Americans Are Saving On Internet & TV
There's now more ways to get cable, TV and internet than ever. Traditional cable companies now compete with 5G, satellite, and even FM wave transmission. You can even find internet deals under twenty bucks a month, though not all providers are available nationwide. We've curated this list of providers available -- be sure to check your local coverage by zip code.
Xfinity
Xfinity has a lot of internet to offer for not much money. 200Mbps service tier internet is just $40/month for 1 years with no contract. More attractive still is their pricing on Internet Essentials for eligible low income people, one of the best ways for seniors to save on home service, which is $15/Mo — check availability in your area. If you aren’t trying to download the entire internet at once, 75 Mbps speeds are more than adequate for standard browsing, doing work, checking email, and even streaming. Be sure to check if they are available in your area.
Spectrum
$30/mo for 12 months with autopay for internet only, or receive a discount when bundling with mobile and TV for three years. Up to 100 Mbps speeds; even faster speeds up to 1Gbps are available with different plans . Free internet modem. No data caps. Or try Internet and TV bundles for $109.98/mo for 12 months with autopay including 125+ channels and free HD. 85,000+ On Demand choices as well as streaming anywhere on your phone with Spectrum TV App. Spectrum has a 30-day money back guarantee as well if you are not satisfied. Check availability in your area for local pricing offers.
Cox
Cox has internet starting as low as $50 a month with up to 300 Mbps download speed, as well as a pre-paid version for $50 per month with no credit check, no contract, and no modem fee — be sure to check availability by zip. They also have a network of over 4 million hotspots. Cox, surprisingly, also has a low-income option on their website. You must be on one government assistance program such as SNAP or Medicaid, and have additional documentation to support low-income status.
Dish TV
Dish has 190 channels for $96.99 a month, including America’s Top 120. Dish also has a 55+ offer for seniors with a free On Demand movie rental each month, from over 20,000 rentable Hollywood movies and over 80,000 total On Demand choices. Dish will also lock in your price for three years. Be sure to check all offers by zip.
Verizon 5G Home
Verizon’s home internet starts at $35 a month when you enroll in auto pay and have a qualifying Verizon 5G Mobile plan. There are no data limits, annual contracts, hidden fees or equipment charges. Price is also guaranteed to not go up for two years, and all you have to do is plug the power into the wall to get started. 5G Home Plus starts at $55 a month and includes Verizon Cloud Storage Unlimited and a 3 year price guarantee. Verizon 5G Home Plus also includes a Meta Quest 3S or a Samsung 43” Class TV, redeemable once service is activated. Check coverage at your address here.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Similar to competitor Verizon, T-Mobile now offers 5G home internet, and also offers discounts for post-pay T-Mobile customers. They offer a 15 day worry-free trial. The base price for the 5G Wi-Fi gateway and router (one unit) is $50 per month with AutoPay. This decreases to as low as $35 per month if you are an existing T-Mobile customer. There are no annual contracts and the price is guaranteed to never increase once you sign up. Check availability here.
Senior Offers
While the above pricing likely represents the best ways for seniors to save on TV, internet, or both, there are a host of websites that offer senior-specific cable and/or internet offers above and beyond the attractive pricing outlined herein. Dish is one such provider, with the aforementioned 55+ offer. Other websites such as seniorliving.org promote the best cable TV deals for seniors. Similarly, TheSeniorList has offers for cable and TV packages for seniors. Lastly, SmartMove outlines how the Lifeline Program might apply to seniors, with low-income programs and discounts.
Digital Antennas
One of the cheapest ways to get television is with digital antennas. Formerly known as “bunny ears” when they were just a pair of metal that stuck up in the air, antennas have evolved to digital form, but they still provide Americans with free broadcast television options. If you live in a major metro area, you should be able to get channels like PBS, CBS, NBC, Fox and ABC free of charge with the use of a digital antenna. The only cost of entry is the antenna itself, with many starting under $20.