Cable 'cord cutters' near the million household mark

About 800,000 U.S. households have dropped cable, satellite or telco TV in favor of Web-based videos, downloadable shows, mail subscription movie services and even over-the-air antennas to receive digital TV multicasts, a report from the Convergence Consulting Group says.

The report concedes this is only about 1 percent of the U.S. households that connect to entertainment via some sort of cord but suggests that the trend could reach about 1.6 million households by the end of 2011. Of course while the cable TV cord may be sliced, the cord to the cable operator is not. Getting to Web sites requires a broadband connection, and cable and telco lines are the best way to make that connection.

Blogger Marty McPadden is one of those who has dropped his cable and "so far it's worked quite well for me." He said he doesn't miss all the choices cable has to offer, and, apparently is not a sports fan. "If you're a hardcore sports fan, your options are more limited," he pointed out.

For more:
- see this story
- and this blog

Related articles:
Internet TV vs. cable battle of words ends in a draw
Cable, satellite prices soar 43%; Internet, TV prices decline
Internet more important than TV, study says