Cutting the Cable Cord
Nigel C. Stewart
IT 103-004
| Title Page | Introduction | Alternatives to Cable | Why Drop Cable? | Legal and Ethical Issues | Security Issues | Social Issues | Conclusion | Works Cited |
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Can cable be saved?
It appears that cables’ biggest problems are economic. Consumers Union found that cable rates have increased 30% since 2009, triple the rate of inflation. Ellen East of Cox Communications puts part of the blame on the cost of programming. “Our programming costs went up in double digits this year [while} average rates were up 5 percent” (Baumgartner, 2014). But providers like Cox cannot afford to drop more expensive channels, or they will lose out to competitors like satellite, where four out of five new ‘traditional’ video subscribers are headed. Though cable subscriptions are falling, about 86% of households with a television still subscribe to a service from Cox, Verizon, Comcast or others (Snider, 2013). Signs point to a re-evaluation of the Telecommunications Reform Act, as even former supporters of the 2009 laws are considering regulation to bring down ever-increasing monthly bills. Until that happens, more and more customers are content to turn to their internet connection to entertain themselves at a fraction of the cost.