U.S. TV Consumers Expect Low Total Streaming Monthly Costs -- $30 Or Less

[comfortably_numb]

U.S. TV Consumers Expect Low Total Streaming Monthly Costs -- $30 Or Less

New research found 75% of U.S. consumers do not want to spend more than $30 per month on all their streaming services -- which would amount roughly to signing up for around three streaming services at $10 per month each.

www.mediapost.com

 

[harshness]

I expect that these prospective streaming viewers are in for some sticker shock. I partially blame the bloggers (and re-bloggers) for not keeping up with the prices.

I bet a few will end up paying something to get their OTA channels (if they don't already).

 

[Bruce]

let’s see
Netflix $15.99 ( -20% for gift card discount, stocked up on them when Amazon had them on sale last month) so $12.79
Hulu $11.99 ( Same discount for gift card) so $9.59
Disney+ $6.99 ( paid the discount prepaid 3 year price) so $3.92

Total-before discount-$34.97 after $26.30
OTA-Free
no longer wasting money on a Traditional Service-Priceless


Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[Bruce]

I expect that these prospective streaming viewers are in for some sticker shock. I partially blame the bloggers (and re-bloggers) for not keeping up with the prices.

The sticker shock is with the Traditional Services, I just went to Dish’s site and with just the 120 package and four boxes is $85 a month for the first 2 years.

I get so much more content then that with what I have at a much lower price and every cable show I watched is on Netflix or Hulu on a delay and in March all FX programming will be on next day after airing on the cable channel on Hulu.




Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[Allegen27]

Interesting read!

let’s see
Netflix $15.99 ( -20% for gift card discount, stocked up on them when Amazon had them on sale last month) so $12.79
Hulu $11.99 ( Same discount for gift card) so $9.59
Disney+ $6.99 ( paid the discount prepaid 3 year price) so $3.92

Total-before discount-$34.97 after $26.30
OTA-Free
no longer wasting money on a Traditional Service-Priceless


Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

I mean you aren't including that the home wifi cost of $60 in your calculation so maybe more like $94.37 a month for your streaming? That additional cost should be factored in, just like equipment fees are factored in for a fair/ realistic comparison of services. With internet basically free on your cell phone nowadays, cord cutting can also take place by cutting that home wifi out too. Considering home internet as an extra cost could save a nice chunk of money every month.

 

[Bobby]

I mean you aren't including that the home wifi cost of $60 in your calculation so maybe more like $94.37 a month for your streaming? That additional cost should be factored in, just like equipment fees are factored in for a fair/ realistic comparison of services. With internet basically free on your cell phone nowadays, cord cutting can also take place by cutting that home wifi out too. Considering home internet as an extra cost could save a nice chunk of money every month.

The home internet cost is not factored in because it is there for other purposes as well as TV streaming. Even with out streaming you have that cost just for email, texting, Google searches, and yes, access to Satellite Guys!

 

[lparsons21]

Interesting read!




I mean you aren't including that the home wifi cost of $60 in your calculation so maybe more like $94.37 a month for your streaming? That additional cost should be factored in, just like equipment fees are factored in for a fair/ realistic comparison of services. With internet basically free on your cell phone nowadays, cord cutting can also take place by cutting that home wifi out too. Considering home internet as an extra cost could save a nice chunk of money every month.

Uh, what makes you think internet is basically free with a cell phone? It is anything but! In order to have internet on your phone you have to have a cell plan with data and even with ‘unlimited’ data it ain’t cheap! And since ‘unlimited’ doesn’t actually mean unlimited high speed data, if you’re streaming lots of video you will quickly burn though that high speed data.

And yes, you should count some of the cost of home internet in calculations, but only those costs that increase BECAUSE you are going to streaming. IOW, if you are on cable/sat and have say, basic internet service at home, should you then change to all streaming, the cost to increase that service to fit your new needs should be included.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Allegen27]

The home internet cost is not factored in because it is there for other purposes as well as TV streaming. Even with out streaming you have that cost just for email, texting, Google searches, and yes, access to Satellite Guys!

What do you NEED home internet for? In many cases it's a want, not a need. I totally understand where you are coming from though. Many people do feel the need for home wifi for online gaming, PC browsing (for satelliteguys access of course) work, or for their wifi toaster. Those are all luxuries/lifestyles/ preferences though. I can totally get on satelliteguys and many other websites and apps using my phone without wifi!

Uh, what makes you think internet is basically free with a cell phone? It is anything but! In order to have internet on your phone you have to have a cell plan with data and even with ‘unlimited’ data it ain’t cheap! And since ‘unlimited’ doesn’t actually mean unlimited high speed data, if you’re streaming lots of video you will quickly burn though that high speed data.

And yes, you should count some of the cost of home internet in calculations, but only those costs that increase BECAUSE you are going to streaming. IOW, if you are on cable/sat and have say, basic internet service at home, should you then change to all streaming, the cost to increase that service to fit your new needs should be included.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I mean how many people do you know that DON'T have internet on their phone?

I have unlimited internet on my phone AND unlimited wifi hotspot and my monthly phone bill, for three phones is around a hundred dollars a month. Sure some people pay another $30 per phone a month so they can have the newest phone every year, but that's a choice not a requirement.


Guys, I have streamed since 2011, before it was the "cool" thing to do. I AM NOT anti streaming. I was simply trying to show that what some consider a necessity for others is an extra. I mean cord cutting is a great way to save money...you could cut that big fat fiber cord and automatically you would save a bunch!

Satellite isn't a NEED in my life...it is a luxury. One that my wife and I both find to be an acceptable cost for our own situation. if down the road we hit some hard times and have to make some lifestyle choices...satellite could very well end up on the chopping block. In our current situation we get free Netflix (through my cell provider btw) and free Hulu on top of our satellite and we don't pay a monthly $60 internet fee. So for us satellite on top makes sense and is financially viable (and awesome).

So when I say to include the internet price, I say that because to me it seems like the responsible way to look at numbers when budgeting and comparing cost. If you are a true cord cutter even that fiber cord going into your house should be reviewed when looking at your situation, especially when so many (not all or most) nowadays use their cell phones as their daily computers. That is what I was trying to point out.

 

[Bruce]

Interesting read!




I mean you aren't including that the home wifi cost of $60 in your calculation so maybe more like $94.37 a month for your streaming? That additional cost should be factored in, just like equipment fees are factored in for a fair/ realistic comparison of services. With internet basically free on your cell phone nowadays, cord cutting can also take place by cutting that home wifi out too. Considering home internet as an extra cost could save a nice chunk of money every month.

Anyways, have 1G service and pay $95 a month which includes the modem and no data cap, so with that and what I pay for streaming service is only roughly $125 a month which is almost the average for a Traditional Providers bill for just TV.

Also, even if I had Traditional TV Service, I can honestly say I would not change my Broadband one bit.

Now, I noticed that you have Dish so I am going to say this, I could easily afford Traditional Service but I get no value out of it and I do not like to waste money, there is so much great content on Netflix and the other steaming providers, the majority of it in 4K which no one else provides, then we get all the cable shows, on a delay, but every episode at once which is how I prefer to watch shows, for example we just watched Preacher Season 4, it ended in October on AMC and premiered on Hulu the end of December, so a 3 month delay.

 

[Allegen27]

Anyways, have 1G service and pay $95 a month which includes the modem and no data cap, so with that and what I pay for streaming service is only roughly $125 a month which is almost the average for a Traditional Providers bill for just TV.

Also, even if I had Traditional TV Service, I can honestly say I would not change my Broadband one bit.

Now, I noticed that you have Dish so I am going to say this, I could easily afford Traditional Service but I get no value out of it and I do not like to waste money, there is so much great content on Netflix and the other steaming providers, the majority of it in 4K which no one else provides, then we get all the cable shows, on a delay, but every episode at once which is how I prefer to watch shows, for example we just watched Preacher Season 4, it ended in October on AMC and premiered on Hulu the end of December, so a 3 month delay.

Oh yeah, exclusively streamed for years there are definitely perks to streaming...there are definitely perks to satellite too. To be honest we were kind of forced into Dish because our new house/ neighborhood doesn't have traditional internet access. I am pleasantly surprised by the enjoyable experience we're having with Dish though.

I'm not that big into 4K, we only have one 4k tv and we bought a decent Samsung that's 4k. The scalers are good so 1080p looks nice, but the UHD Blu Rays and Netflix 4k I watched didn't really seem to add much to the visuals (49"). I've read that tv has a poor HDR in it and is also 49" so I kind of attribute that issue to those factors. The tv cost around $650 though so I'm not in a hurry to replace it.....let me rephrase that..my wife won't currently let me replace it..lol. Someday though....I'm going to get a big OLED screen with KILLER HDR lol.

We binge watch shows too...either from DVR or streaming or Blu Ray. Currently watching the Sopranos on Amazon Prime, I love how they have the old HBO shows on there. As a standalone service though I think Netflix and Hulu both blow it out of the water.

 

[Bruce]

I have unlimited internet on my phone AND unlimited wifi hotspot and my monthly phone bill, for three phones is around a hundred dollars a month. Sure some people pay another $30 per phone a month so they can have the newest phone every year, but that's a choice not a requirement.

I mean cord cutting is a great way to save money...you could cut that big fat fiber cord and automatically you would save a bunch!

Ok, just like you consider Home Broadband a waste, I consider what you pay for cell service a waste, I buy new Tracfones every year, which come with this ( just bought two new ones for me and my wife)-Includes LG Journey smartphone with travel adapter, USB cable, and one year of service/1,500 minutes/1,500 texts/1.5GB data; case $69.99

Tracfone 5.45" LG Journey 1500 Talk/Text/Data w/ Case,Charger and Voucher - QVC.com

Carve your own path with the LG Journey Tracfone. Stocked with all the everyday essentials you're looking for--feature-packed cameras, vibrant display, and lots of other fabulous functions--the dynamic device will keep up every step of the way. QVC.com

www.qvc.com

I do this every year and 1500 minutes is more then enough for me, I am not a teenage girl, if we need to make a real long call, that is what our Google home phone is for, $0 cost.






Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[Allegen27]

Ok, just like you consider Home Broadband a waste, I consider what you pay for cell service a waste, I buy new Tracfones every year, which come with this ( just bought two new ones for me and my wife)-Includes LG Journey smartphone with travel adapter, USB cable, and one year of service/1,500 minutes/1,500 texts/1.5GB data; case $69.99

Tracfone 5.45" LG Journey 1500 Talk/Text/Data w/ Case,Charger and Voucher - QVC.com

Carve your own path with the LG Journey Tracfone. Stocked with all the everyday essentials you're looking for--feature-packed cameras, vibrant display, and lots of other fabulous functions--the dynamic device will keep up every step of the way. QVC.com

www.qvc.com

I do this every year and 1500 minutes is more then enough for me, I am not a teenage girl, if we need to make a real long call, that is what our Google home phone is for, $0 cost.






Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

Haha I don't consider home broadband a waste...I consider it a potential for cost cutting if you already have internet access on your cell phone and don't require it for a NEED (work, online gaming, etc). I know younger people who don't even have home internet and they literally watch everything on their phone...not the life for me!

$70 a year for cell phone service?! Yeah you got me beat!

 

[Zookster]

I have a similar situation as theBruce. I've always had home internet and always will. I work from home, occasionally play video games, stream all my video content, and take advantage of pre-paid cell phone deals and use cheapo internet-based landline phone service (Ooma) for business calls and long-distance calls with family members.

For me, I NEED home internet; having a top-end phone plan would be a luxury and of little use to me. From everything I've read, relying on a phone's 4G hotspot to stream 500 GB to 1 TB worth of video content (including 4K) in multiple rooms of my home per month is impractical. I've also heard some phone services, even when you have unlimited data, throttle you when you hit a certain threshold.

just bought two new ones for me and my wife)-Includes LG Journey smartphone with travel adapter, USB cable, and one year of service/1,500 minutes/1,500 texts/1.5GB data; case $69.99

That's a sweet deal! I jumped on these QVC/HSN deals two years in a row a few years ago, but I love my most recent Samsung phone so much, I'm waiting until one of these deals at least includes a 32 GB phone before going to the trouble of transferring everything again to a new phone. This LG phone is tempting, though, especially with the full year of service for $70.

 

[harshness]

I get so much more content then that with what I have at a much lower price and every cable show I watched is on Netflix or Hulu on a delay and in March

The disconnect here is that many discuss their TV viewing "at the water cooler" the day after the episode first airs so this doesn't work in any way, shape or form for those types.

Everyone's needs are different and some don't allow cost to drive their needs as much as others.

 

[Bruce]

The disconnect here is that many discuss their TV viewing "at the water cooler" the day after the episode first airs so this doesn't work in any way, shape or form for those types.

That is a good reason not to binge watch, so I can talk to people.

And who talks at a Water Cooler anymore, everyone seems to do it via Social Media.

Everyone's needs are different and some don't allow cost to drive their needs as much as others.

Traditional Cable/Sat service is a major expense, now more then ever and I hate to waste money and because of being very careful of what we spend, that every extra dollar I did not waste went into investment accounts and has allowed me to retire at 52.

The other thing is I like the way we watch TV, for example we just watched all 8 episodes of The Mandalorian and I know I enjoyed watching all of them at once then weekly.




Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[camo]

I'm not hurting by any means but did just purchase a new home with a chunk of cash I had stashed so spending unnecessarily on TV is one of the things I can do something about by streaming. I'm much happier with the PQ on YTTV vs satellite plus the unlimited DVR I love. I DVR tons and watch very little I have to admit.

 

[harshness]

And who talks at a Water Cooler anymore, everyone seems to do it via Social Media.

Most workplaces frown on employees hanging out on social media at work but you'll perhaps note that I put quotes around "at the water cooler".

Traditional Cable/Sat service is a major expense, now more then ever and I hate to waste money and because of being very careful of what we spend, that every extra dollar I did not waste went into investment accounts and has allowed me to retire at 52.

Your preferences are your own borne out of choices you made and situations your found yourself in. Most have chosen significantly different paths (or have others deciding their paths). I'm not sure I could afford health care if I had retired at 52. If I keep showing up at work, I can afford to not spend the better part of a modest pension (as a unit of income) on gubmint mandated insurance.

 

[harshness]

I'm much happier with the PQ on YTTV vs satellite plus the unlimited DVR I love.

"Unlimited" only in the wireless carrier or broadband provider sense of the word. The incumbents called it "on demand".

 

[TheForce]

Everyone's needs are different and some don't allow cost to drive their needs as much as others.

Worth repeating. I respect some people don't mind how they can save a few bucks by communicating with two tin cans and a string, or doing everything including watching TV on their small iphone 6. For me, I don't expect to save $15 by giving up what I enjoy in my home theater. If I pick a provider and equipment it needs to be reliable, meet my priorities and just be affordable in MY budget.

What does annoy me a little bit is when I see cost posts here that don't add up. I appreciate the fact that some companies, like Dish Network, from personal experience, offer individuals different pricing to keep their business. Doesn't mean others will get the same deal. It's just the way some companies do business.