Cable TV was a great entertainment resource until streaming services were unavailable. With increased awareness about streaming services, people are becoming cord cutters but are they required, or do you need streaming services over cable TV? Has cable TV become an obsolete technology? Many such questions must be roaming around, so you must have chosen to visit us for our opinion. Do not worry! In this blog, we will give you a comparative view between cable TV and streaming services.
People who are unaware, streaming services are an online entertainment technology for TV shows, movies, and other streaming shows. It is a recent technology rapidly covering the cable and satellite TV market. One must pay the vendor a per-view or monthly subscription fee to avail of these services.
Do you know? 27% of the U.S. are already switched to streaming services, and with increased awareness, it is expected to rise. Thus, some important reasons set it apart from other TV entertainment sources.
Let’s examine why people switch to streaming services and whether switching is worth switching.
When it comes to TV entertainment, price is an essential consideration. Let’s have TV streaming services prices vs. cable TV prices. Streaming services are pretty much cheaper than cable TV. Most cable TV service providers charge you annually ($45-$135) on a contractual basis. If you opt for streaming services, you can spend every month ($20-$70 monthly) with no contract requirement. Moreover, cable TV providers charge additional fees such as equipment rental, DVR charges, etc. On the other side, streaming service providers usually include everything in a subscription fee.
Thus, if you want the same or even better entertainment source at a lower cost, becoming a cable cutter would be the right decision.
Cable TV providers often give a wide range of channels, out of which you select some. But in reality, you also know that you watch a specific set of channels that a provider puts in different bundles to let you subscribe for more. On the contrary, streaming services give you the flexibility to choose your channels on your own (no bundles system), which gives you control over your monthly bills.
Moreover, you can alter your channels every month. For instance, if a football match series is around, you can add the sports channel for a particular month.
On cable TV, you can only see the shows the provider air. In streaming services, multiple OTTs steam their premium shows. So if you have cable TV, you cannot access those OTT web shows. On the other hand, if you opt for streaming services, you can watch both catch Tv shows as well as OTT exclusives. Here as well, streaming services won the comparison.
Cable TV providers usually ask to sign a contract (minimum one year) for their services which, if you breach, you will still have to pay for the remaining time.
Streaming services do not require such commitments; you can cancel your subscription anytime.
If your cable TV contract is about to finish, you plan to opt for streaming services. This is the right time. Call your local IT support to cut the cable cords and let you avail of streaming services.
Since cable TV is old technology, all existing TVs are compatible to operate with it. However, you may require a streaming box or a stick to make your TV compatible with streaming devices.
Yet the good thing is that installation charges are a one-time investment that can be recovered as the monthly bills will be less than cable TV expenses.
Let’s see what things and equipment are required for a smooth streaming experience.
Since streaming devices work only on an internet connection, having good wi-fi for high video quality and a smoother experience is essential.
Wi-fi routers and modems are streaming essentials to handle the bandwidth requirement and allow you to stream on multiple devices. Also, there could be a possibility that the streaming devices do not have an ethernet port. In that case, you must wirelessly connect them to the internet.
The conclusion is as clear as crystal. In the battle of streaming vs. cable TV, streaming devices have defeated cable TV in all ways. It is the new-gen TV entertainment technology many U.S. and other countries residents prefer. Moreover, you never know when Cable TV will become obsolete and must switch immediately. Thus, we recommend you cut the cable cords and switch to streaming services.
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