As predicted in our recent article, How to Cancel Cable and Save with Free TV, cable companies starting to lose TV subscribers as consumers find better alternatives to cable TV. We can now safely say that folks are listening, and jumping off the triple-play bandwagon.
At the end of June, the number of people subscribing to broadband internet from the nine largest US cable companies (49,915,000) exceeded the number of television subscribers (49,910,000) for the first time. That’s according to a new tally by Bruce Leichtman, president of Leichtman Research Group.
This milestone is now verified by objective 3rd parties, and is a monumental blow. Cable companies like Comcast have been losing TV subscribers for many years now, as people cut the cord or opt for service from telecoms like Verizon and Satellite TV like DirecTV. With the ease of use of satellite TV, not to mention lower costs, that was the first blow. Now with early adapters seeing how easy it is to stream moves from sources like Netflix, or Amazon, it’s like a dagger in the heart of cable that could change the landscape forever.
No need to weep, however…that just means lower costs for you! In a recent CNBC interview, cable companies admitted to offering much lower tickler rates to new subscribers. With hosts chiming in with advice to consumers, saying they should call and threaten to end their account to get these discounts.
However, the cable industry remains strong as those companies supplant their lost business with new internet subscribers. Some new subscribers are paying big monthly rates, happily, due to the faster Internet connections available. The average price of Time Warner Cable’s internet service is up 20% over the past two years, to $47 a month. Verizon has fiber optic that is at awesome speeds that start at $64/month. But as one man said, “you get what you pay for”!
And as more television watching moves to the internet, the distinction between the two will matter less. For cable companies, the data travels over the same pipes, and even cord cutters still tend to require internet service. Internet service may keep rising, as a result of more services, but at least it will finally be worth the money spent. Just make sure to stay ahead of the curve.
Check out our great deals on Broadband Internet Service here. Then, do what everyone seems to be doing – pay only for broadband services – get your TV from the Internet and Satellite!
Click here to save now on Satellite TV.
