The Best Guide to Cable Packages and Alternatives

Cable Internet Packages

A popular choice among those who buy cable television packages is to bundle those packages with a cable internet package.


Cable internet packages can provide a number of conveniences over other options both for television and for internet. On this page, I’ll discuss some of the positive and negative aspects of getting internet by cable rather than through other means, and how that affects your choice of which television cable package to select.

Positives

Convenience

By getting a cable internet package, you will have both your television and cable on a single bill. This can make it easier to keep track of your family’s entertainment budget. It also has the advantage that, if you ever need service, you’ll only need to develop one relationship with a single company, rather than with two different companies. Another convenience is that some people enjoy watching television on their computers. This may be because the other television is being used, or even because their computer screen is nicer than their television. For instance, some people may have a projector that they can hook up to their laptop for movie night. Most cable internet packages make it possible to watch your television on your computer, though you should check in advance as to whether this is possible and also any additional expensives.

Stability

Cable internet is perhaps the most stable form of internet available on the market today. While it is true that neither telephone wires nor cable were designed for the internet, cable handles the internet far better. You are less likely to have your internet go down because there is something wrong with the local phone lines. In addition, if a telephone connection is reset, such as if your modem goes down during a power outage, it needs time to reconnect to the internet. Cable internet is up all of the time, and there are not the same problems with reconnecting to the internet.

Negatives

Privacy

Cable internet has a single, stable IP address that you cannot change. What this means is that any website with even the most basic tracking will know who you are whenever you visit. Even if you surf without cookies, websites can still see your IP. Don’t be surprised if you go to a website months after the fact, and they offer you specials based on what you’ve previously bought. For now, most websites seem to be largely trustworthy with the information they have gathered, but you may not want people tracking your movements around a forum on medical information, for example. When that site goes defunct, who knows who they will sell that information to? If it owned by a company that goes bankrupt, they may even be required to sell your information, because it is an asset.

Speed

Both cable and high-speed telephone internet are very fast, but in high-traffic areas, such as major cities, the more people that are on your network, the slower your cable can become. Cable bandwidth is finite, and eventually traffic can clog the cable. However, this problem will only affect people who want to download extremely large files in a short period of time. For most people, a slightly slower cable will still be extremely fast, even faster than most television access. However, if you are going to buy from a company, see if any of your neighbors use that same company, and find out how fast their cable is. This can become a problem especially in apartment or condominium buildings, especially in older areas of cities.

Flexibility

While combining cable and internet is a convenience, you should check in advance how much it affects the flexibility of your service. For instance, let’s say you buy a package of cable and internet that serves your needs right now, but down the line, you want to pick up more sports channels. Will this cost you the bargain package you made on internet as well? Cable companies are getting better than they used to be at allowing flexibility, but some of the more old-fashioned, monopoly thinking is still in place. Before committing to anything that combines your cable and internet, make sure you can upgrade (or downgrade) one without it affecting your rate or service on the other.

I hope all of this information has been helpful in making your choice as to whether or not to integrate your cable and your internet.