Playing Cable Roulette

I despise Cable TV companies.  Let me tell you the story of Television in the Johnson household.  Currently we have the Verizon FIOS triple deal package.  We get Internet, TV and Phone for the low low price of $129.99 plus taxes.  We have had this package for about 4 years now.  It started out at $99 but went up in $10 increments over the years.  No big deal when money is flowing and the economy is optimistic.  However just recently Verizon decided that they would be raising my rate another $10.  Well this was unacceptable.

In the mailbox with the rate increase letter was a post card encouraging me to sign up with Verizon FIOS for $99 per month with a FREE for life DVR......... Wait that is the package that I currently have been paying $129 plus taxes over the past 4 years.  Needless to say I pick the phone up and call verizon to find out what kind of deal they could cut for a long term customer that pays his bill on time each and every month.  The conversation went something like this:

Verizon guy: "Thank you for calling Verizon.net how can I help you?"
Me: "I received a letter informing me that my bill will increase by $10 in January 2012"
Verizon guy: "Let me help you with that.... one moment..... yes I see that your new rate will be $129 per month plus taxes."
Me:  "I also received a post card that informs me that I can sign up for the exact same service plus get a free DVR for life.  I would like to take advantage of that deal."
Verizon guy: "I sorry sir, but that deal is only for new customers that do not currently have our service."
Me: "I don't understand.  I have been a loyal customer for years.  Why would you treat me like this."
Verizon Guy: "Blah blah blah blah. No."
Me:  "OK, well thanks for nothing.  I want to confirm that my current rate stays the same till December 31st.  Is that correct?"
Verizon Guy: "Yes sir that is correct."
Me: "OK, have a great day"
Verizon Guy: "Thanks for calling Verizon."

I hung the phone up and immediately went online to find out my options for internet, tv and phone service.  Whoops, there is Atlantic Broadband that can offer me the same service.  Let me call them...... The bottom line is that I was able to get the exact same service as with Verizon but at the $99 rate per month.  Hey sign me up.  But wait...... I need to have a meeting with the family to determine exactly what it is that we need to actually have as services.  Surprisingly TV was the least important part of the services.  Internet was the most important followed by Phone service.  I checked to find out what the Internet and phone service would cost without the TV package.  Final cost with Taxes was $56.84 per month.  Wow I can save a full $73.15 by just not having the TV package.  Yeah! Sign me up.

So here I wait for the Atlantic Broadband installation guy to come and hook up the internet and phone.  As soon as he has completed the hook up and all is well I will be calling Verizon to have the Triple package deal shut off.  That of course will be another post.  I will also update everyone on the installation process and how smoothly the process went.