1. Cable TV has been facing increasing competition from
other communications types like satellite television and
even such computer sites as Netflix. With all of these
options now available, it is a good opportunity to look at
the pros and cons of cable television. In this article, I will
examine three positive and three negative points about
cable television, to help you make an informed decision.
3. Cable television is especially stable in its service. Both
traditional air-wave broadcasts and modern satellite
television can and will cut out on you during any serious
storm (and often during some not-so-serious storms).
Cable, on the other hand, will only go out if there is some
flaw in the overall system, like a broken cable or router.
This will happen far less often than rainstorms, so cable
television will provide far more consistent service.
5. Often specials are available by bundling your cable
television with other services in a single package, usually
internet and phone, but sometimes services like cellular
phones. These bundles can actually save you quite a bit of
money, especially if you bundle all three typical services
together. It also provides the convenience of having a
single bill.
7. Cable television can actually be fairly inexpensive, if you
don't add too many options. The initial hardware costs are
fairly inexpensive when compared to satellite, and the FCC
requires that all cable companies provide a basic cable
package consisting of broadcast channels and a few local
channels. As a result, cable television can be the cheapest
form of television aside from buying an antenna.
9. Many areas only have a single cable television
provider, and this creates a monopoly. While the
competition from satellite is increasing, the corporate
culture of these monopolies is especially poor. Customer
service can be terrible, if not non-existent in many
cases, and consumer satisfaction with cable TV companies
is consistently some of the worst among any companies in
the United States.
11. Many cable companies are very confusing when it comes
to how much their service will actually cost in the long
run. Many require you to sign up for two years in order to
get a one-year introductory deal. However, you have to
really dig on their websites to find out how much the
second year will cost. In other cases, there are hidden
fees, rental charges and taxes.
13. If you are bundling your cable television with your internet
(and many people do), you will have less privacy on the
internet. Cable internet works with a stable IP address
that doesn't change, so people will be able to easily track
your visits to their sites. Compare this with DSL, where
you can easily reset your IP by turning your modem on
and off.
14. With these advantages and disadvantages in mind, you
will be in a better position to make a decision about
whether to choose cable television.