How much are you spending per month on information, entertainment, and data services?

Some of the comments to yesterday's post about Time Warner possibly getting into the cellphone game and the looming prospect of paying them one massive bill each month got us thinking, How much are you paying per month for all of your information, entertainment, and data services? We'll go first: Here in NYC we're paying $16.94 per month for Vonage's VoIP phone service, $79.24 per month for Sprint cellphone service (1000 anytime minutes plus PCS Vision), and $44.95 per month for Time Warner cable Internet, for a grand total of $141.13 a month, or $1,693.56 a year (and we don't even have digital cable or anything!).

[Michael Davies @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$150 a month for Verizon Wireless (4 numbers, for the family, provides coverage in rural New England)

$100 a month for DirecTV with HD (paid for TiVo for life)

$60 a month for Comcast (Red Sox fan, only way to get NESN in HD)

$100 for three lines from Verizon (same home number for 6 years, plus second line (two daughters :-D) plus fax line)

$35 for Vonage (because it gives me a 617 area code and unlimited domestic and cheap international)

~$435 a month = $5200 a year

$400 for Comcast's commercial internet offer (6Mbps, plus several static IPs, needed for hosting servers)

$200 for 384kbps DSL (failover, static IPs, we leave more than 2.5 miles from the switch and have to pay for a high bandwidth service to get anything (used to live in the middle of town and get >6Mbps for the same money :-( ))

$1035 a month = ~$12,000 a year

Now, I work from home a lot, so the business pays for some of those, and for two business cellphone subscriptions...

$1000 a month for Sonera (European cellphone, lots of international roaming in Europe back here in the US (you pay for the inbound calls :-( and GRPS data charges)

$400 a month for T-Mobile (lots of international roaming and data (GPRS), had the same cellphone number for 7 years)

$2,600 a month = ~$30,000 a year

[erin orchard @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$60 for at&t cell phone plan(includes taxes)
$0 for mMode (it's a waste of money)
$0 cable (for some odd reason, i get my cable free!)
$55 for high speed (1.5mbps) internet.
$0 home phone line (don't have one)

$110/month
$1320/year

[stormblade @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

NTT Lan Line and Fiber Internet 90
ISP 88.58MBps 30
NTT Cell Phone 100
Mobile IP DataPhone 40
Broadvoice VoIP 20
Various Internet Subscriptions 80
Movies, etc. 100
Dial-Up service 20
Hosting 7
Domain Reg 5
.Mac 7
Iridium Satellite Phone 40


Monthly Total 539
Annual 6468

These numbers represent USD but I live in Japan. Looks like a house cleaning is in order to cut some of these expenses.

[mathew s @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Has anyone tried RCN? They sell bundles in my area, but I haven't taken the plunge yet.

Comcast Digital Cable $50/month
SBC 1 phone line and ASDL $130/month
AT&T Cellphone $50/month
Wife's Sprint PCS phone $60/month

[Jai @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Comcast Digital Cable $40/month
Dish network $25/month
Comcast cable internet $40/month
Verizon basic phone $40/month
AT&T Cellphone $50/month

[outdoor @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

cingular 35/month
cable internet 40/month
basic phone 10/month

[dantuttle @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$110 Verizon cell/month (family plan w/ 3 phones)
$7.80 Cablevision basic plan (still get most channels w/out paying)
$60 ($28 + 32) Verizon home phone & dsl
*** about $180 month
I dont have time for TV - so why pay for anything more. Can't live without internet or a cell phone.

[Jack @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I got it good, since I work for Sprint and my wife works for BellSouth. We both the employee discounts:
BellSouth Local & Cingular Wireless: $48
BellSouth DSL: $31
Sprint PCS: $10
Sprint LD: Free!
Comcast Digital w/HD: $65
TiVo: $13

Total: $167/month for a very complete collection of services.

[Willy T @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

vwz landline 25.00
twc basic 10.00
twc rr internet 34.99
lingo voip 19.99
virgin cellphone 20.00 every 90 days

'welcome to the 21st century'

[walter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

60 - Digital Cable w/ DVR
60 - Cingular GSM Phone
45 - Cable Internet
--------
165/month

$1980/year

[Michael Parekh @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Going through the comments so far, the expense seems to range from $500 to over $30,000 a year. Most however didn't include relatively new services, or new services on the horizon:

Satellite radio: 10-14/month (sirius just raised prices yesterday)

media anywhere services: delivery of media to any devices anywhere from your cable/satellite subscription, price to be determined.

Content services on the web: many more to come, and many will be subscription driven (what you won't pay $15-20/month for watch law and order on your pc on the law and order channel?)

massively parallel multiplayer online games, which are increasing being designed for grownups.

premium blog subscriptions, likely on the horizons.

data service subscriptions on the web...

many more possible services of course, but LUCKILY, we have ONLY 24 hours in the day, so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Grant @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

in Wilmington, NC

Time Warner cable internet $44.95/month

SunCom cellphone $44.00/month (500 anytime minutes)

Domain name $99.00 = $8.25/month

$97.20/month

$1166.40/year

it's worth it... i guess.

[Grant @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

in Wilmington, NC

Time Warner cable internet $44.95/month

SunCom cellphone $44.00/month (500 anytime minutes)

Domain name $99.00 = $8.25/month

$97.20/month

$1166.40/year

it's worth it... i guess.

[VoodooRay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I have Verizion in Indiana, I pay $80 month for 1400 anytime minutes and 4.95 for verizions's MSN internet stuff (I can surf outside of VZN@MSN but it eats from my minutes). The plan works for me because if I need the internet away from a pc its usually on the weekends away from home and weekends are free.

I do have cable internet but its like only 19.95 for a year with comcast (got one of there interductory deals) but after the year I think it goes to like 44 bucks a month, outragious huh?

[h @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$50 earthlink dsl
$50 dish network
~$80 cell phone service (3 phones)

$2160 a year ... damm it.

[drew @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

rogers in canada does the same thing but minus the land line you can bundle cable tv/internet and cellular. heres my breakdown canadian funds

cellular 100 minuts + free evenings and weekends 6-9 $39.95

cable internet $44

digital cable with moviechannel option $105.

yeah fun

[John C @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

At&t wireless (mine) = $39.99
At&t wireless (wife) = $39.99
Cox Internet = $35.99
Direct TV = $32.99
Regular Phone = $24.99
-----------------------
Total = $173.99

Ugh, I'm going back to letter writting for communication and shadow puppets for entertainment.

[Gus Brown @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Hmm,

32.94 - Qwest (landline x2)
80.77 - CableONE (cable TV and internet access)
117.99 - Sprint (2x Treo and all you can eat data with 2000 anytime minutes)
18.00 - Netflix (3 out at a time)
22.00 - Blockbuster (for the kids - can't wait on Netflix or plan ahead).

or $272/mo or $3264/yr -- don't ask me about the electricity to run it all...

[blue @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

If you say that you work for Avon Sprint gives you 25% off your bill. Just amke up a contact name and number. I work for them. All we do is ask that information to scare people who might be trying to fake us out. It's set up on the honor system.

Tell them you had "node number" but misplaced it.

[Brian Behrend @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$87.78 for DSL and crappy cable from Grande (they don't even offer digital cable or HD to my apt complex). $39.99 for T-Mobile cell service. $12.95 for TiVo. Grand total: $140.72 per month and $1,688.64 per year.

That's a lot considering I have no land line phone and don't have digital cable.

[TrueDis @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$60 - T-Mobile 1000 Anytime/Sidekick Unlimited data
$80 - Dish Network w/ HD pack and DVR service
$7 - DSLExtreme 1.5/384 ($28/4 people)
$4 - Good ol' SBC landline for the DSL and local calls ($16/4)
-----
$151/mo or $1812/yr

[blue @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

oh, and as of Monday, I only pay 10$ per month for unlimited minutes, and vision services, inlcuding downloads, since I work for Sprint. :)

I also spend 40$ per month for my cable modem. no cable tv or home phone.

[yds @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

From here in Toronto (all dollars in $Cdn):
Cell - Telus pay-as-you-go - $10/mth (not a big talker on the phone so I rarely go over. In fact, I have about credit balance of about $100 right now!)
Home Phone - Bell - $40/mth (including long-distance)
Internet - local ISP's 1MB DSL - $35/mth
Cable - Rogers Basic-plus pack (regular chanels plus muchmusic, sports chanels, A&E and a few others) - $42/mth
Newspaper - Globe&Mail (still the best way to get real news!! Even if it isn't realtime) - $25/mth
Movie Rentals - Jumbo and Blockbuster - about $40/mth

So, monthly total is $192, annual total $2304!

[sole pimp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

For wifey and I:
$100 for VZW (one line includes unlimited data)
$100 for cable (includes digital cable, premium channels and broadband)
$20 for no-frills basic landline

Grand Total (for both of us): $240/mo; $2880/year

[Alex Moskalyuk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Eastern Washington:
Vonage VOIP - $15
Comcast 3 Mbps Internet - $29.67
Emergency cell phone - $3.33 a month for AT&T Wireless PrePaid cards to enable rollover for purchased minutes.

[JMPS96 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

AT&T Wireless - $79.00 montly (1000 minutes, 'internet' and all addtl services

Verizon - $45.00 montly (plain-old landline)

Comcast - $122.00 monthly (Digital Cable w/ HD package but no premium channels, Cable Internet, DVR service)

Sirius - 12.95 monthly (Sat Radio)

So I am paying/wasting almost $260 montly on these services. And as hard as I try, I can't give anything else up. I don't even have HBO!

[Jose @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

AT&T Long Distance $21.50
Verizon Local Phone and DSL $58.49
2 T-Mobile Mobile Phones $26.76
Comcast Cable $34.50
Blockbuster $25.00
.Mac $6.70
TiVo Lifetime (approximately) $12.95
------------------------------
Total $183.54 ... ouch

[Afsheen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

ATT WS: $60 for 950 anytime minutes, unlimited mobile to mobile & nights and weekends.

Comcast: $140ish for digital cable, HBO, and cable modem service.

SBC Global: $20 for a bare bones land line that's rarely used except to order pizza

So $220 a month? That sucks.

[cybertrash @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Boston, MA

Packet8 VOIP: $20
Cingular Cell: $30
Cable TV/Internet: $60
Netflix: $20
___________
Total: $130

[JP @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Easy, Long Island

$99 Optimum bundle
voip phone
cable
basic digital cable

$100
Cingular 2 lines basic data packages

$17 Netflix

$7 .Mac

$223 = Ouch

[tha' dirty South @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Here in the ATL:
Tmobile family plan (2 phones w/1600 min + Unlmtd weekends and Tzones) $115.00
Comcast Digital Cable and Internet bundle $98.00
Vonage $17.00

Monthly total:$230.00
Annual total:$2760.00

[Avaksi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Cingular wireless (Nation 600 with M2M and 7to7) = $56.99
TW Cable Internet = $41.95
Vonage = 24.99
Packet8 = 19.99
NetFlix = 17.99
Gamefly = 21.95
BushDVD = 21.95 ;)
-----------------------
Total = $205.81

:(
Let me go and cry a bit now.

[Ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I'm in Toronto as well... here it goes, feel the pain.

Rogers Wireless:
~ $72.00/month -- 350 Anytime Minutes/Unlimited Eve&Weekends (6-9)/Picturemessenging/voicemail/calldisplay/etc.

Rogers Highspeed Internet:
$44.00/month

Rogers Digital Cable:
$96.00/month -- All digital cable channels (around 300 of em), including movie channels, timeshifting. HD-PVR and package as well

Others:
Famous Players theatre trips -- usually 2-3 a month: $13.25 each
Stupid amounts of alcohol -- usually $200'ish per month.

Grand Total:
-------------
$451.75 per month (and that's conservative) --or-- $5421 per year.

.... My god.

[richard @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

T-Mo 1000 anytime, Free N&W (9pm nights) $40
T-zones unlimited $5
DSLExtreme DSL (duh) $30
DirecTV $30
Gamefly $22
--------------------------------------------
$127

$127 * 12 = $1524

Oh tack on $3 for my domain registration/hosting = $1527 a year.

[tpp @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

NYC, monthly prices, unless otherwise noted.

TWC Digital Cable + broadband Internet (dbest package): $117.95, comes to about $135 with taxes and fees
T-Mobile family plan 800 whenever minutes: $69.99, comes to about $85 with taxes and fees
Verizon phoneline (land): $25 - $30 / month
Tivo lifetime: $299 (over 36 months, I figure, about $8 / month)

About $260 / month for the services. Holy s***, that's kinda expensive.

Add in all the entertainment purchases, and I gotta say, I'm probably singlehandedly supporting a large percentage of a RIAA/MPAA exec with my money on a single year. That's just wrong.

[Ian Jardine @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Verizon POTS: $40.00
Packet8 VoIP: $20.00
SprintPCS :$135.00 (3 phones)
OOL : $45.00
Cablevision : $65.00

Tooo Much.....

[Yorkshire Terrier Forums @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Cell phone (1000 minutes): $50
Cable TV: ~$40
Earthlink DSL: ~$43

Total: $133/mo

[Zak @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Optimum online - $30 (6 month promo)
Optimum digital cable - $40 -- wish i could get directv :(
Vonage - $17
t-mobile - $50
tivo - $13
XM online - $8
web hosting - $10 (3 sites)
xbox live - $4 ($50 / 12 mo. )

$172 per mo, $2064 per year.

bah.
looking to add netflix or gamefly soon.

[TurtleD @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

$59.99 - DishNetwork
$52.99 - Comcast HighSpeed Internet (3MB/256k)
$24.99 - Vonage VoIP
$29.99 - Netflix (5 out)
$14.99 - AOL (for wifey)
$24.99 - GigaNews Unlimited
$55.00 ~ 100 Blank DVD-Rs & Cases
----------------------------------
$262.94 - month
$3155.28~ year

Will be getting celphone for girlfriend soon, ~$50. Work pays for my mobile =)

[ImpalaSS @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

AT&T Cell $39
AT&T OGO (2) $29.90
Cable (TV & Internet) $80

Cheap for the service we are getting

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I was just figuring this out last night

$45 for t-mobile cell
$112 for digital cable with adelphia and
cable internet with adelphia
$39 for netflix

$196 a month
$2352 a year

I ditched the landline, which was another $40 a month after you added in all the extra crap.

[Jake @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Let's see:

Verizon landline, $18/month
Verizon DSL, $30/month
Sprint PCS (625 minutes peak, vision, phone insurance), $35/month
DirecTV w/ 2 DTiVos: $55

about $140/month

[Jimmy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

San Diego, CA

$60 SBC DSL
$100 Cox digital cable with all movies channels
$50 t mobile blackberry
$100 cingular mobile x2
$120 land line x2 unlimited US long distance, international plan (need to change to VoIP soon)
$20 netfilx
$50 itune music store

:-( Bad, Bad boy

[Josh Bancroft @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

DSL (Verizon): $32
Landline (Verizon): $30
T-Mobile Family Plan (2 phones, 400 anytime/unllimted weekends): $49
Unlimited Blackberry 7100t add-on (email, web, etc.): $19

Total: $130

[cathcart @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Location: Ireland (in europe)

$155 - 512k Dsl (umlimited transfer)
$12 - One cellphone (not subscription, you add money as and when you need it)
$23 - cabel tv (17 channels)
$196 - Tv license (yearly)

Monthly: $206
Yearly: $2476

Most people would spnd less on internet ($70 is about the cheepest for dsl here) and more on a mobile ($50 is about average for a student to spend on a mobile). The rest of the prices (cabel and tv license) are bare minimum. In ireland we pay a tv licence to fund a number of national tv stations (much the same way as the bbc operates in england)

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Way to friggin much...That should sum it all up for everyone. In reality about 200 a month...I hate to think about it...

[David @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Portland, Maine

$150.00 Time Warner Digital Cable / VoIP Phone / Cable Modem
$ 35.00 Verizon Wireless

$185.00/month $2220.00/year

Luckily we bought one of the lifetime subscriptions to TiVo

[Pedro @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Southern Connecticut

Comcast Digital Cable with HD and Comcast High Speed Internet: $142.19

Sprint PCS w/ Vision 2000 minutes (share with g/f): $92

Vonage $16

TiVo: 12.95

Total: $263.14 or $3,157/yr.

[chadvavra @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

Just moved from NYC to Mahwah, NJ.

$108 Digital cable, internet, VOIP
$75 2 Verizon phones

$183 total. $40 it is my girlfriend.

On the other hand, commuting.

$155 train ticket
$60 path tickets
$70 Subway tickets

$285 a month just to get to work and back home.

Viva la Telecommute!

[Glenn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM]

I pay $128.00 a month for digital cable and broadband internet access from Cox Communications and $80.00 a month for Sprint PCS with Vision for a total of $208.00 a month $2496.00 a year. On top of that I'm waiting for Fiber To The Premises (FTTP) through Verizon FIOS to become available in my area sometime next year (hopefully), which will raise my bill even more.