Almost half of adults 22 to 45 years old are watching absolutely no content on traditional TV platforms, according to a new study by Omnicom Media Group agency Hearts & Science. Cable is no long the trend among young adults.
Growing up in Vietnam in the 80s and 90s, TV was pretty much the only source of entertainment. I got so excited when the little kid shows came up at exactly 7pm around family dinner every day. My eyes were glued to “Tom & Jerry” , “Voltron”, and “Power Rangers”.
TV shows in Vietnam were very interesting for multiple reasons:
- There were only about 3 TV channels when I grew up.
- TV drama shows were very limited. Since there were only a few TV channels, the entire country just had to watch whatever show that they decided to put on. I remember there was a show which I hated, but there were not other choices.
Related: WHY I SPENT THIS MUCH MONEY ($1,638) ON FOOD THIS MONTH.
When I came to America, TV played a big part in my life. It was one of the tools I used to improve my English. I remember the first time I got to watch American TV, it was love at first sight. I was amazed by how many channels there were and I loved the variety. Shows such as “Street Ball”, “And 1” and all those guys such as The Professor, Hot Sauce, and Spider were very entertaining to watch.
I started cutting down on TV when I attended college. School and work took over my life and I had no spare time to spend. Whenever I turned on the TV all I saw was news about robbery, murder, and accidents; it made me worry and I didn’t want to be part of that.
When new technologies such as streaming and mobile apps starting to take over, I was part of the movement. I don’t see myself spending any extra money for a landline phone or cable.
What I am paying right now for Internet and Netflix:
- Charter Spectrum speed at 100 Mbps: $59.99/ month x 12 = 719.88 / year
- Netflix: $11 / month x 12 = 132 / year
I paid $44.99 last year but the promotion only lasted a year. I don’t get paid for this but if you are looking for a deal, they are having a promotion:
What I could have done is to cancel the service after the first year, then have one of my family members sign up again to get the deal. It could have saved me $130. But it comes with some hassles:
- The Router would have to be returned to the cable company. (Meaning that I have to purchase a router in the meantime, which costs about $20 on Amazon)
- Someone needs to be home for the installation.
I have looked at other internet companies as well and here are some pros and cons of these services:
Viasat (formerly known as Exede)
Pro:
- $50 a months sounds like a great start. It is definitely cheaper than my current rate.
- Prices are high compared to other types of internet. But compared to other satellite options, Viasat’s prices are the best value.
Con:
- Too expensive for me. $70 after 3 months. You have to spend a lot more after 3 months.
- Viasat is a satellite internet service and I don’t recommend satellite internet above other types of connections because it is slow and expensive and sometimes delivers lower speeds then it stated.
- Viasat requires you to sign a 24-month contract while other services offer no-contract or only require up to 1 year contract.
Xfinity
Pros:
- With only $54.99 a month which is cheaper than my current rate and you get a faster download speed of 150 Mbps. Right now I am paying $60 a month and only get 100 Mbps download speed.
- I have used Comcast before and they provides fast, consistent internet and continues to add new technologies to improve their services.
- I also found out that Comcast also offers a 5 Mbps plan to low-income families for $10 per month, so disadvantaged students can have access to the internet. Check with your local providers.
Cons:
- Sometimes services might not be available in your area.
- They frequently try to up-sell you so be-careful with that.
- When you search for reviews, they have mix customer service reputation.
Optinum
Pros:
- Great package for only $39.99. Seems like a great deal.
- No contract
- If you are like me who just want basic cheap internet
Cons:
- They don’t provide TV service
- If you live out side New Jersey, New York, or Connecticut, you can’t get their service
Thank you for reading and comment below about which cable company are you using.
