Recently, Cox released a lower-cost cable package that, surprisingly, does not include ESPN. For those sports lovers out there, ESPN is a must-have. However, for those people who spend their time watching other stations like the Travel Channel or Food Network, ESPN is an unnecessary channel. As it turns out, ESPN is one of the most expensive cable channels that cable companies offer to its customers. Does Cox’s unbundling of this expensive channel mean that it is finally moving towards an a la carte pricing method? Read more after the jump.

Free Lunch and Low Cost Internet, sounds like the greatest day of your life right? Well I have some bad news for you. I am neither offering free lunch or low cost internet and I don’t know where to get them either, but a new Federal program could give households with children access to affordable broadband. Details.

I spoke to a consumer today who received a cold call from Cox offering an upgrade to a bundle package. Currently this Cox customer only has internet through the company and doesn’t subscribe to any other services. The sales representative told her on the phone that it is the deal of the lifetime and she had to accept right away. When she told the rep that she wanted some time to think about it (and talk to UCAN about the issue) he said that normally they don’t keep offers open like this, but he’d make an exception in this case. What is a consumer to do? Read on to find out.

Consumers are a finicky bunch, and rightly so. All they want are choices; they don't want some big company telling them what they can and cannot do. This includes what to do with their smartphone.

My Dad cannot enjoy a movie on the couch anymore.

Is your internet connection slower than Congress trying to pass health reform? If so, here is some good news. There are some new and useful tools to help you deal with your dragging broadband. 

Considering AT&T U-verse as an alternative to your cable company?   Here's one man's experience with both U-verse and Time Warner here in San Diego.  It is worth considering both.  AT&T offers better value than TimeWarner.   Then again, Nieman Marcus seems to offer better value than Time Warner - San Diego.

Is a company whose revenue comes from selling information about kids the best source for privacy and parental control software?

Recently I had to "choose" a broadband Internet provider. After having my "choices" narrowed down for me by a serious lack of competition ( I hear U-Verse is on its way some day), I went with my first, last, and only choice, Time Warner. Despite feeling trapped, the Time Warner customer service rep wooed me with promises of a new broadband paradigm, Roadrunner "turbo." For some reason this "15 Mbps down, 2 Mbps" up Internet was cheaper than the default 8 Mbps/ 1 Mbps option of yesteryear, so I pounced on the deal like a caged tiger given extra scraps of meat at dinner.

The moral of this story is to check the bandwidth you're getting from your broadband Internet provider.