I remember the first time I saw cable TV - it was in the early 70's. A lot of the reason for getting cable was for better (or any) reception plus some additional programming, such as HBO. Your cable bill reflected both the cost of distribution (i.e. the cable infrastructure) plus the cost of programming, such as HBO. Things are still pretty much the same. When you sign up for a TV service you are paying for distribution and programming costs. I never cared for the practice of bundling stations and having to pay for programming I never watched but that is for another thread. Fortunately, we have multiple choices for TV service in the Villages. At a minimum, you have Comcast, DirectTV, and Dish. In addition, you may also have access to Brighthouse and CenturyLink. Also, you can eliminate recurring monthly costs by using an over-the-air antenna. I don't think Comcast is really any different than the other sources of TV service. If you are unhappy with their service (or cost) you are free to find a better deal, as you pointed out. However, after switching to DirectTV, you may find you have the same issues after a year or so. You may have noticed that all TV service providers appear to have better deals for new subscribers than existing customers.

Well...because you can't call them directly and I would hate to waste a trip up there for nothing. Just asking in case someone has been in that office in the past week and knows the answer. Sheesh.

Direct TV 19.95 for 12 months with 24-mo. agreement. Plus additional fees. Requires enrollment in Auto Bill Pay

What is the total for 24 months?

I can remember when we got cable for the first time as a kid. We paid $5 a month for the standard package but could pay $7 for a package that included a movie channel. I can't remember how many channels we got, but you are correct, the promise was no commercials in exchange for $5 per month. It has morphed into hundreds of channels with hundreds of thousands of commercials for $50+ per month. This is all overseen by the same government that oversees Amtrak, USPS, and now your healthcare (just sayin').
As for Comcast, while it was nice that they were providing "over the air" signals via the cable that they run to your house, I don't necessary fault them for charging for that service. After all, they are a business (although probably a poorly run business) and they should be able to charge for the services they provide. The real problem is that TV is too far from both Orlando and Ocala to easily get strong signals from either with an antenna.

I pull in 50 channels from Orlando with an over-the-air antenna installed by Tom at the VillagesAV.com. Call Tom for more information. I live on the southside. Tom is excellent.

I'm sorry to admit that I was totally in favor of deregulation, however the competition and lower rates just didn't happen in the cable business. Some form of regulation may be necessary or the middle class is going to have to go back to television the way it was before technology improvements. It's sorry!

I don't follow you. What technology improvements are you referring to?

Original Owners
 

I could be wrong but I think the key word here is ORIGINAL owners. Somebody told me when the house "changes hands" that is the end of free. Frankly, I heard that but don't know for sure if that is the case. :(

Antennas
 

I am talking about the 30-40 foot tower my parents had in order to get a tv signal 100 miles away. Some were on top of the house others beside the house. Anyway, they weren't buried out of sight in the ground. TV was "free"!

My antenna is "buried" in my attic and my TV is free. If you are in a remote area, some other provision will need to be made. I am not sure I would view a "buried" cable as a technology improvement. What has really changed is the TV service providers have attempted, and in many cases have succeeded, in getting you to pay for programming you never watch via channel bundles.

Ok, time to stir the pot. The cable companies (not dish) basically provide 2 things, television and internet. In both cases you can buy various packages based on your needs and budget. We've talked about various options for the television side, but what about the internet side? I assume 90%+ of villagers have internet and 90%+ of those folks get their internet from a cable company. I'm guessing that internet costs $30 on up per month based on the speed you want. So, conceptually speaking what would you think if TV started a "non-profit" muni Wi-Fi system to provide internet service to the entire complex? And, what would you be willing to pay? There are a number of cities around the world that have this setup, so it does work, but I don't know how well. TV has a great infrastructure setup, a closed loop community, a central billing structure, so it "could" work? Would you be willing to pay and extra $1, $2, $3 per month on your amenities bill for average to above average internet speed in exchange for routers attached to half the light poles on every street. If you want more that what the muni Wi-Fi offers, you are free to purchase a package from a cable company. It would be just like golf, we all pay for free golf (if that makes sense) whether we use it or not, and we are free to pay for golf outside of that if we choose. :D

Tom - You will never win this argument with a good portion of this audience! Nice try, though! :)

I think that's a great idea! By any chance, have you priced it out on how to get all that on 4 TV's in different rooms, at the same time? I'm guessing you're giving up on any type of DVR capability - yes? Oh, and what internet speed/pkg are you using to be able to pull all the streaming TV in, and still surf the net? Have you gotten any quotes yet on the antenna install from a contractor to erect it (if you're going with a ground-based tower), or to install in on the roof? I see lots of folks on this forum "talk" about doing antennas (outside vs attic), and getting 50+ channels, but never see any math or channel listings (except from Tom at VillagesAV). Just curious.....anyone have that kind of info to share? Appreciate it if so.....

OK, I'll bite. I don't see any motivation for the CDDs (that is where you amenities bill comes from) to do this. The infrastructure to deliver internet is already in place (coax and fiber) for private companies to do this. Cellphone companies also have the infrastructure already in place to "sort of do this" via cell towers. You are suggesting that the CDDs put yet another set of infrastructure in place? I don't see it happening.

We're moving into The Villages in Sept. and plan to have only TV & internet, assuming our cell phones work adequately. I don't know what provider the previous owners used. Up to now, we've been content with basic plus TV service - no need for premium channels - along with phone and internet. All of this chatter confuses me, as we currently have Time Warner in our NY home and Comcast in the MD house we are selling. I had thought to look into either company when we moved to FL. So Comcast is out? Any suggestions for reliable service at a reasonable price?