There was time when signing up for high quality cable services from your local service provider was a no brainer. It was a simpler time when you only a handful of options, it was either go for a satellite service provider or enjoy local programming via an over the air antenna.
If you wanted to enjoy television and have a crystal clear picture then you only had one option which was your local cable service provider. The high definition programming became an option and a set top box from your cable service provider was a must in order to compliment your high definition television.
Gone were the days when you could splice your cable wire and attach a splitter to take advantage of avoiding the rental fee that accompanied these set top boxes.
In today’s world things have changed slightly and if you happen to be changing your service provider from one company to another or just happened to move into a new residence then you have some simple yet important decisions to make.
The first of these decisions are, should you bundle internet, telephone and cable services together and take advantage the various packages offered by your service provider. Before we go ahead and answer these questions we first have to take a step back and understand what internet, telephone, and cable services mean to you and your family.
1] WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BUNDLE?
Cable companies wants you take advantage of all the services that they have to offer because the more you purchase, the higher your bill resulting in greater savings when compared to purchasing just the internet as compared to getting cable, internet, and telephone services. You do not have to get all the services but when you do get more than a single service then you are bundling services together.
For example if you happen to take advantage of the triple play spectrum package, then you will get free installation and a Wi-Fi router for your internet connection. Triple play means that you went ahead and bundle internet, phone and cable services all together.
If you were to just go ahead and get internet only then you would pay more per month due to the cost of renting the wireless router alongside a higher initial cost for installation.
Let’s suppose that you only subscribed to internet services and then decided to get cable programming at a later time then you would have to pay another installation fee for additional wiring and a service technician to visit your residence.
2] BENEFITS TO BUNDLING
The first thing that comes to mind when bundling service together are the saving that involved since going al la carte will result in a higher charge as compared to bundling.
Standalone cable services and internet services will cost you more a majority of the times. A majority of the times cable programming and telephone services can be obtained for the same amount that one would pay for when compared to standalone cable services.
More companies have now started to offer home automation as additional services and well it makes more sense just getting one bill with a single due date as compared to multiple bills with multiple due dates.
Life is complicated enough as it is and we can all benefit from even one simplification which is even more true if you have enabled automated payments to be debited from your bank account. The last thing anyone wants is overdraft fees because you forgot that a debit was to take place.
3] PROMOTIONAL OFFERS
Many if not all service providers will offer you some sort of promotion for bundling services together in one way or another. Spectrum Charter for example is more than willing to assist customer who are stuck in a contract with a hefty early termination fee by buying them out of the contract when they bundle internet, telephone and cable services together.
Other services provider might offer gif cards up to $400 or more in terms of make the deal too good to turn down. Some providers might even couple an Apple iPad along with the gift card or another trending electronica device.
Higher tier packages offer additional services such as additional set top boxes and DVR services which makes a lot of sense if you were going to get these add on since you no longer have to pay the monthly reoccurring charges.
4] IS BUNDLING RIGHT FOR YOU?
Deciding the bundle service together depends on a majority of factors and will differ based on each individual consumer. If you happen to be stuck in a contract and want out then it makes sense, especially if there is no contract involved with your new service provider.
If you have a need for internet, telephone and cable services then it makes sense to bundle. What you should actually be look out for is the usage of the services. Home telephones services have been on the decline due to the various things one can accomplish on he go with their smartphone.
One thing to keep in mind is the fact that cellular services are not cheap and the fact that you could actually save money by using a home phone which offers unlimited calling as compared to minutes from your cell phone service provider. Recent studies have actually proved that a majority of users actually use more data than min from their cellular providers.
Alterative video content made available thanks in part to Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV and other services providers have made cable services a thing of the past.
If you are into sports, news and PPV events then cable is your best options. If you happen to have children or elderly individuals at your home then cable also makes more sense due to their simplistic nature since technology is not for everyone.
At the end of the day it is you yourself and the members of your household coupled with you budget that determine if you were to bundle services together. For me internet and telephone services make sense coupled with a prepaid SIM and unlocked phones since I just pay for what I use and if I need more then I can always top up my prepaid SIM.
5] THE DISADVANTAGES OF BUNDLING
It is true that the price for service does decrease with a bundle since you pay less each month as compared to just getting a single service. Internet as a standalone service might run you $60 a month as compared to the $90 you would pay for internet, telephone and cable services at $30 per service.
If you don’t need telephone and cable services then you could potentially save $30 a month which comes out to $360 over the course of a year which can amount to a car payment or a month worth of grocery.
Be wary of offers that sound too good to be true especially in the event a contract is involved. Most contracts are 2 years in duration with the promotional price lasting for the first year only and could lead to your regretting the bundle that you signed up for.
If you are able to get a bundle without a contract where you can drop a service if needed to reduce the cost and still take advantage of the promotional services then they make sense as compared to those that bind you into a contract.
