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Four Things to Consider Before You Cut the Cord

Many consumers today are cutting the cord and saying good-bye to their cable and satellite providers. And who could blame them? The cost of traditional pay TV is on the rise and customer service is declining rapidly.

According to Leichtman Research, the largest pay TV providers in the United States (approximately 95% of the market) lost twice as many subscribers this year: about 975,000 net video subscribers in 3Q 2018, compared to 410,000 in 3Q 2017.

With a large selection of streaming subscription services available to consumers, cutting the cord seems to make sense. But is it always the right decision?

These are four things to consider before you cut the cord:

  1. You are dependent on your internet service. Depending on where you live, you may not always have a reliable internet connection. Although most people can live with the occasional blip in their connection, this could pose a huge problem when you’re engrossed in a show or sporting event.
  2. Streaming is harder for major live events. Although most streaming devices can handle high traffic, really big events could cause a slowdown. The quality of the video that you receive depends on the bandwidth available. This is directly affected by how many users in your neighborhood are on the same connection. Even more problematic is the number of people in your home who have devices using the same WiFi.
  3. The cost of streaming could be significant. Consumers who make the switch are seeking to decrease the monthly financial burden of pay TV. However, the cost of streaming services like Netflix, HBO Now, Amazon Prime, YouTube Red or Hulu Plus could be higher than you think. In fact, prices for streaming services continue to go up. Furthermore, if your internet connection is not fast enough, you have to consider the cost of upgrading the speed to ensure high-quality streaming.
  4. You might be stuck with your “bundle.” Companies like AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS know how to ensure that customers depend on them: they provide bundled packages that make your services seem less expensive. In addition to the convenience of getting one bill, internet service is less expensive when you bundle it with your TV, and home phone services.

For many consumers, cutting the cord is a great decision. For others, there is not enough financial gain to justify losing a full array of network choices and to risk video quality. For consumers who aren’t quite ready to cut the cord, there are other, reliable ways to save money on your monthly bills.

Billshark can negotiate your cable, internet and phone bills while you sit back and reap the rewards. We have an 85% success rate lowering consumers’ monthly bills, with a $275 average savings per bill. Send us your bills, and we’ll do the rest.

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Article summary

Article: Four Things to Consider Before You Cut the Cord.

Topic: Ready to switch to streaming?.

Published: Mar 6, 2019.

Section: These are four things to consider before you cut the cord.

Detail: Many consumers today are cutting the cord and saying good-bye to their cable and satellite providers.

Detail: According to Leichtman Research.

Detail: With a large selection of streaming subscription services available to consumers, cutting the cord seems to make sense.

Article details

Many consumers today are cutting the cord and saying good-bye to their cable and satellite providers. And who could blame them? The cost of traditional pay TV is on the rise and customer service is declining rapidly.

According to Leichtman Research, the largest pay TV providers in the United States (approximately 95% of the market) lost twice as many subscribers this year: about 975,000 net video subscribers in 3Q 2018, compared to 410,000 in 3Q 2017.

With a large selection of streaming subscription services available to consumers, cutting the cord seems to make sense. But is it always the right decision?

For many consumers, cutting the cord is a great decision. For others, there is not enough financial gain to justify losing a full array of network choices and to risk video quality. For consumers who aren’t quite ready to cut the cord, there are other, reliable ways to save money on your monthly bills.

Billshark can negotiate your cable, internet and phone bills while you sit back and reap the rewards. We have an 85% success rate lowering consumers’ monthly bills, with a $275 average savings per bill. Send us your bills , and we’ll do the rest.

Billshark negotiates internet, wireless, cable, satellite radio, and other monthly bills. Our experts handle providers for you, send updates, and work on a no savings, no fee promise so customers keep more money every month.

This Billshark blog page focuses on ready to switch to streaming? learn four key factors. get expert tips to compare costs, pick the right services, and avoid mistakes to save money.

Billshark blog content covers recurring monthly bills, subscriptions, budgeting decisions, and provider-related savings opportunities for consumers.

Readers can use Billshark articles to compare service costs, understand billing trends, and discover practical ways to reduce ongoing monthly expenses.

Each blog page is part of Billshark's larger money-saving library, which includes provider comparisons, cancellation guides, budgeting advice, and featured consumer finance articles.

These articles are designed to help readers make better decisions about subscriptions, telecom services, recurring monthly charges, and practical ways to keep more money each month.

Quick takeaways

  • Detail: For many consumers, cutting the cord is a great decision.
  • Detail: Billshark can negotiate your cable, internet and phone bills while you sit back and reap the rewards.
  • Detail: Billshark negotiates internet, wireless, cable, satellite radio, and other monthly bills.
  • Key point: (()=>{function o(n){var o=document.body;o&&o.classList.add(n?"webp":"no-webp")}function n(){return window.Modernizr&&void 0!==Modernizr.webp?(o(!!Modernizr.webp),1):window.Modernizr&&"function"==typeof Modernizr.on&&(Modernizr.on("webp",function(n){o(!!n)}),1)}document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){n()||window.addEventListener("load",function(){n()})})})() ((e,t,a,g)=>{e[g]=e[g]||[],e[g].push({"gtm.start":(new Date).getTime(),event:"gtm.js"}),e=t.getElementsByTagName(a)[0],(g=t.createElement(a)).async=!0,g.src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=GTM-MWTTX4KP",e.parentNode.insertBefore(g,e)})(window,document,"script","dataLayer") ((e,o)=>{e.TiktokAnalyticsObject=o;var a=e[o]=e[o]||[];a.methods=["page","track","identify","instances","debug","on","off","once","ready","alias","group","enableCookie","disableCookie","holdConsent","revokeConsent","grantConsent"],a.setAndDefer=function(e,t){e[t]=function(){e.push([t].concat(Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}};for(var t=0;t × Sign up Log.
  • Key point: Streaming is harder for major live events.
  • Key point: The cost of streaming could be significant.
  • Key point: You might be stuck with your “bundle.”.
  • Related: Comcast's“Free” Streaming Box Will Cost You $13/Month.
  • Related: Should You Hire a Bill Negotiator?.
  • Related: Suppose TV: Smart Alerts for TV Service Changes.
  • Related: Customers Get What They Pay For With New AT&T Plans.
  • Related: Video Streaming: How It Impacts Your Internet Bill & Data.
  • Related: Cable or Internet?.
  • Related: Promotional Internet Offers: Read Fine Print to Save.
  • Related: Streaming: Smart Alternative to Cable TV for Savings.
  • Related: 10 Proven Strategies to Lower Your Car Insurance Costs.
  • Related: Mark Cuban Backed.
  • Context: This Billshark blog page focuses on ready to switch to streaming?.
  • Context: Billshark blog content covers recurring monthly bills, subscriptions, budgeting decisions, and provider-related savings opportunities for consumers.
  • Context: Readers can use Billshark articles to compare service costs, understand billing trends, and discover practical ways to reduce ongoing monthly expenses.
  • Context: Each blog page is part of Billshark's larger money-saving library, which includes provider comparisons, cancellation guides, budgeting advice, and featured consumer finance articles.
  • Context: These articles are designed to help readers make better decisions about subscriptions, telecom services, recurring monthly charges, and practical ways to keep more money each month.