.

[GzeroD]

I have a cable card that I use with my HDHOMERUN Prime network tuner. its a triple tuner that I can use to watch tv on my pc's or mobile devices. The cable card is $3 a month compared too $10 for a standard single tuner HD box. it really does feel kine kind of a scam.

[unijab]

I cannot count the times I've had a rental charge show up on my DSL bill over the years. And every time I have to call several times over 3months to get the charge removed.

[GzeroD]

I cannot count the times I've had a rental charge show up on my DSL bill over the years. And every time I have to call several times over 3months to get the charge removed.

I recently was charged for a modem/router combo that died that I paid to have replaced with their newer version bought from the manufacturer and then activated it through them. at first they sent be a box to return my old router/modem, then they put a charge for the original MSRP of the then 2 and 1/2 year old modem on my bill. It took them like 2 months to realize that I was never renting the modem from them as I had opted to buy both straight out so I wouldnt pay more over the course of my contract. 

 

It's ridiculous that they don't keep better track of something like that. I should not have needed to look up my first bill too show them the charge for the modem.

[Dabombinable]

I'm glad BS like this wasn't pulled here in Australia, and if it was, I'm sure I could get my computer to work in place of a cablebox (we buy things outright with our cable and satellite services).

[DEDRICK]

I cancelled my cable package the other day, saving me $80 a month, I owned my cable box though

[spwath]

I dont have cable.

 

Just antena, TiVO, and roku with netflix and amazon prime

[terrytek]

Cable/Satellite TV is a dying industry. And good riddance.

 

We just need a hell of a lot of competition for streaming services on the internet, to ensure that we never have to deal with all-commercial TV again.

 

That, and force a law through congress that states that no TV station can play a commercial while any other station is playing a commercial. And watch the collapse begin.

It's not dying. I still watch cable TV. It's still great, Not the box rental fee, but other than that, it's gr8.

[Trik'Stari]

It's not dying. I still watch cable TV. It's still great, Not the box rental fee, but other than that, it's gr8.

......I'm calling bullshit. No one enjoys watching commercial breaks that are longer than the actual content blocks.

 

Although your TV experience must differ from mine.

[GzeroD]

......I'm calling bullshit. No one enjoys watching commercial breaks that are longer than the actual content blocks.

 

Although your TV experience must differ from mine.

well there's this little thing in the USA called the superbowl and a lot of people would prefer that the commercial spots where longer than the programing blocks for that one.

[Trik'Stari]

well there's this little thing in the USA called the superbowl and a lot of people would prefer that the commercial spots where longer than the programing blocks for that one.

That's one single exception amongst.....I can't even guesstimate the number of commercials than run on all the DirecTV channels we get.

 

What really pisses me off though, is how when a commercial comes on, you go to switch channels, 9/10 times the other channels are at commercial.

 

 

#LinusLurkTips

[terrytek]

......I'm calling bullshit. No one enjoys watching commercial breaks that are longer than the actual content blocks.

 

Although your TV experience must differ from mine.

OK, maybe the ads aren't great, but at least the quality is better than digital streaming.

[GzeroD]

OK, maybe the ads aren't great, but at least the quality is better than digital streaming.

I wouldn't argue that. My FIOS is often better than streaming from a lot of sites but the other big provider around here Cox cable has a picture that I could consider on par with HD streaming but not better.

[SansVarnic]

I bought my DSL Router but it is an ISP branded item though. CenturylInk is the Local DSL ISP.

If I had Cable I could by a non-ISP branded router. MediaCom is the Local Cable ISP here in Iowa, USA.

[Dabombinable]

OK, maybe the ads aren't great, but at least the quality is better than digital streaming.

But your also paying to watch the ads if you think about it. Your using pay TV and yet you still have to watch ads.

[Trik'Stari]

OK, maybe the ads aren't great, but at least the quality is better than digital streaming.

I can agree to that. Fucking Verizon throttling me and other century link users in this area.

[totjup5]

That's why you either buy a 3rd party box like a Tivo, or preferably just don't get cable.

[GzeroD]

That's why you either buy a 3rd party box like a Tivo, or preferably just don't get cable.

Even if you get a third party box if they use all encrypted digital streams you will need to rent a cable card from your provider. they cost between 1.99 and 8.99 a month from what I have seen on the mythtv forums.

[Sparviero]

TiVo prices themselves to be a wash compared to cable box rental.