Cox and the other cable companies follow the ol' Ma Bell business-model with set-top boxes: you will only use the rotary phone we give you...and you will pay a monthly rental-fee to use it.
The rental fee for set-top boxes is a scam and it's boldly overpriced for such inferior technology. As in 1983, the FCC ended Ma Bell's racket with rental phones and they'd have to do it again with cable boxes.
The FCC Chair, however, is a political appointee...politicians need money to campaign...and cable companies contribute to campaigns. What could ever get done?
Obama through Executive Order 13725 (Steps to Increase Competition...) and his appointee (Tom Wheeler) initiated a plan to liberate us from the mandatory fees and to open set-top boxes to other technology competitors, such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, etc. Politics...what politics?
However, you have to question Obama's sincerity. He waited until the final 8 months of his presidency to protect us and then Tom Wheeler abruptly cancelled the vote with 3 months left on his term. It was just a rouse to bilk more money from the cable companies and into the coffers of the DNC. Nobody cares.
The only way to elude the rental fee is to stream your TV but cable companies are retaliating with data caps. Help us, Donald Trump!
