8 ms·

I can dump my cable company if they piss me off. I can't do that with my utility companies

by cranklin 12y ago

ForHackernews 12y ago
In many parts of America, electricity is partially deregulated and you can switch providers.
- cranklin 12y ago
  and how about water, sewage, gas?
  - ForHackernews 12y ago
    Natural gas is deregulated in some places: http://www.ohionaturalgas.com/deregulation.html http://www.ohionaturalgas.com/deregulation.html Honestly though, large utilities are a good case of a "natural monopoly".
lutorm 12y ago
I can too, and then not have cable. At least with the utility company, I can put up PV panels and live off grid.
- VLM 12y ago
  Say goodbye to your occupancy permit, which will probably cause mortgage default. You won't be kicked out of your house for canceling cable.
- cranklin 12y ago
  as if electricity is the only utility, right?
fletchowns 12y ago
For a lot of people, they can't dump their cable company if they piss them off, because that's the only option they have available.
rkuykendall-com 12y ago
Most Americans can't dump their cable company.
bratsche 12y ago
In my area, the cable provider is the only one that offers somewhat fast speeds. Whenever they overcharge me and I spend hours sorting it out (this has happened a few times) with them I wish I could switch, but DSL is just not fast enough for working remotely. I don't have other options for all my other utilities, but so far they have overcharged me and screwed things up royally exactly zero times.
- dublinben 12y ago
  The FCC just raised its minimum definition of broadband, so that DSL probably doesn't even qualify anymore. As if it should have before. http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-industry-claims-that-customers-dont-need-faster-internet/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-i...
  - graywh 12y ago
    The cable company's Internet service may not either.
Omniusaspirer 12y ago
Sure you can- nothing stops you from installing your own power generation/water purification (assuming you own your home and don't have a Nazi township/HOA).

I can dump my cable company if they piss me off. I can't do that with my utility companies

ForHackernews 12y ago

In many parts of America, electricity is partially deregulated and you can switch providers.

cranklin 12y ago
and how about water, sewage, gas?
- ForHackernews 12y ago
  Natural gas is deregulated in some places: http://www.ohionaturalgas.com/deregulation.html http://www.ohionaturalgas.com/deregulation.html Honestly though, large utilities are a good case of a "natural monopoly".

lutorm 12y ago

I can too, and then not have cable. At least with the utility company, I can put up PV panels and live off grid.

VLM 12y ago
Say goodbye to your occupancy permit, which will probably cause mortgage default. You won't be kicked out of your house for canceling cable.
cranklin 12y ago
as if electricity is the only utility, right?

fletchowns 12y ago

For a lot of people, they can't dump their cable company if they piss them off, because that's the only option they have available.

rkuykendall-com 12y ago

Most Americans can't dump their cable company.

bratsche 12y ago

In my area, the cable provider is the only one that offers somewhat fast speeds. Whenever they overcharge me and I spend hours sorting it out (this has happened a few times) with them I wish I could switch, but DSL is just not fast enough for working remotely. I don't have other options for all my other utilities, but so far they have overcharged me and screwed things up royally exactly zero times.

dublinben 12y ago
The FCC just raised its minimum definition of broadband, so that DSL probably doesn't even qualify anymore. As if it should have before. http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-industry-claims-that-customers-dont-need-faster-internet/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-i...
- graywh 12y ago
  The cable company's Internet service may not either.

Omniusaspirer 12y ago

Sure you can- nothing stops you from installing your own power generation/water purification (assuming you own your home and don't have a Nazi township/HOA).