The Best Guide to Cable Packages and Alternatives

Suddenlink Cable Packages

Suddenlink cable packages provide something few companies have done: high quality digital cable service to rural areas of the United States.


Suddenlink is a relative newcomer on the scene of providing cable service. They were founded in 2003 as the company Cebridge Connections, a company that in turn had purchased the recently defunct Classic Communications. With its founding, Suddenlink Communications provided cable service to a wide range of areas such as Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Suddenlink did something quite different in its next step, however. Rather than simply expand its services, they put a lot of money and work into improving the service for those areas they already serviced. In fact, Suddenlink spent $350 million simply improving this local cable service.

This provided a massive improvement in service quality for those areas. Unlike many rural cable companies, all of Suddenlink’s subscribers are now able to access full digital cable, not the analog that many areas of the United States have become used to. Their standard television packages expanded to include over two hundred channels, including high definition channels that are not available in many underserviced areas.

Suddenlink High Speed Internet

Suddenlink provides high speed internet service in all of its cable packages. (Of course, “high speed” is now meaningless, as no one actually provides service as slow as when the phrase was first coined).

Their standard service provides 8 Mbps of download speed, enough for most internet uses (except streaming high definition movies). This is the level of service that is included in all of their bundled package deals. My own internet service provides 7 Mbps, and it is fast enough for almost all uses, though streaming big files, like games, can take several hours.

However, Suddenlink also provides other tiers of service, starting at as low as $30 per month, depending on your local area. In fact, Suddenlink provides the fastest high speed internet in the country, with their MAX 107.0 service. This MAX service streams at 107 Mbps, which is an absolutely massive speed. Of course, the cost is commensurate, at MAX 107.0 service currently costs $120 per month, with variations depending on your local area. Note that this service is not available in all areas that Suddenlink services, so you will need to check.

Suddenlink Television

Suddenlink provides a wide range of television programming. Like most services, they provide a tiered system of channels, moving from “Basic” to “Expanded” to “Digital Family” to “Digital Premium”. Note that “basic” is something of a misnomer, as Suddenlink also offers the basic cable mandated by the FCC.

  • Basic: Basic cable includes all of the basic channels, including networks, local programming and public television. It also includes a few extras like the Home Shopping Network.
  • Extended: Extended service provides some of the older cable channels that provide specialized programming with commercials. This includes such channels as A&E and MTV.

    Digital Family: Digital Family provides some of the more recent channels, like the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.

    Digital Premium: Digital Premium offers such additional channels as HBO and the Movie Channel, as well as such sports channels as ESPN and Fox Sports.

In addition to these Suddenlink cable channels, you can rent a high definition receiver for $9.95 per month and even add the ability to get video on demand for another $5.

Suddenlink Phone Service

Suddenlink also provides phone service for their customers for as little as $25 per month, which provides unlimited telephone calls in the United States. Note that this price may vary depending on your location.

However, because of the savings that come with Suddenlink bundles, you are almost always better off bundling your phone service with one of the other services that Suddenlink provides, as you get a savings on your phone bill that will be unmatchable by any other telephone provider.

Suddenlink Bundles

Suddenlink provides two primary bundles that you can purchase, each of which provide some remarkable savings:

  • Triple Play Package: Suddenlink provides a triple play package (all of telephone, internet and television) for $105 per month. This includes their standard internet service, Basic television package and unlimited telephone for $105 per month.
  • Double Play Package: On the other hand, if you wish to use Suddenlink simply as your telephone and internet provider, you can get 1 Mbps and unlimited telephone for a price of only $70 per month.

Conclusion

Suddenlink has done something unique for rural cable provision. Rather than simply expand and then enforce usage caps on their out-of-date hardware, they have instead chosen to expand their services in the area they cover for a reasonable cost. While they are not the least expensive company, they provide excellent service and are a good choice if they cover your area.

You can find more information available on their official site.