Stan
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- May 18, 1999
- Messages
- 5,177
Bundling is annoying, but somewhat better than other options available locally. (Unfortunately).
For internet-only, not much local options other than dialup service on a "slow" modem.
Nowadays I only bother with a minimal bundle:
- generic tv networks + basic cable channels (ie. no premium channels)
- basic phone (ie. no other functionality)
- internet service (ie. basic flat rate)
(Basic cable channels like scifi, etc ...).
Well I'm not using dialup. Been a long time, don't even think I have the hardware any longer.
People actually still use "modems"? I remember using one to access the internet a long, long time ago. Still have my original MSN address, probably 30+ years old by now. Used to have to pay for it, now it's just a freebie.
Surprisingly my 3Mbs. is perfectly fine. Give it a few minutes, the buffer fills and I can watch any video, never cuts out. HDMI port so can play back on my HDTV, built in DVD player. Amazing how things have changed. Did one of those speed tests, 4.49 Mbps. download, 0.62 upload. Not great, but it works. Comcast is great for internet, but I absolutely despise the company, so not going to happen.
We're very similar, except I do pay for the HBO channels and HD service (Dish Network). Otherwise, just the basics. Don't even own a cell-phone. I'll probably get a cheap Trac-Fone from Walmart (which behind the scenes is actually from AT&T), but that's it. A few hours a month, pay as I go, strictly a back-up for emergencies. Used to manage 200-300 cell phone accounts, hated it, so major burn-out with cell phones. And surprisingly, life goes on just fine without one.
May even piggyback off my neighbors' Wi-Fi (she knows about it, we'd split the cost). But my laptop antennae just isn't reliable. Odd, it's not even a year old, Win10, all the latest, but can't pick up a signal 75 feet away.
Had a ten year old Toshiba that never had a problem, I could connect all over the neighborhood, full strength and no issues at all. Hardly consider myself a hacker, but passwords on some systems were very easy to get through. Seriously, "1234", "password", etc. Amazing people can be so clueless.
I miss the old functions of my phone. It used to blink when I had a voice-mail, but now, no way to know until you pick up the phone and then you get a series of fast beeps. Hit #98, password, etc. Such a pain. Why can't it just go local and go to my phone base, not on CenturyLink's system, but on my hardware.
Kind of like everything being sucked up by "the cloud". I keep local copies of some stuff, but for the most part, it's just out "there". Big brother is watching, storing, analyzing everything we do.
Well, time for me to put on my tin foil hat and watch Jurassic World
Sorry for my rambling on again, kind of an invalid for the next week or two after spinal surgery, so I get a little bored
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