Does Basic Analog cable come with Internet service for free?

[jbarr]

I thought I read somewhere that if you subscribe just to a cable company's Internet service, that you also get "basic analog" service with it at no extra cost by default. Can anyone substantiate this? I'm considering moving from cable to DirecTV, but need to retain cable for Internet service only. The possibility of having basic analog included with the Internet service at no additional charge would certainly be a nice bonus.

[sainswor99]

Depends on whether or not your cable company views it as piracy and if they choose to do anything about it. Some cable companies may include it in the package for free (or consider the upcharge you pay as covering the cost); others may consider it theft of service, but not do anything about it.

Old article about it:
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-930356.html

Stu

[tmiranda]

FWIW - I purchase basic cable and internet service from my local cable company. When I had the high speed internet installed they ran a second dedicated line from the pole to my house. Both of the drops carry the cable and the internet signal.

[SprDtyF350]

Comcast where I am prices there stuff dumb. If all I want is the internet it costs more than if I had internet, and basic cable. They tell me i get a discount for having both. My bill is about $1.00 less getting both than if I just get internet. Crooked if you ask me. I really do not want the cable.

[nielm]

Originally Posted by jbarr

I thought I read somewhere that if you subscribe just to a cable company's Internet service, that you also get "basic analog" service with it at no extra cost by default.

Technically the answer is 'maybe'...

Analog cable uses a certain frequency range.
Cable internet uses another, separate, frequency range.
Digital cable may share part of the analogue freq range, or use a third separate frequency range.

When subscribing to analogue cable only, the CableCo may prevent you from accessing the internet by putting a frequency filter at the cable box which cuts off the internet freq range (They may also disable it through other methods such as cablemodem address registration/verification too).

So if subscribed to internet only, they may put another filter which cuts off the analogue freq range, or they may just leave it open... In any case, they cannot 'detect' that you are viewing analogue cable.

(Where I am you cannot have cable internet without subscribing to a basic ananlogue service)

[BobPhoenix]

My cable co. puts a filter on the line when you get just internet that only allows access to every other channel on the basic lineup.

[jbarr]

Thanks for the info!

My brother-in-law (who is NOT currently a SageTV user, yet) is switching from cable to DirecTV, but retaining cable Internet, so I'll see how they do it with him. We live in the same town served by the same cable company, so it would likely be the same for both of us.

Anyway, it's certainly not an issue if I cannot get the basic at no cost, as we'll just get the requisite number of DirecTV receivers as needed.

Thanks!

[BobPhoenix]

One other thing. My brother's father in-law passed away and it was at least a month before the cable company turned off the analog cable. When I moved (had same cable company) I only had analog for a day or two after I cancelled service. So what they do may vary based on how busy they are and what they think is important.

[hemicuda]

Friend of mine has cable w/ 'basic' service. His analog is capped at 2-13. He tried digital and didn't get anywhere, but I think I need to get my hands on it to be sure.