How often do you change your monthly service providers? Includes Cable TV, Cellular, Internet, Streaming etc

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

As several of you know, I worked for T-Mobile as an employee for several years, now over a decade ago. I stayed with them as my cell provider even after I lost my employee options, because I was there during their aggressive growth phase with John Legere, and as a result, had what was (IMHO) some of the best plans, bennies (including 4 free lines) and other perks from the legacy era.

That’s ending this week, as I’m one of the outliers cost-wise on those being forced off legacy plans (those 4 free lines going away is painful). And intellectually I understand it, because I probably wasn’t profitable under that model.

So I’ve done my research, shopped, and have my final two options (still more expensive) ready to go after I get the callback tomorrow from the Retention department.

Still, it made me think of how much I, like many others, linger with services despite increasing costs and Enshittification. I kept Netflix long after I stopped having a reason to pay for it monthly - one or two exclusives and occasionally something I put on in the background didn’t justify a monthly fee. I did the usual call Xfinity and threaten to leave on my Internet service every few years, like a lot did, and (irony warning!) just finally dumped them 3 months ago for a better deal/speeds with T-Mobile Fiber. I still have Progressive Auto Insurance despite not having worked for them in well over a decade, but I do at least check prices once a year to make sure it’s in the ballpark, though I’m in the process of considering switching to a package deal with another carrier because Farmers insurance (Homowner’s) has done me dirty on a recent claim, despite 20 years with zero claims with them.

I know, intellectually at least, that for the modern consumer, it pays to change frequently, say every 2-3 years, because all these companies care more about growth than taking care of their existing customer base, but I also understand from recent experience how much work it is to make credible threats or actually switch these sorts of services.

So, what does everyone else do? Threaten a provider with leaving every year or two, change carriers frequently, stay until something goes dramatically wrong while complaining, or stay the course even with issues because the hassle is too much?

[I know, there are also plenty of people who sign up for trials/streaming subs and then cancel after binging a season of all the shows they care about and it’s fine, but I’m asking about ones you normally maintain month after month]

2

Almost never but I only have a few. I should probably shop around for a better cell phone service (pricing, I actually like my service but it is not cheap).

I do, however, call my internet provider once a year and make sure my price remains competitive. And they willingly do it since they know I have other options (I live in a big city). They really do not even fuss about it.

I suppose if you have watched all (say) Netflix has to offer that you care to watch it is worth dropping them and picking a new one and then cycle back over time as they get new stuff.

3

I am fine with subscribing to what I need and keeping them even when I’m not using them much just in case. I’d not be saving enough to bother with the hassle of swapping and setting up. Peace of mind is priceless, or whatever.

Of all of them, my Internet Provider is the one I’ve changed most often, but that’s usually due to relocating and availability. If they don’t serve my new area I have to shop around. Price differences also correlate with quality of service, which I’m willing to pay for.

4

Never?

Got Verizon Wireless as a family plan for cell phones back around 2002-2003, we still use that today. Cable at my parents home was always Cablevison back since the 1990s, then they changed their name to Optimum which is what it still is today.

The cable for my apartments in the city since 2006 were always Time Warner Cable which was then rebranded as Spectrum.

5

Let’s see. Twice in 26 years.

21 years ago, I moved in with my wife before we got married and she had internet. I think she had the internet provider for at least five years.

I kept my own cell phone and had had the same provider for at least five years as well.

We moved a couple of times in Tokyo and Yokohama, but kept the same providers.

13 years ago, we moved to Taiwan and had to get new providers for everything.

Three years ago, we moved back to Japan and got new providers again.

We either make good decisions or aren’t smart enough to keep checking to better deals. No sure.

6

Just sayin’, even if you’re not getting the Friends & Family deal anymore, T-Mobile is still a pretty darn good and reasonably priced provider. Just my two cents.

I dumped AT&t for T-Mobile.

7

That’s why I said I understood it from their point of view. I’m upset because they are breaking the plain language of the contract, but I absolutely see their business need. And that’s why I scheduled a call back from the retention team this afternoon, to see if they came through with a better fix. I know that I can manage to get a bill plan that is only 10% more expensive than I was previously paying by sacrificing several features, and lines, but at this point switching will give me a better price, some of the features I’ve lost, and a series of new phones.

Sadly or not sadly, I’m accepting that 3 to 5 years is the most consistency I can expect with many of these services. So it is very possible that I would end up with T-Mobile again half a decade from now.

8

If I haven’t watched anything on, say, NFLX during the month’s pay cycle, I’ll kill it (or suspend it, if that’s an option) until I see that there is something new or of interest. Hulu, for instance, has been shut down for many months, as their programing is mostly crap to me. Apple has had consistently good programming for quite some time, and their price is reasonable, so I’ve continued with them so far.

As for my phone, it’s just easiest to stay with my AT&T account. I wouldn’t call it cheap, but I’m too lazy to muck around finding a deal.