Tuesday, December 11, 2018
It’s almost the new year, and as you’re thinking about resolutions, you’ve been considering getting rid of cable. You’ve read a few cord cutting guides, so you’re up to speed on what to expect. But you haven’t definitively made any decision. Maybe it’s because you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of cable and still watch TV, maybe you’re undecided on what streaming services you want to subscribe to, or maybe you aren’t sure if your Internet solution is up to par.
Take our quiz below to see if you’re absolutely ready to say goodbye to that clunky cable package for good.
1. How many channels do you watch regularly?
a. More than 20
b. 10-20
c. 5-10
d. 1-5
2. What do you primarily tune into?
a. Cable TV
b. Local channels and news
c. Sports
d. Movies
3. How would you describe your current TV solution?
a. All cable
b. Cable supplemented with streaming services
c. An Over-the-Top solution, such as Sling TV or DIRECTV Now
d. An Over-the-Top solution, along with other streaming services
4. When do you watch your shows and movies?
a. When they air, or live
b. Both live and recorded
c. When there are enough episodes to binge watch
d. Whenever you want
5. What do you use to watch your shows and movies?
a.Your home TVs
b. Your computer
c. A mobile device
d. Both TVs and a mobile device
6. What are you looking for most in a TV solution?
a. All the channels
b. Low cost
c. Good programming
d. Flexibility
7. What is your current Internet speed?
a. Less than 10 Mbps
b. 10-25 Mbps
c. 25-100 Mbps
d. More than 100 Mbps
8. What Internet speeds are available in your area?
a. Less than 10 Mbps
b. 10-25 Mbps
c. 25-100 Mbps
d. More than 100 Mbps
You either may not currently have the Internet speeds that you will need to get the optimal streaming experience, or a higher Internet speed may not be available to you. If you’re in the latter, you’re likely to get better reception for your cable TV package than you will high-speed Internet.
If you’re in the former, you’ll want to look into meeting the speed requirements of streaming services. As an example, Netflix requires a 0.5 Mbps broadband speed but recommends at least 5 Mbps for HD quality and 25 Mbps for Ultra HD quality. And while 5 Mbps may not seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, you’ll have to consider all of your devices that are connected to your Internet at once and what activities those devices are performing. (Take a look at our Bandwidth Breakdown blog to get a better understanding of how popular online activities can affect your Internet speeds.) See what speeds are available in your area today!
Whichever of the two that you fall into, you also may not be ready to sacrifice how you watch your favorite shows and movies — whether it’s all the channels you tune into or when you catch them.
You’ll want to do a little more research on streaming services. Get started with our cord cutting guide to see what you might want and need.
You still watch enough channels that likely warrant your cable package, but some streaming services can offer most — if not all — of them. (Remember, too, that there are other ways to get the local channels that you love!) And, if you’re already subscribed to streaming services, you’ll know if your current Internet speeds will suffice, or if you need an upgrade.
You have the back-end equipment (read: your Internet solution) ready to handle increased bandwidth needs. All you have to do now is settle on which streaming services you want — and there are a ton, with even more debuting in the coming year! Ensure that you’re subscribed to the ones that most fit your needs and that you have all the remaining equipment you may need — whether it’s an Apple TV or a Roku streaming stick.
You check all the boxes, so what are you waiting for?
Keep in mind that your streaming solution is only as good as your Internet connection. The last thing you’ll want is to start a show or movie and have it buffer constantly throughout, leaving you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen. We all like suspense, but definitely not that kind.
Not sure what speed you might need? Contact our Kinetic by Windstream team today and ask about how Kinetic Internet will round out your total entertainment solution.
