The latest Consumer Reports sums it all-'poor cable television service is just as certain as death and taxes'. In the present times when internet has become handy and convenient, cable TV space seems to lose charm.

The cable TV providers such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and other companies have been ridiculed for lousy customer services, restricted viewing options and exorbitant charges.

The Consumer Reports surveyed several consumers and asked them to rate their phone, Internet, and television services. The results were quite appalling as 38 out of 39 Internet providers and 20 out of 24 cable TV providers received the lowest possible scores from the publication.

Even more revealing was the fact that Charter Communications, Comcast and Time Warner Cable were ranked the lowest.

The customers reported the awful customer service that keeps you on hold for long before getting someone on the line. However, Consumer Reports state that lucrative deals are offered by the customer service retention specialists who would beg, convince and persuade customers who threatened to cancel their accounts.

The Consumer Reports revealed that about 42% of consumers who tried to get a better deal got what they wanted, also 45% received healthy discounts to their monthly bill and 30% got promotional rates while 26% got more premium channels added to their packages.

The traditional cable ecosystem is reeling under decreasing subscribers, high costs for TV and pressures from online video services such as Netflix and Hulu. For example, the viewers will find it more economical to subscribe to HBO online instead of paying for limited channels on cable. These work pressures have ushered consolidation process in the cable industry as it is believed that getting bigger is one way to deal with those challenges.

Lately, Charter Communications announced buying Time Warner Cable for $55.33 billion and is awaiting approval from government regulators after they quashed Comcast's bid for Time Warner Cable last month.