Bundling Digital Services or Shop and Compare

Bundling services is popular in home entertainment and communications today. 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. Does purchasing bundled TV, internet and phone services truly help you spend less money? This article will compare and contrast the digital products that the leading companies provide their customers with and find out who offers the best deal.

No one wants to have one single company provide all our necessary services. It just doesn't feel right for some reason. We wonder if the cable or telco provider will increase the amount I have to pay without warning and I'ill be obligated to pay it no matter what because I signed a contract? Do I have to sign a contract to pay for their equipment or pay fees if I switch providers? 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. Why don't we review each of the points separately beginning with the issue about what actually takes place once the discount offer is no longer available. The level of competition is so cut throat between these companies rates are seldom raised. 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. It just might take a simple phone call from you to get the latest deal. A few cable businesses, such as Charter Communications, now provide consumers the opportunity for locking in prices for up to 2 years if they purchase cable TV, high speed internet, and digital phone digital package. The question of what happens to the hardware a service provider gives you comes down to the individual business an their policies. Usually all you get from a provider is a digital receiver for each television in your house and a broadband modem if you order high speed Internet. It is likely you might have a digital video recorder (DVR) as well if you ordered a top tier digital TV package. Usually, companies will not charge you surprise fees for using their equipment unless it's lost or severely damaged. You may be charged a small monthly fee for additional digital receivers or a monthly broadband modem rental fee if you don't purchase one of your own. Get a hold of the digital providers in your locality to find out their actual rules. If you change address or switch providers you're generally only responsible for giving the equipment back to the office of the local company. Assuming the equipment is not lost or damaged, you probably will not have to pay anything additional. Therefore, there's no reason for consumers to reject a bundle price because they are concerned about the equipment. Every digital company has basically the same rules and regulations about equipment fees and how to return them.

Now lets look at the bundles you can currently get from the major players in the digital services space. Satellite become popular again in the 90s when they installed small dishes that delivered higher quality than cable. Besides generally speaking being less expensive, until the last few years satellite TV offered a greater variety of channels than cable did. For the past ten years or so satellite TV hasn't changed much at all. Restricted by technological limitations, satellite companies like DirectTV and Dish are fighting to compete in the digital revolution currently going on in cable and telecommunications field. Even though television prices are still very competitive, satellite has a poor Internet option that's only useful to homes in very rural areas and no phone service option. Lately, telco companies including AT&T, Qwest, and Verizon now offer digital TV, broadband, and telephone bundles. This happens through a limited fiber-optic network available mainly in cities and by partnering with satellite and broadband providers in order to offer internet and TV. Although it's got the price point and quality, right now I am not suggesting customers go with a telco business for all 3 digital services. Since they are working with other companies in order to provide TV or broadband services, you are only getting the same product except now more people are involved so there are more places where things can go wrong. Plus, if one of these partners wants to change pricing terms or pull out of the deal with your telco where does that leave you?

So what company do I think customers should get their cable and broadband from? The bundled service packages that cable companies are offering can save you some money. Today's cable companies offer a complete digital and HD programming lineup that matches and often beats what Dish and DirecTV offer. Plus, you can get great add-ons like DVR boxes and on demand service that satellite is only beginning to deliver. Cable is currently superior because you're getting digital cable TV, broadband internet and digital phone from one source that will support you in all three services. However, for those who are just in the market for television service it might pay to consider satellite or teco because the competition is higher. However, when you order 2 or even 3 services at the same time it is difficult to beat the products and deals the cable companies can give you. Take a look for yourself and compare the features of each major provider. Use this information to locate the best value in TV, broadband internet, and telephone bargains available to you.

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