Is there an affordable means to completely cut the cord from cable provider? [closed]

Question

I'm not sure if there's a more appropriate SE for this, please migrate if so.

Currently, I am forced to pay for Comcast as my Internet Service Provider (ISP) because there aren't really any other options for the region I live in. The issue with Comcast is that that their customer service is terrible, their system's reliability is shaky at best, and I've had intermittent outages of the internet on a regular basis.

All of this has led to me seeking for an alternative method for my household internet needs. One option that I had considered was purchasing an unlimited data plan for my phone and tethering my devices to it.

Currently, our household uses approximately 200 Gb of data every month, mostly in the form of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. The issue with most unlimited cell phone data plans is that they aren't actually unlimited and after a certain threshold (well before 200 Gb), they will slow your speeds from 4G to 3G, which is a significant impact on streaming. At this time, we do not play online games which require a fast connection (mostly just games that could also be played Offline on Steam).

Currently, our household pays approximately $84 a month for Comcast's internet, $130 for a 2-line cell phone plan, and $11 for a Netflix subscription. A net total of about $225 monthly.

Is there currently a cell phone plan out there, which would permit me to have truly unlimited data or at least unlimited data for me? To clarify the second aspect, T-Mobile had an offer called Binge On, which excluded the data used by a bunch of streaming services, however this is no longer offered and doesn't appear to be a viable path.

An ideal answer would have a cost comparable or less than what we pay right now. However, if this is only possible by paying more than what we currently pay, I'm still interested if it is the only option. I am not interested in a satellite provider because if I don't like it, I'm stuck in a contract with them. A contract for a cellular data plan, while not desirable, is more acceptable as I can query friends and family in the region to determine the reliability of their service.

Answer 1

$84 for internet only seems a bit steep... I pay about $65 with Spectrum. Are you getting any cable tv or phone included in the $84? If so, I'd recommend dropping any cable tv and replacing it with Sling and an HDTV antenna, and if you want home phone beyond your cell, I'd recommend a 3rd party Voip device. I think trying to replace household cable internet with cell data will be an exercise in frustration. I'd recommend trying to save on your cell phone plan... we pay $55 per month for two lines with Consumer Cellular - unlimited talk & text and shared 5 GB. The 5 GB probably seems small, but if you keep the intensive video-type streaming ( movies, youtube ) limited to only when on WiFi we've found it to be enough. I recommend insisting that Comcast provide service for what you're paying ... they need to come out and check your system... maybe a newer replacement cable modem and/or a newer router would help. Good luck...