Gone are the days where internet and television program costs an arm and a leg. There are in fact many surprising offerings to check out. Internet and television is more accessible than ever. With traditional cable companies offering internet, and internet companies offering television programming, not to mention satellite dishes and FM-wave transmissions, there’s a dizzying array of options to get television and internet at home. We’ve rounded up a number of the options to help make the process simpler for you. Not all providers are available in each area, so be sure to check your local coverage.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is now offering reliable home internet from just $50/month. Hawked as “Internet Freedom” and enabling customers to “Free Yourself From Internet BS”, the T-Mobile home internet unit looks like a cylindrical speaker, and plugs into the wall for power. They’re so confident they have a 15-day in home trial period or your money back. They will also cover up to $500 in termination fees, and your rate of $50/month is locked in. They also offer a $30/month option for T-Mobile Magneta MAX customers.
Verizon
People first think of Verizon as a phone carrier, but with the rollout of 5G, the company is launching Ultra Broadband home internet for $25/month with select mobile plans, and enrollment in AutoPay. The service has no data limits, no hidden fees, and no contracts. (Though it does require a select mobile phone plan with them.) Verizon’s Ultra Broadband home internet is now available in over 1,700 cities, and over 100 million Americans are presently within the coverage area. Verizon is also pushing for rapid expansion of this coverage to reach over half of all Americans by the end of this year. As a generous incentive to sign up, Verizon will offer to cover your “early termination fee” up to $500 to help get you out of an existing home internet contract. This is truly a great deal for home internet.
Spectrum
Spectrum has internet, television and internet bundles, as well as their “Triple Play” which includes home phone with unlimited calling. The three choices offer introductory rates of $50, $90, and $100 a month, respectively, for 12 months when bundled. Spectrum TV offers over 125 channels, free HD, with sports news and more. Spectrum internet has fast download speeds up to 100mBps, and no download caps. It also includes a free modem.
Xfinity
Xfinity offers seven cheap and fast plans. Of chief interest for those looking to save money is their $29.99/mo. internet with speeds up to 100 Mbps. Operating in 39 states and with over 30 million customers, it is the largest internet provider in the nation. Do a search to see if they are available in your area.
Frontier
Frontier‘s Fios 500 Mbps plan costs $40 per month with fast speeds of up to 500 Mbps. There are no data caps so you can download and stream to your heart’s content. If you are more budget conscious, Frontier offers a DSL plan that costs only $28 per month — that’s just 7 dollars a week — which is perfect for older people who primarily want to stay in touch with relatives, check email, social media, and read about news and sports. With speeds of six megabits per second, you will be able to watch videos from across the net in HD, but don’t expect to be able to handle enormous downloads quickly.
Starry
Starry is an exciting new entry in the usually unchanging telecommunications industry. Starry uses FM-radio waves and existing wiring in your building to bring internet to you. This means if you live in a rural area, you can’t get Starry just yet. But if you live in a major metro, you are probably eligible for Starry, which offers a money-back guarantee, $30 and $50 a month flat pricing (that won’t increase after introductory offers), and frequently offers multiple months free to entice people to switch from Fiber, DSL, or Cable. The two plan speeds are 100 megabits and 200 megabits, so there’s not a ton to choose from, but many reviews mention that Starry is much more reliable than traditional cable connections can be, and do not slow as easily when other people are using the internet during prime evening hours. If you’re able to get Starry, we highly recommend it.
Mediacom
Mediacom Communications Corporation is the nation’s 5th largest cable provider, and they provide service in 22 states. They serve over 1500 communities across much of the Midwest and Southeast, plus areas of California and Nevada. On offer is a generous TV and Internet package “Internet 100 + Local TV” for $29.99 /month for the first year, plus taxes and fees. With this package, expect internet download speeds of up to 100Mbps with a 200GB per month allowance, and enjoy 50 local cable channels. They also allow for a similar internet only package at just $19.99/month plus taxes and fees.
AT&T
AT&T Fiber offers three different tiers for internet service. Internet 100 starts at $35 a month for 12 months plus a $10 equipment fee. offering up to 100 megabit per second download speeds. The 300 and 1000 ranges offer 300 and 1000 megabit download speeds, respectively, costing $45 and $60 a month for a year, plus equipment fees. These speeds are much faster than traditional cable, so if fiber is available in your area and you do a lot of streaming or gaming, you should check it out. AT&T also offers television starting at $69.99/month plus tax. Be sure to find out if you can save by bundling.
In Conclusion
There are tons of options for television and internet at home. If you just need internet and live in a major city, we encourage you to check out Starry. If you need something including both television and internet, check out Spectrum’s bundles to save. If you qualify as low-income, be sure to investigate the Emergency Broadband Benefit with various cable and broadband providers.