We had a cable/internet/phone bundle. When we bought our 50" HDTV we wanted to use Monster HDMI cables to get the best possible picture. The cable box had an HDMI port but it was "closed". I called the cable company and asked if they could open it and they wouldn't. They said they had bought a bulk of component cables and had to use them. I told them I didn't expect them to pay for my HDMI cable, but they still wouldn't do it. Soo, we switched to Dish Network and kept the phone/internet through the cable company. Eventually we decided having cell phones and a land line was redundant so we turned off the home phone. At that point our internet bill went through the roof. Our internet service alone was more expensive than internet/phone together. The cable company wouldn't lower it so we went with a different company. Point of the story: I don't see how these companies turn a profit doing business like that.
BTW, thanks for the tips.
