If cable TV has been a part of life for so long and become treasured, why do people want to get rid of it? That is a good question and one that has been asked a lot recently. It is also one that has a wide variety of answers. Let’s take a look at some of the most common answers to this question.
The Big Cable Monopoly
Due to the way that the cable world is set up, at least in the United States, it has become a big monopoly. Only one service will work in most areas. In other areas you might have a small competitor but isn’t a much better option. This allows cable companies to pretty much control the cost of the industry.
Pay For Every Channel
Cable and satellite companies will charge you for every channel that you want past the basic package. This can end up doubling (or more) your monthly bill. Especially if you want the sports packages. Online services will only charge you for using their website. They will sometimes up charge being able to play UHD/4K media or to play content from the premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax) but that is it.
Fees For Everything
When you use a cable company for your movie watching and television there is a lot fees associated with the service. For example, if you want a DVR, there is a fee for that. There are also often service fees. If something isn’t working with your cable connection the company often tries to charge you a service fee to come out. The thing is, a lot of the equipment and cable lines involved are actually owned by the company. Why should you pay the company to fix their own equipment? Plus if you don’t get to use the service until they come out to fix it, they still charge you.
Bad Customer Service
Companies that are in the service industry rely on their customer service industry. It is a wonder that cable and satellite companies are able to stay in business. When you look on the internet for worst customer service lists, at least one cable or satellite company will show up on each list. The only reason some of these businesses manage to stay in business is that they are the monopoly for their service areas.
Not Everyone Watches TV on Their TV Anymore
It has become increasingly more popular to watch television on devices other than actual televisions. This is because we already have devices for watching movies and TV, why should we have to get a television too? People now use their phones, computers, and tablets to watch a lot of their media content.
People Simply Can’t Afford It
A lot of people have found hard times, especially with student loans and the ever rising cost of living. When people spend all of their money elsewhere, they simply can’t afford to spend more on cable. The average cost of a cable bill in the United States is $99 a month. That is outrageous. No wonder why people opt to switch to alternative methods.
Why Spend The Money
People have found that they can watch almost anything they watch through alternative services such as Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, and more. The best part, these services cost less than the average monthly cable bill of $99. Most of these services cost less than $20. Some are even less than $10. Why would you spend the extra money when you can get the same thing for less?
There Are Shows Not Available On TV
There are an ever increasing amount of shows that aren’t available on television but you can watch through streaming services. This may not be the biggest reason to cut the cable but it is becoming a bigger one all the time. As these non-network originals become more and more popular, they drag in a bigger audience. Think of Orange is The New Black, Luke Cage, The Ranch, The Man In The High Castle, and more.
Cutting the cord is the start of freeing yourself from excessive entertainment bills every month. If you want to find out more about cable cutting, check out our other blog posts. We have everything from highlights of the various streaming services, to how to start cutting the cord. Let us know down below why you decided to cut the cord.
