04 Dec Traditional TV Has Become a Downtrend

How often do you sit down to watch live TV as it’s airing?

Or, have you already switched to an over-the-top (OTT) or other streaming service to catch your favorite shows on your schedule?

You’re not the only one who’s streaming more content!

A CNBC survey found that “57% of the public has some form of streaming service” a statistic which has tripled between 2013 and 2017 (according to similar reports conducted by S&P Global Market Intelligence during this timeframe). While the family television may still be a central location for watching video at home, the majority of families have switched from a traditional TV viewing experience to predominately watching it on a Smart TV or Streaming Media Player (SMP) such as a Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Firestick.

But, you may be one of the few who still subscribes to cable.

Well, not too few, because over 90 million US households still pay for either cable or satellite… but it’s not due to the telecoms’ superior customer service or consumer satisfaction ratings.

Another digital media trends survey from Deloitte Insights found 71% of subscribers saying that live content plays a key role in keeping their subscription, while 56% said that the bundle was a factor in keeping pay TV to help reduce the cost of their services. Yet as more services pick up the option to stream live sports, and as monthly Internet costs decline, people are realizing they can ditch cable and still watch the content they want – for a better price.

“Cable operators lost nearly 1.1 million subscribers year-to-date as of Sept. 30.”
Kagan’s 3rd-quarter U.S. Multichannel Subscription report

So, should you stay or should you go?

You may choose to keep your cable subscription just so you don’t have to deal with canceling your current service and then setting up a new one with a different provider. Or, maybe you want to keep your TV and only switch your Internet, which doesn’t sound feasible given your discounted TV + Internet bundle.

Option 1: Keep your TV, just switch your Internet! On average, we find the cost goes up by about $5 per month – which just so happens to balance the cost of your old monthly Wifi service fee.

Option 2: Cut the cable cord.You’ll be able to find freedom from scheduled programming, commercials, and reruns, while saving money.

How do you know which option is best for you? Check out our article on unbundling versus cutting cable to help you make the right decision! Visit our “Why Fiber” page to learn more about the benefits of fiber internet.