After years of dependable but expensive Comcast service, my wife and I decided it was time to take a closer look at our monthly bill — and we're glad that we did. By rethinking what we actually use and how we watch TV, we ended up with faster Internet, the same entertainment options, and major savings every month.
📺 From Cable TV to Streaming
Our original Comcast package included television programming with DVR service on multiple TVs, along with Internet at about 500 Mbps or less.
The total monthly cost? $285.
The reality was that most of those cable channels and extra DVR boxes went unused. So, we made the decision to eliminate the traditional TV programming and keep only Internet service.
To replace live TV and DVR, we switched to Roku streaming (device cost ~ $30-40) and added YouTube TV for ~$82 per month, which includes many local and national channels as well as full cloud DVR capability — perfect since my wife and I often watch shows at times different vs. broadcast time. It took a short learning curve, but we quickly adapted and found that nearly everything we watched before is available through streaming. This includes watching Select Board/ School Committee meetings on YouTube Live (streaming).
⚙️ The New Xfinity/Comcast Plan
We recently upgraded to a new Gigabit Internet plan that includes a free Xfinity Gateway modem/router for $85 per month, guaranteed for five years — and best of all, there’s no contract.
That’s down from our previous Xfinity Internet-only rate of $124 per month, saving $39 per month or $468 per year right away.
📱 Free Phone & Verizon Reimbursement
By transferring one of our mobile phone accounts from Verizon to Comcast/Xfinity Mobile:
-
We received one full year of free phone service (valued at $480).
-
Comcast also covered the remaining $195 phone financing balance on our Verizon plan, reimbursing us via a $195 Visa card.
📺 Bonus Streaming Value
The new plan even includes two years of Peacock Premium streaming at no charge — a $10.99/month value, or $132 per year.
📶 Extra Perk from Verizon
Ironically, Verizon offered a $10/month discount for one year on our second phone line, adding another $120 in savings. (Could this be a competitive retain customer incentive since we transferred one of our two Verizon mobile accounts?)
💰 Total First-Year Savings
| Source | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower monthly Internet rate | $468 |
| Free phone service | $480 |
| Verizon payoff reimbursement | $195 |
| Peacock Premium (2-year value, annualized) | $132 |
| Verizon wireless discount | $120 |
| Total Savings (Year 1) | $1,395 |
Even after paying $85/month ($1,020 per year) for Gigabit Internet, we are effectively ahead by $255 — meaning our new high-speed Internet and streaming setup is essentially free in the first year.
⚡ Real-World Speed Results
The performance boost has been impressive. Here are the up/down data speeds from the Xfinity Gateway to one of our computers connected via an Ethernet cable.
-
Download speed: 931 Mbps
-
Upload speed: 118 Mbps
At the incoming cable connection (Xfinity Gateway), we are receiving around 1.2 Gbps, slightly above the advertised 1.0 Gbps Gigabit plan speed — a great sign that Xfinity’s network capacity has improved locally.
🏁 The Bottom Line
By cutting cable TV, upgrading to Gigabit Internet, and embracing streaming through Roku and YouTube TV, we reduced our total monthly cost from $285 to $167 — and improved both speed and flexibility.
Between the first-year savings, free streaming perks, and better Internet performance, this upgrade has been well worth the change.
Sometimes a little rethinking — and a willingness to learn something new — can lead to faster service, lower bills, and a better experience overall.
Jim & Judy Moran
45 year Longmeadow residents and 35 year customers of Comcast/ Xfinity and prior cable system owners (ATT-Broadband, Media One ...)
