In the third quarter 2017, TiVo Digitalsmiths surveyed
approximately 3,000 U.S. households and asked respondents what TV channels they
would want included in a customizable bundle.
There was good news and bad news for Disney. Among the top twenty channels, ABC was ranked
the most preferred, with 66.3% indicating a preference for it to be included in
an a la carte bundle. CBS (63.6%), Fox
(59.4%) and NBC (55.4%) were ranked second to fourth and the FX Network was ranked sixth. Disappointingly, ESPN
(39.6%) was ranked 17th.
This got me thinking.
What channels would be “must-haves” for my family and would a new bundle
and service make me/us happier? A
critical part of answering this question is defining happiness in terms of
channel access and what I would like to pay for it. Full disclosure: This is not the first time I
sat down to figure out how to save money on the cable bill. Each time, I got frustrated as it seemed to
take way too much time to compare options among just four options– Verizon FiOS
(current provider), Comcast, AT&T/DirecTV, and Dish.
As I compare options, I check for the inclusion
of the broadcast networks, ESPN’s suite of channels, and news and entertainment
channels like CNBC, TNT, and TBS. This
handful of channels are all part of my current bundle with Verizon FiOS that
are included in a triple play for $119.98 per month ($139.99 with a $20
discount). Specifically, I get 425+
channels (Ultimate), Internet
(50/50), digital voice, 3 set-top boxes, and DVR service. I subscribe separately for Netflix and Amazon
Prime.
From what I can tell, a “comparable”
service from Comcast, excluding cable box rentals and DVR service, would be its
Select service at a monthly price of
$99.99 for digital voice, 210+ channels, and internet download speed of 150
mbps. I would have to agree to a
two-year term. I could go “crazy” and
sign up for the OTT service, DirecTV Now, and get 85+ channels for $55 per
month. There would be no cable box
rental fees, but I would have to buy unbundled internet access from a broadband
provider (Verizon or Comcast) at a price of about $50 per month for 100 mbps
download speed. I would also need Smart
TVs or streaming players (e.g. Roku) to view video on my TVs.
As I write, I am getting more frustrated
and coming to the realization (again) that I probably will maintain the status
quo. The differential is not significant
enough while the opportunity cost of switching seems too burdensome. They got me, but I’m not happy!
