Comparing cable providers

There are many features to consider when choosing from different TV service providers – channel variety, reliability, affordability, availability and more. When choosing a TV service provider, you should decide which features are most important to you, along with researching which TV companies are available in your area. There are pros and cons to all TV service providers.

For instance, while cable and fiber TV are both reliable, they have more limited availability. On the other hand, satellite and antenna TV service is available for most homes, but can be unreliable – especially in certain weather conditions.1

Here are detailed descriptions of three different types of TV service providers.

Fiber-optic TV

Fiber-optic TV is easy to use and highly reliable. It also offers better quality than cable or satellite television. However, the fiber-optic network is not developed everywhere and is only available in certain areas.2

Fiber-optic TV cables can be extended for very long distances, without losing the picture or sound quality of your service. This is not the case with cable.2

Another pro of fiber-optic technology is that it has a higher carrying capacity than cable. Because optical wires are thinner, more of them can be bundled into a cable than copper wires. This means more data can be transmitted, so you might be able to get a greater number of channels.3

Cable TV

Cable is a fairly reliable TV service because it relies on a physical cable and wire connection to your home, instead of a satellite or dish. This means that weather conditions won’t often cause outages or a static image. Cable is less susceptible than satellite service to bad weather.1

Most urban homes can get service from one of several cable TV service providers. In rural areas and remote towns, however, cable is very limited, especially if you live in a mountainous area.1

When comparing cable vs. fiber TV, you can expect greater reliability from fiber.2

Satellite TV

Because satellite TV does not depend on a physical network connection, most people can get satellite service – no matter where they live.1

To receive service from one of many satellite TV companies, you simply need a clear view of the southern sky. Satellites transfers data to a home’s satellite dish, making satellite TV accessible for both urban and rural areas.1

One downside to satellite TV service is unreliability in poor weather conditions. With satellite, your TV service might cut in and out under certain weather conditions. Most commonly, high winds and rain might cut off all TV signals in your home.

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