Lowering the cost of cable is easy to do these days. There are multiple tools and techniques that can substitute cable for a fraction of the cost. For example, some Turk antennas can receive as many as 30 channels, both network and cable for the price of the antenna and converter box if needed.
What cable suppliers might prefer consumers to think is there are no other options to cable but that is simply not the case. In fact, low cost cable seekers can obtain cable for a smaller percentage of the normal price and sometimes for free. This article will illustrate some of the ways a television viewer can lower cable television program costs via alternative methods and conventional ways.
• Free and inexpensive television via the internet
Websites such as www.hulu.com and www.tv-video.net offer free television programming to registered users and premium television programming to members who donate to the website. The selection of programming is quite wide and can be viewed at any time for a fraction of the cost of cable. Websites like this make use of shareware technology so users can share and/or download prerecorded television programming with other users.
• Rental agreements with free cable
If you are a renter and don't have free cable, it may be time to move!. Firstly new rental agreements often come at annual teaser rates which may be lower than your existing rent potentially saving hundreds of dollars, and secondly because they may also offer free cable. Finding the right rental agreement may sometimes be more cost effective than some mortgages but it might take some shopping around.
• Multi-Line discounts
For households with multiple family members the multi-line discounts may be just the right thing to quench the entertainment needs of the whole family. To lower the cable bill, taking advantage of bulk service offerings may be right for you. If you already have a long distance phone plan, cell phone and Internet connection adding cable comes more affordably. To lower the total package cost, switching to the lowest DSL, Cable, Phone and Cell plans can cut costs so they aren't all that more than having 3 of the services. If one is going to use all 4 services consistently, 4 for the price of 3 may be a bargain worth considering especially if there's a large family to entertain.
• Search for better deals
With new telecommunications infrastructure, telephone companies, cable companies and internet service providers may be able to lower their costs due to potential economies of scale, more affordable overhead, higher capacity equipment, and price competition. Since federal regulations currently allow communications companies to provide multiple services, a number of companies now exist offering the same service. For this reason most neighborhoods should have at least 2-3 competitor companies offering cable service.
• Digital reception
Lastly, for those who want to eliminate cable altogether, making the switch to digital is both inevitable and will improve picture quality of standard broadcasts. That is to say, in the United States the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is charged with overseeing the digital conversion of all high powered television broadcasting as of early 2009. What this means is the quality of the broadcast will improve for non-cable as well as cable broadcasts. Televisions with digital receivers built in should be able to convert these public network signals with regular antennas.
There are ways to get cheaper cable but they can take a little ingenuity and inventiveness. The tips in this article provide some of the means by which television can be obtained for free and how cable prices can be lowered. While the cheapest way to watch television is to be in close proximity of a television broadcasting signal, these signals are limited to network and local broadcasting and not custom cable channels. Nevertheless, by assessing one's household needs, considering other options and trimming excess services, cable costs can be made more affordable.
Sources:1. http://www.tv-video.net/video/csiny/
2. http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html
3. http://lifehacker.com/software/saving-money/how-to-lower-your-cable-bill-154963.php
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