The latest trend in home entertainment and communications from the big media and telcom companies is to bundle two or more services into a single discounted package. This trend started with cable companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter and Cox and moved to national phone carriers who now offer TV and broadband in select areas on top of traditional phone service. But are these just marketing ploy's to get all your business or does bundling television, internet, and phone service really save you money? I've been covering digital products and services for years and in this article I'm going to look at these package deals and find out if going to one company for all your TV, broadband, and phone needs is the best or if shopping around is the way to go.
None of us want to turn over all our essential services to one individual company. It just doesn't feel right for some reason. Can't they suddenly raise the rate and I'll be locked into a contract I can't get out of? Will I be tied to special equipment or hardware that I'll be charged for or stuck with if I change companies? These are all valid concerns when you're looking at all the competing offers and promotions you're inundated with from cable, satellite and telco providers. Let's look at each point individually starting with the concern about what happens when a special offer ends. I've found that the level of competition is so great among these companies rate hikes are few and far between. In fact, the drive to keep customers is so great that even when promos or special deals end, very often existing customers can extend their offer or move to a new promotion. Some cable companies, like Charter Communications, are currently giving users the chance to lock in rates for as long as two years if they agree to take a complete package deal.
Hardware is something that hinges on the company that you decide to go with. For instance you will receive a digital receiver and a modem in most cases, though if you pay a little extra you will receive a DVR. You can buy these outright, or you can return them to the company once your contract ends. You are responsible for returning this equipment however, and if you fail to do so you will find that it will be very hard to get an account with that company again. The good news is that most companies are the same as far as their policies go. The only other foreseeable problem is the instance of a service outage. After all, having all of these services on one plan can cause some serious issues. Luckily, most companies are becoming more and more reliable.
Back in the'90's, people suddenly realized that satellite dishes were becoming small enough to mount on the side of a house or on a roof. It offered clear picture and more programming options. But things changed soon enough, because even though satellite was cheaper, special cable deals began to introduce digital channels which were as clear or better than their satellite rivals. Satellite companies are also plagued with issues in harsh weather when signal degradation and loss can occur. Satellite providers do offer Internet service but it's generally slow and suffers from serious lag issues. It's really only a good option for subscribers that live in a far off region that does not support any other type of high speed internet. Many telecommunications companies, however, are taking advantage of the growth of fiber optic networks to spread stable high speed broadband and digital television across the country. Unfortunately, fiber optic connections are currently only available in small areas and it will be years before they're widespread. One thing that you will need to watch out for however are the telecommunications companies that bundle TV through a third-party company like Dish or DirecTV. with a satellite service. For me, I like to go straight to the source and I get a little worried about what kind of support I'm going to get when the company I pay my bill to has to go to another company to fix something when it goes wrong.
This means that the best option as of right now are the cable companies. They provide some of the best deals and the best quality of television. I would dare say that they are much better than Dish network and DirecTV. For instance, you can get a DVR and On-Demand music and movies on top of great digital and HD service. Satellite is just starting to figure out how to provide these same features and they have a lot of kinks to work out. With digital cable services you will also be able to enjoy digital phone and broadband from a single company. Though you could have these services separately, you can't deny the discounts that you get for bundling them. Look at the local providers in your area to see who is offering the best deal. Without a doubt you'll be able to find special cable deals that work well for you.
Author Resource:
Anna Sussman delves into the complicated world of cable providers to find the offers that deliver the biggest savings for consumers. Anna looks for the lowest Time Warner digital cable rates and discounts on Time Warner bundled services .
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