My criticisms about Comcast’s customer service aren’t without merit: the cable company has long been infamous for treating its customers badly (remember last year’s leaked cancellation call?). Or how about the time they refused to turn off the power in a house that had caught fire?). I’m not holding my breath, even though they appear to be working on solutions to these issues. If you don’t want to be bound by their current regulations, here are some additional cable and internet providers to consider:
Go satellite.
Satellite internet and cable can be installed in buildings that have already been wired by Comcast (or Time Warner or RCN) because it uses a dish rather than internal wiring. However, just because satellite services are possible in your building doesn’t imply your landlord would agree. Although it is legally prohibited for landlords to enter into exclusive agreements with cable and internet providers, there are loopholes in the law that make it practically unenforceable.
Some landlords will prevent you from drilling any holes in the building or mounting a dish on shared space (such as a balcony or back entrance) in order to force tenants to use one company over another. If you have a private balcony, you should be able to zip tie the dish to the railing without causing damage to your building’s faade, although I’ve heard of landlords who raise rent if their tenants choose a cable provider other than the one with which they’re in bed with. Here are the FCC’s rules on this legal grey area if you want to dispute your case with your landlord.
So, assuming you’ve cleared it with your landlord and are ready to install a satellite dish, how does this service compare to other cable and internet providers? On the basis of speed and reliability, Brad’s Deals tech editor David Dritsas does not suggest satellite: “Satellite internet is slower than cable or DSL, and it is subject to more outages due to poor weather,” Dritsas explained. “It’s usually used in very remote regions where cable or DSL isn’t available and there’s more open sky.”
However, if you don’t mind a slightly slower web browsing experience, here are several satellite cable and internet providers to consider:
Get a mobile hotspot.
These can be expensive, and they’re certainly not the greatest option if you use a lot of gaming or video streaming, but if your internet usage is light and general (think emailing, Facebooking, ing, reading articles, etc. ), a mobile hotspot could be a good alternative to a Comcast contract.
Wireless broadbandin other words, what your phone’s data plan relies onis picked up by mobile hotspots. This is convenient if you need to work on the go, but it is far more expensive per byte than DSL, cable, or satellite internet access. You’ll have to turn it on and off as needed, and limit how much time you spend online, but if that sounds reasonable to you, here are some of the best mobile hotspots available today:
- AT&T Velocity costs $149.99 or $0.99 with an AT&T data plan.
- Sprint Netgear Zing Mobile Hotspot $299.99 or $49.99 with a Sprint or Best Buy two-year service commitment.
- Amazon has the Verizon MiFi 6620L Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot for $0.01 (with contract) to $209.99.
- T-Mobile 4G LTW Hotspot Z915 ($0 with a T-Mobile 24-month contract or $109.92 at T-Mobile)
It’s also worth noting that most smartphones come with a “wireless hotspot” option that allows you to access your phone plan’s mobile data on other WiFi-enabled devices. Keep in mind that this technology is still in its early stages, so it’s not ideal for video streaming or gaming, and even casual surfing can soon exceed your monthly data allocation.
Move somewhere with free (or cheap) public WiFi.
Many locations across the country provide a city-wide WiFi connection that is either free or available for a nominal monthly subscription (in comparison to what other cable companies charge). Others provide public hotspots, and a select few cities have Google Fiber, which provides speeds of up to 1,000 Mbpsa long cry from my meager 25. While it’s difficult to locate a comprehensive list of all the places in the United States that have municipal WiFi (Wikipedia’s list is OK, but it’s a little out of date), here are a few cities where you could live that have widely praised WiFi programs:
How do I get Comcast to reduce my cable bill?
Is your Xfinity bill becoming unmanageable? We spent time researching and compiling the most effective ways to reduce your Xfinity bill. Best of all, keeping your wallet a little more full isn’t as difficult as you would imagine.
If you find that looking at the quantity you own makes your eyes burst out of your head, we’ve got some great advice for you. Continue reading to find out how to save money on your Xfinity bill:
- Select a television plan with fewer channels.
- Reduce the speed of your internet
- Don’t go over your data limit.
- Rentable equipment should be discarded.
- Negotiate the price of your monthly subscription.
What is the best way to get rid of Comcast?
If you missed this section because you wish to cancel over the phone, make sure you have your cancellation reasons prepared. For this breakup call, put on your firm and friendly hat.
When you call, say “cancel service” when the menu comes up. When you reach someone, inquire if you’re chatting with Retention. Let them know you’d like to be transferred if they’re not Retention.
Let Retention know you’d like to cancel, explain why, and move on from the phase where they try to persuade you to stay. Let’s face it, you’re a difficult person to let go of. It’s a wonderful way to break it to them.
Be prepared to receive a slew of freebies (but maybe this is your intention). They’ll offer to lower your monthly payment or give you a free premium channel like HBO.
Again, be kind and firm in informing the representative that you wish to cancel today. Make sure you leave the call with a cancellation date set and a strategy in place for returning your equipment to Xfinity. Just in case something goes wrong, make a note of your representative’s name and ID number.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to speak with someone in person, locate an Xfinity store near you and bring your equipment with you.
What is the best alternative to cable television?
The greatest cable TV alternatives available right now
- Sling TV is a streaming television service. Overall, the best cable replacement service.
- Hulu with Live TV is a service provided by Hulu. Original content at its best, plus a great bundle deal.
- YouTube TV is a service that allows you to watch videos on Access to local networks and the best DVR feature.
- FuboTV. The best sports streaming service.
How do I get standalone internet?
Despite the fact that many ISPs provide lower rates when you bundle with phone or cable, all of these services are also available on their own. If you’re already using a 4G or 5G phone plan for internet but don’t want the phone service, you can convert to a home internet plan, which uses a Wi-Fi router instead of your phone. If portability is vital to you, a dedicated mobile hotspot can be a good option.
How do I get Wi-Fi at home without a cable?
A Wi-Fi router can be used to set up a home Wi-Fi network with any wireless internet package. To accomplish this, simply use an ethernet wire to connect your Wi-Fi router to your modem or receiver. It’s also worth noting that many modems include a built-in Wi-Fi router, so you can probably use the device you got from your internet provider to set up your home Wi-Fi network without purchasing any additional equipment.
Check out our best Wi-Fi router recommendations to learn more about what makes a solid Wi-Fi router.
Can cutting the cord save me money?
Switching to a wireless internet subscription and cutting the cord can often save you money. This is particularly true if your current plan includes additional services that you do not require. Fixed wireless, 4G home internet, and 5G are all comparable to or less expensive than a cable connection.
Before you cut the cable, make sure your new plan can provide you with the speed you require. Although 4G home internet and fixed wireless are frequently less expensive than cable, they do not provide the same speeds. In practically every way, 5G can match or outperform cable, making it a serious challenger to older cable networks.
What alternatives are there to cable?
Fiber and 5G are the best alternatives to cable internet. Fiber has substantially quicker download speeds and upload speeds than cable. 5G speeds are on par with cable and may shortly overtake them. It also comes with the benefit of being wifi. Because 5G and fiber networks are better at handling massive levels of traffic than cable networks, your speeds will not suffer during peak hours.
Can I get satellite internet if I live in a city?
Yes, even if you reside in a city with other possibilities, you can receive satellite internet, though we recommend that you go with another sort of connection. Satellite has a number of drawbacks. Low data limitations make streaming video unfeasible, while high latency makes video chat and online games challenging. It’s also a lot more expensive than other plans with comparable speeds.
Because of these factors, we strongly advise against choosing satellite above any other alternative (including other wireless choices) unless it is your sole option.
If I threaten to cancel, will Comcast cut my bill?
That implies your cable company will be ready to offer you a substantial discount to keep your service, but only if they believe you will cancel otherwise. They have no reason to give you a discount if they believe you’re simply bluffing.
In May, a former Comcast rep told me, “It pays to play hardball.” From 2002 through 2009, he worked in a Comcast call center in Oregon. “Telling them you’re going to cancel will get you further than asking for a discount directly.”
So just state, “I’d like to cancel my service.” Almost sure, you’ll be moved to a “retention specialist” whose duty it is to persuade you to change your mind.
Be polite but firm
People in Comcast’s “retention” department are paid dependent on how well they are able to persuade you to keep your service without a significant discount. So they’ll do everything they can to persuade you to change your opinion for free.
Is there a senior citizen discount with Xfinity?
With speeds up to 200 Mbps, you’ll be able to connect many devices to the internet at once; even if your grandkids are playing video games in one room while you and your kids are watching a movie in another, your connection should stay stable. Plus, with a vast selection of HD channels to choose from, you’ll be able to keep up with all of your favorite shows and movies as they air.
Xfinity Internet Essentials
Xfinity does not presently offer any senior citizen discounts. Instead, they provide an Internet Essentials service that is tailored to low-income users and priced accordingly. For just $9.95 per month, the Internet Essentials plan provides enough bandwidth and speed to manage how most older citizens use the internet, as well as a few other bonuses.
The Internet Essentials plan covers the following features:
- Download rates of up to 25 Mbps are possible (good for email, social media, and web browsing)
- There are no expenses for activation or installation.
- Purchase a low-cost computer for as little as $149.99.
- Free internet skills training is available in three formats: online, in person, and in print.
- There is no long-term contract.
- There is no requirement for a credit check.
- Many localities have unlimited access to Xfinity hotspots.
While the essentials plan is a good choice for many seniors, especially those who don’t need to connect several devices or people at the same time, it isn’t just for them. In comparison, AT&T Access offers a competitively priced option for the same amount of data at $10 per month, however AT&T is confined to the less-reliable DSL connection in most places.
Participation in government assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, or Social Security determines eligibility for Xfinity’s Internet Essentials service. This package is also only offered to new Xfinity customers who have not had an account with Xfinity or Comcast in the previous 90 days and do not owe Xfinity or Comcast any money.
Is it worthwhile to get rid of cable?
When you think about it, having cable TV is more of a desire than a requirement. If you’re serious about saving money, canceling your cable is a great way to save more than $200 per month.
Why are people getting rid of their cable?
People are cutting the cord in droves, as you can see, but what is driving this trend? Some motivations are evident, while others are less so. Here’s a rundown of some of the most common causes for cord-cutting:
If you have cable or have recently had cable, you’re probably aware that the cost of your membership has gotten out of hand. A subscription costs roughly $107 per month on average, and the price has been gradually increasing. For the past 20 years, it has consistently outpaced inflation.
As a result, it’s no surprise that 86.7 percent of cord cutters say pricing was the most important factor in their decision to cut the cord.
This pattern will be intriguing to watch in the next months and years. Currently, there are just a few streaming services to choose from, but this is rapidly changing as new companies enter the streaming field. Cutting the cord will no longer be cost effective if we need to subscribe to ten streaming services at $15 apiece to stay up with the newest in TV.
For the time being, the vast majority of cord cutters are motivated by a desire to save money by canceling their cable subscription once and for all.
Only 34% of subscribers are satisfied with the value they receive from their subscription.
No one like spending a lot of money, but if we do, it’s wonderful to know we’re getting good value for our money. This isn’t the case with television subscriptions, however. The majority of individuals look at their cable TV lineups and see hundreds of channels they don’t watch but are forced to pay for because of rising rates. This is understandably aggravating, and it’s one of the main reasons why individuals have chosen to cut the cord.
The second most common reason for cord cutting is that people prefer to use a streaming service, such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, and others, regardless of price. Overall, just under half of cord cutters (40 percent) stated that streaming is their primary motive.
This is due to two key factors. To begin with, most streaming services do not contain advertisements (the cheapest version of Hulu being the exception). We are bombarded with advertising when we watch cable, and for some folks, it is simply too much. The losses we will incur as a result of cutting cable (live TV and sports) will be a modest price to pay.
The other major reason is that it is more convenient. You can watch your favorite shows whenever you want with streaming. You can usually download content to view it offline, which is a terrific option for folks who spend a lot of time on the road, whether traveling or commuting. This is something you simply don’t get with cable, and it’s one of the main reasons why many opt to ditch cable in favor of streaming.
Surprisingly, around a quarter of people – 23% – chose to cut the cord because they wanted to watch TV for free via an antenna. Most of us assumed that antenna television was no longer available, yet this is far from the case. In fact, this is a fantastic alternative for casual viewers.
All you have to do is buy an antenna for $50-$200, connect it, orient it in the direction of the signal you want, and voila! Lifetime access to free television. Of course, you get significantly fewer channels (though in certain places, up to 50 are available), and you lose the option to record and take shows with you. You do, however, have access to local content as well as live sports and events.
It’s a terrific happy medium in this regard, and once individuals discover about it, they frequently choose it as their major option to a paid television subscription.
Although streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus are investing heavily on original programming to make themselves more appealing as alternatives to cable, this is not the primary reason why people choose to forego cable in favor of streaming.
Only 7% of consumers indicated they decided to cut the cord because the majority of what they watch on TV is original material from a streaming service.
This may alter as these services continue to invest in content. Original programs on these platforms are growing increasingly popular, and critics and award organizations have begun to recognize them in recent years. As a result, more viewers may begin to switch since they don’t want to lose out on the new series that these platforms are producing. However, this is not a substantial driver of cord cutting at the present.
What are the advantages of cable over streaming services? Live sports and local programming have long been staples of cable programming, and cable providers have bet that viewers will miss them so much that they will continue with it even as additional options become available.
Overall, 23% of cord cutters say they miss live events, while 22% say they miss local and national news. However, more than half of respondents (52%) believe they don’t miss anything.
Of course, this figure is based on cord cutters, who may or may not be interested in such things in the first place. This implies that when people cut the connection, they don’t bother to look back. This means that cable companies should be prepared to say good-bye for the rest of their lives to customers who choose to abandon their service in favor of alternatives.
Is Cable TV Dead?
You might be wondering, after reading all of these fascinating facts, if cable TV is dead. That is a difficult question to respond to. Although the figures we’ve shown here convey that impression, there are other aspects to consider:
Cable TV is suffering in Western Europe and North America, while it is booming in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. To put it another way, everywhere else. Of course, this development is not being experienced by the same companies that operate in Europe and the United States, so some of these companies, if not all, may go out of business, but cable television as a medium is unlikely to go away very soon.
Internet service packages – The internet isn’t going away anytime soon. Cable companies are currently the most popular internet service providers, and cable internet remains one of the most reliable and widely used types of high-speed internet. To urge individuals to stay with cable, these companies frequently offer hard-to-pass-up internet bundle rates. People may continue to subscribe to cable as long as this is the case, even if they don’t watch it very often. It’s also feasible that cable companies will leverage their broadband market position to resurrect cable in some way.
Exclusive material – Another factor that could keep cable alive is the fact that it has a lot of stuff that is only available on cable. It remains to be seen whether this is enough to persuade a large enough group of people to entirely abandon cable in favor of streaming, but it is something that is keeping the industry alive.
For these reasons, it’s doubtful that cable will be completely phased out in the near years. However, it’s apparent that the business will continue to lose money and undergo significant changes. The figures we’ve supplied you with today reflect exactly how widespread this trend has become, as well as the difficulties that cable companies are currently facing. Will they be able to turn things around? Only time will tell if this is true.