Currently, I'm paying $60/month for analog Comcast cable. Yeah, I know. It's pretty horrible. My new TV, however, is miraculously able to pick up the digital versions of all the channels I normally get (plus some that I never had before...), along with CBS HD, NBC HD, FOX HD, ABC HD, CW HD, PBS HD, Universal HD, and Discovery Theater HD (there might be a few others too... I haven't checked it too meticulously) through its QAM tuner. I guess I must be (somehow) getting someone's digital cable? Still, I'm considering possibly switching to another service. I still want quite a few other channels that I know are available in HD elsewhere or will be soon, such as:
YES (for regular season Yankee games)
ESPN
ESPN 2
TNT
HBO
A&E
etc.
Also, I'm pretty sure that there are services that would get me all of those channels for the same price or less. I checked at Verizon.com, and FioS isn't available in my area. Optimum IO isn't either. Directv is, but I've heard bad things about them... so... what would you do? Should I maybe wait until FioS is made available here? Should I try directv? How much would they cost, and what HD channels do they have?

Picking up the Network HD channels is normal. It's part of the basic package. You're not getting your neighbor's channels ... but there's VOD, I'll explain later.

Being able to pick up UniversalHD and DiscoveryHD is a bonus. Typically, they are encrypted, but maybe you Comcast provider has negleted to encrypt them. Just take them as a bonus, but don't be too upset if they go away in the future (probably at the worst possible time, like in the middle of BSG).

You may pick up your neighbor's Video on Demand (watch out for porn, if you have kids). You'll be at the other guy's mercy with the FF and REW.

ft

it seems that i'm getting the digital variants of my normal channels though... hm... meh whatever. >_> i really just want to get a general idea of what provider currently has or will have the best hd/sd channel lineup at the best price (and without a hit in pq if at all possible).

I would wait for FIOS, but keep in mind that they're only moderately less expensive. Don't expect to knock your bill in half.

it seems that i'm getting the digital variants of my normal channels though... hm... meh whatever. >_>
Those Digitally Simulcasted 'Expanded' channels were not encrypted here at first, but after a few months, almost all were; so, expect them to be encrypted there, eventually.

Looks like you are in the NYC area (based on the yankee comment), why not head over to the HDTV Local Forums (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45) for NYC and check out your options.