Is It Time To Cut The Cord And Get Rid Of Your Expensive Cable TV Company?
Many Americans are faced today with the rising cost of TV entertainment and often end up spending over $200 every month to watch a couple of shows and TV channels that they really care for but yet continue to be billed for 100s of channels sold as packages and a premium cost associated with it. Most common Cable base packages don’t have the most popular channels and really leave a lot to be desired. American families with kids at least need access to news, sports and kids or teen programming, dilemma is one can never find a package that fits all the general programming needs. Local channel, premium channel, DVR, receiver/wireless receiver cost on top of the base programming charge quickly add up and before you know it you are stuck with a hefty bill every month. Let’s not forget about the horrible customer care that seems to find pride belittling you whenever you ask them to set up your regular subscription plan? Well, it is all about to change, welcome to the age of Internet-based TV.
So what is Internet-based TV? Technically called over-the-top (OTT) content delivery, the idea is to stream content from any content provider solely using the traditional internet and using consumer Internet Service provider as the “last-mile” and eliminating the need of a cable provider completely. Many traditional Pay-TV providers have already opted for OTT to keep up with the trend and from getting removed from the playing field completely. This concept is not new but has only been explored more in recent years with the evolution of high-speed internet making it possible to delivery high quality content via internet to any device with an internet connection.
Live linear OTT (in simple terms, live TV over the internet) is not a concept anymore and companies like Xfinity, Youtube, and Amazon etc. are offering live TV using OTT today. New services are becoming available every year and the technology is proving to be quite an attractive alternative to traditional cable especially due to lower cost and flexibility to choose an a-la-cart TV to make your own packages. So the big question is it is about time you cut the cord and get rid of cable once and for all? If interested, please keep on reading as we’ll explore the details of the two offerings, associated cost and discuss pros/cons so anyone interested in the switch could make a well informed decision.
For several years now, Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video have been making news as the best internet-based media streaming services loved by cable cutters who have ditched the conventional cable TV company for this interesting alternative. As for the rest, some are on the fence and keeping a close watch as the landscape continues to evolve and more options are becoming available every day. Let’s have a closer look at the cost associated with internet-based TV service.
According to the latest study published by Digitalsmiths, on average a Netflix subscriber watches content for 1hr, 33 min compared to Pay-TV’s 2 hr, 30 min per day average. This average for Netflix has seen in an increase and that of Pay-TV is on the decline. While Netflix subscriptions have grown from 24M in 2012 to 43M in 2015, the Pay-TV providers like Comcast have seen it flatten at 23M. Overall cable subscriptions are on a slow decline, going from 53M in 2012 to 49 M in 2015. That said, the Pay-TV are now focused on not only mirror the same OTT content offerings at similar cost but also to reverse the trend to keep them alive in this competitive space. And based on the recent data, it’s working well for the Pay-TV providers as the adoption of OTT has had little effect on Pay-TV subscription over the recent 12-18 months. Though Netflix offers a wide selection of movies, TV shows and exclusive Netflix content, it’s all really just Video on demand (VoD). The Pay-TV provider have a huge advantage when it comes to content, they have years of experience, library of original content, live TV, sports programming, premium channels, Pay-per-view and VoD. Simply put, “Content is King”, and that’s especially true to traditional Pay-TV providers. The Pay-TV providers have not only caught up with the OTT trends but now working on increasing their subscription base by offering very competitive cable TV rates making it very difficult decision for consumers looking to “cut the cord”.
For years, traditional cable TV providers like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, AT&T, etc. have dominated the cable industry and pretty much been making all decisions for the end customers. Customer typically get a choice of 3 packages plus a few premium TV, movies and sports channel. Customer are also required to pay for set-top box, wireless receivers, premium for HD or DVR and extra dollars if you have multiple TVs or would like to stream to mobile devices. The practice is common among all top cable provides and have been used for year with a new packaging coming out every 18 months along with special pricing bundles for New-Customers Only for a price lock of 12-18 months. Here is a high level average cost for cable:
Local Package: $10-$20/month
Starter Package: $35-$65/month
Plus Packages: $65-$85/month
Premium Package: $85-$165/month
Basic Receiver Cost: $8-$10/month, HD additional $5/month
DVR Costs: $10-15/month
Additional Receivers: $10-15/month
Premium channels on their own cost anywhere from $15-$20 and in most cases can be added on top of prepackaged programming. Based on this data, an average American household with two TV could end up paying anywhere from $60 to upwards $200 on cable TV. In addition, you’ll also have to pay a $99 installation fee and any ad-on fee if cabling or new outlets are required. Most American families on average end up paying $120-$140 per month on cable TV.
So the decision really comes down to 4 factors:
- Overall cost for VoD and Live TV service
- More control over what and when you watch TV
- Add-Free viewing option
- Content
One question on every sceptic’s mind is “How will I survive without my favorite TV show? Will I access live sports without any glitch?”
Many dread the idea of losing those beloved shows, unbeknown that all the premium television and sports channels are available too. If you aren’t aware then, it will shock you that getting rid of your cable TV is incredibly easy. In fact, the following information will serve as an eye-opener for you.
The internet today is superbly fast enough to warrant the switch while the availability of the many streaming tools and avenues makes it even more vivid. As you choose your streaming service, you will need to consider Sling TV, which is, by far, the best streaming service out there. It is perhaps a collection of popular cable channels that can be accessed via your TV, the PC and all those compatible mobile devices. What is more, all of them will cost you just $20 per month, and you will pay as you watch. Incredibly perfect, right?
Remember, Sling TV offers a 7-day trial period within which if you aren’t pleased with it, you can try one of the many top-notch alternatives. You will access all those premium HD Live Sports channels, Lifestyle Networks, hot TV shows and movies, as well as the many Family Entertainment sites. In addition to Sling TV, Amazon Instant Video is equally excellent with a massive HBO classics including all that is available on that Cable TV.
An excellent streaming player like Roku 4 is just too good to enhance your streaming experience. Think of it as an enhanced cable box, smaller than the conventional, but filled with all the finest content. Forget about its user-friendliness and the fact that it is just simple, Roku 4 with Sling TV just came up with a fantastic deal; pre-pay three months of Sling TV and you are guaranteed of a 50% off the streaming device.
What a time to be alive, experiencing all the thrill while cutting the costs up to as little as just $8 every month! You can abandon that cable as soon as today and enjoy every experience of it!
