[trimtab]

Cable companies keep tightening the screws on Cable TV customers who in many cases will remain cable subscribers for broadband internet only..... But only because there are no other options in their area.

Also Cable Companies continue to encrypt local channels that used to be on unencrypted clear QAM channels. So that HDTV or DVR that has a digital tuner that you purchased can't get a signal without adding yet another cable box (or cablecard) to your monthly bill for each and every device.

Then customers decide to try an Over-The-Air (OTA) antenna and realize that the Cable Co's have been degrading their local channels signal for years in favor of pay channels and shopping channels.

Next, a customer may get a Roku or Chromecast and realize the choice greater and quality better streaming from the Internet than via local cable and the customer has much better control over the costs.

Also "cord cutters" are making a lot of noise on social networks about what they are doing and how well it works. Couple that with how much "love" most people have for their cable company and well decline should be inevitable as long as the alternatives work and they do.

[Clubber]

I got sick of Comcast charging for basic, then ++ for a box then ++ for HD (over and above renting the HD box) then ++ for a DVR, then ++ for a little box in the kid's room, then contracting out people who don't know what the hell they are talking about to (not) fix things when the picture goes bad, then charging me $85 for them to (not) fix it. I'm sick of the horrible customer service too. It ended up being $130 bucks a month for garbage.

I cut them off with prejudice (to use a legal term), and replaced them with Netflix, HBO, iTunes and Hulu for College Football games. I have an antenna but don't use it much. I figured for $130 a month, I could buy 4 seasons a month at $30 a season and still be under what Comcast charged.

Comcast can go pound sand. (except their business internet).

[na85]

Companies with business models predicated on gouging customers and using high barrier-to-entry as a defence against competition deserve ignominious death.

I can't imagine why people jump ship when presented with better options.