18 / matters magazine / spring 2018 er, giving you a phone jack to connect your existing phone. To retrieve voice mails you just go online. It also has no fees unless you opt for 911/emergency services with location at about $5 a month. However, most smart phones have the E911 location feature already built in. Mayer opted for a box from Ooma, another big contender in the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone market. He says, “When someone leaves a message, the Ooma box has an answering machine, or I can pick up the message on their website. The box cost about $115, and there is no charge for the standard service that we receive except for about $5 a month in taxes.” In our home, we ditched a Fios plan that was hovering around the $200 mark. When I called Fios to can- cel, they reminded me that I was still under contract. But there’s a simple loophole: don’t leave your cable com- pany, just downgrade your plan. Since such companies take client retention very seriously, don’t be afraid to ask for someone in that department if you feel that you’re not getting what you want. I was able to switch to a basic internet package and found out that there are no taxes on internet-only plans. Sold! We get 75mps speeds, enough for ev- eryone in our home to do what they need to do. With Netflix, Amazon Prime and a host of other apps avail- able for streaming on our Apple TV, an HD antenna for any live television needs, plus a free home phone, we’ve created our own triple play package for a flat $54.99 a month to the cable company. The bottom line: Know your needs going in. If your family is really into watching sports, you might be better off staying put. There are a growing number of options to stream sports for free, including a recent Facebook deal to stream 25 MLB games. And some apps within devices let you purchase season passes for your favorite sports. Back in 1992, Bruce Springsteen released his song “57 Channels (And Nothin’ On).” Now with over a thou- sand channels we sometimes still feel the same way. Perhaps one day we’ll all have antennas on the roof again and enjoy freedom from cable TV chaos! But at least those long phone cords are in the past. Frank is a Maplewood dad on a never- ending quest for functioning technology – but would happily settle for a pair of matching socks on any given morning. This indoor HD antenna receives digital TV channels. Plug in your address on antenna.org to find out what stations you can get. Our family downgraded service to an internet-only plan, installed an indoor HD an- tenna and now stream programming from Netflix and Amazon Prime via Apple TV. See more events at www.SOPACnow.org Savion Glover & oUT’KniGHTz SAT, MAY 19 AT 8PM Tickets: $58-$78 Hailed by The New York Times as “the greatest tap dancer who has ever lived.” Buy Tickets Today! www.SOPACnow.org | (973) 313-2787 SoUTH oranGe PerforminG arTS CenTer one SoPaC Way, SoUTH oranGe nJ 07079 oleTa adamS FRI, MAY 11 AT 8PM Tickets: $35-$58 an eveninG WiTH fran leboWiTz FRI, MAY 18 AT 8PM Tickets: $45 ameriCan THeaTer GroUP’S Small Town STory A musical about a musical that rocked a community THU, MAY 31- SUN, JUN 10 Tickets: $39-$45 PaPer mill PlayHoUSe broadWay SHoW CHoir SAT, JUN 30 AT 8PM Tickets: $25 mary CHaPin CarPenTer THU, JUL 26 AT 7:30PM Tickets: $58-$78 PaTTy Griffin FRI, JUL 27 AT 8PM Tickets: $48-$58