If you’re looking for a cable provider you want to make sure you’re choosing the very best. We look at 10 tips for selecting the best cable provider.
There are almost 500 cable providers in the U.S. today serving the roughly 180 million people with cable.
You obviously won’t be able to get access to all of the providers in your specific area. But you will most likely have at least several options to choose from when you sign up for cable.
So, how do you decide which is the best cable provider for you?
Answering that question could prove to be more difficult than you might think. There are quite a few factors that you need to take into consideration before signing up with one cable provider over all the others.
Here are 10 tips to help you find the best cable provider.
#1. List the Cable Providers Available in Your Area
“Who are the cable providers in my area?”
Before you can pick out the best cable provider for your home or business, you should ask yourself that question. Begin by listing all the cable providers that could potentially offer you service.
This will allow you to see which cable providers you can actually use. It’ll also make it easier to look up more information about each individual company.
#2. Ask Family and Friends Which Cable Providers They Use
Once you know which cable providers can provide your home or business with service, ask some of your family members and friends which providers they use. Push anyone who uses any of the companies on your list to provide you with their opinions on the providers.
Some of your family members and friends might go on and on about how much they love their provider. Others might tell you to stay away from their provider at all costs.
You can narrow down your search based on what you hear about cable providers from other people.
#3. Read Online Reviews for Local Cable Providers
After you’ve hounded your family members and friends for info on the best cable providers in your area, take your search to the internet.
Google each cable provider in your area and look for the reviews that pop up. Read both positive and negative reviews on each company to get a better feel for what their customers have to say about them.
All cable companies are going to have both good and bad reviews since there are so many cable customers. That means it’s likely going to take you time to sift through them and get to the bottom of what people are saying about providers.
But in the end, you’ll get a great overview of all the cable providers by taking this approach.
#4. Find Out Which Channels Cable Providers Carry
Are there some specific channels that you need to have when you sign up for cable?
You can use each cable provider’s website to take a glance at which channels they currently carry. This will allow you to see which providers have the channels that you want and which don’t offer them at this time.
#5. Research Internet Speeds Offered by Cable Providers
Most people opt to get their cable TV and home or business internet service through the same company these days.
If you’re planning on doing that, do your research to find out more about the internet speeds offered by individual companies. Some companies in your area might have higher internet speeds than others.
By doing your homework, you can avoid getting stuck with a company that isn’t capable of setting you up with the internet speeds you need.
#6. Contact Cable Providers to Discuss Their Services
If you’re having a tough time researching the different cable providers in your area online, you always have the option of reaching out to them directly to discuss their services.
Call several different companies and ask them to tell you about their cable packages. Then, have them walk you through their internet speeds.
Write down everything they tell you so that you can compare your notes later to see which cable provider is best.
#7. Rate the Customer Service Provided by Cable Providers
If you opt to contact cable providers to see which is truly best, take the customer service that you receive during your calls into consideration.
There is likely going to come a time when you’ll need to contact your cable provider with a question or a service request. You might have trouble turning a certain channel on or connecting to the internet. You want to know that your provider will deliver grade-A customer service.
Look for the company that goes above and beyond to set you up with the service you deserve when you touch base with them for the first time.
#8. Consider the Costs Associated With Each Cable Provider
You don’t necessarily want to base your entire decision as far as which cable provider is best on the cost of their services. But you will want to consider cost at some point.
The good news is that almost all cable providers will offer you a great introductory deal. But the key is checking to see how much you’ll have to pay once your introductory period is over.
Find the company that will charge you the least while also offering great services to you.
#9. See If Cable Providers Give Discounts for Cable/Internet/Phone Bundles
If your plan is to sign up for both cable and internet service through the same company, many cable providers will provide you with a cable, internet, and phone bundle.
Figure out which providers have these bundles available, and crunch the numbers to see which one has a bundle that makes sense for you. You could save a lot of money by bundling your services together through one company.
#10. Decide Which Cable Provider You Want to Use
At the end of the day, you need to feel comfortable with the cable provider you choose. You need to love everything from the channels that are being offered to you to the customer service you receive.
Once you find a company that checks all the boxes for you, sign up with them and start using their cable service.
Search for the Best Cable Provider in Your Area Today
There are some people who don’t put much thought into their cable provider. They simply sign up with whichever company offers them a decent deal at the beginning.
Rather than going that route, spend time researching companies until you land on the best cable provider. You’ll be glad you did when you’re satisfied with the services they provide.
