Americans, your help is required

Hey. I'm moving to NYC in a week and 1 day - - with my parents for at least 2 years (most likely permanently), but, in regards to services, I know hardly anything about America.

I need some help in choosing the right cell phone, television and broadband services. I know a little about the cell phone companies and that choosing one of their provided phones is a major factor in determining what company to go with, so I suppose that isn't much of an issue. Cable services I know nothing about. I don't watch a lot of television, but I do want a network that has: Cartoons such as Simpsons, Futurama, South Park, etc.; the popular news channels; NFL, NHL, NBA. About the only ISPs I know in America are Verizon and Comcast. My broadband requirements are good service, a fast connection (at least 2mbps) and a decent ethernet modem and router.

Anything you can recommend will be cool

 

Cingular and Verizon are the big players in New York for Cellphones. TimeWarner cable is also the predominant cable vendor in New York though you do have the choice of Satellite TV if you wish through a company called "Direct TV" but that is only TV, no Internet service. Verizon is rolling out FIOS all over the place to compete with TimeWarner cable and thier internet service (called Road Runner).

Your basic cable channels typically have what you're looking for. All the popular "Prime Time" channels are available.

I use Vonage for phone services. DO NOT use TimeWarner digital phone..it's horrible. You can also get a skype Phone if you want... up to you.

There's so many choices for cell phones.. Personally, I use Verizon Wireless with my XV6700 Smart Phone (EVDO). I have TimeWarner Cable at home and use Vonage for my digital phone service.

 

FIOS sounds nice but I don't know if they will have that in Manhattan. Can you explain how broadband and cable television works in America? Here we have a television service (satellite), and a broadband connection that runs through the telephone line, so it's separate. From what I've read, I'm assuming that, for example, you have a Time Warner box with cable service (HBO?) and if you have broadband cable it runs through the same line? Are you able to have a cable service but a different broadband service like Verizon?

I'm looking at the BlackBerry Pearl so unless someone else offers it, I might be going with T-Mobile.

 

Here in Pennsylvania, TV is on cable and you can get broadband through the cable also, Comcast is the provider for my area. Verizon is the phone provider and you can get DSL through it on your phone line