You’ve made up your mind — it’s time to cancel your cable TV subscription. But you want to watch more accessible, popular TV content. What’s your next move? The answer: streaming.
With a high-speed internet connection, you can still access your favorite shows, movies and sports but without the cable connection requirement. This is how you make TV everything you want it to be (and more).
Ready to find out more about cutting the cable cord? Let’s get into it.
Cutting Cable TV and Embracing Streaming
Maybe you’re ready to cut the cable cord today, but before you do that, let’s consider how you choose the perfect streaming service for your household. After all, not all streaming services have the same features or content libraries, and you need to find the best option possible before making a home entertainment upgrade.
Here’s what you should consider before cutting cable TV and investing in streaming instead.
Research Various Streaming Services
There are a lot of streaming services out there, so if you truly want to narrow down which option has all the bells and whistles you need, start with some research. Begin by looking at factors like:
- Live TV options: Some streaming services are solely on-demand libraries. If sports and other live TV matter to you, find a streaming service that offers live TV so you can always access the latest entertainment.
- Cost: Consider your budget and how much enjoyable content each service offers for its price.
- Device compatibility: Make sure the streaming service works with your preferred devices.
- Content library: Check if your favorite channels are available with the streaming service to make sure you can watch the movies, shows and sports you love.
- User interface: An easy-to-use, convenient user interface is essential for anyone who wants their content easily accessible.
If you want a live TV streaming service, look no further. DIRECTV provides top-notch streaming content, meaning you can get the channels you love starting at $74.99/month for 75+ live TV channels.
Plus, we have the features you need to make every viewing experience better than before, including:
- Live TV and on-demand content libraries to watch what you want.
- Best-in-class sports content.
- Unlimited in-home device streaming.
- A customizable channel lineup based on your preferences.
Purchase Streaming Equipment and Subscriptions
Once you know which streaming service you want, it’s time to make your purchase. To stream TV, you’ll need a high-speed internet connection, a compatible device and a streaming service account.
With DIRECTV, you can easily sign up for a DIRECTV STREAM subscription online (no annual contract required). We recommend a high-speed internet speed of 24Mbps for the best viewing experience. Whether you decide to watch from a smart TV, PlayStation, Roku or something else, you can stream DIRECTV using your preferred device.
Cancel Your Cable Service
You’re ready to choose between cable vs. streaming, and now it’s time to figure out how to cut the cable cord. Luckily, the process is pretty simple. After you have your streaming service, you can simply give the cable company a call and cancel your service.
There are a few not-so-fun things to consider before making the call. First, if your cable contract isn’t up, you may want to renegotiate the terms or determine if there is an early termination fee. Second, make sure you’re ready to send back any rental equipment to that provider to avoid extra fees.
Enjoy the Variety of Streaming Content
Now, you’re cable-free and ready to live the streaming life. There’s no time like the present to get started.
With DIRECTV STREAM, you get to curate your TV library to spend less time searching and more time watching. Plus, access live or On Demand TV directly from your DIRECTV app, so using compatible devices is easier than ever before. Start a movie in the living room and finish it by the pool, in the kitchen or lying in bed — that’s ultimate flexibility.
How to Pick the Best Streaming Package for You
If you can’t decide between our different streaming packages, we don’t blame you.
Each package has some of the best content in entertainment, from reality TV to national sports to premium channels to local news. You can get our essential basics in the ENTERTAINMENT package or get a bit of everything in our PREMIER™ package. And you can customize any package with additional sports or premium channel add-ons.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each tier and what it offers to help you decide:
- ENTERTAINMENT: $74.99/month for 75+ channels
- CHOICE™: $99.99/month for 105+ channels, including regional sports networks
- ULTIMATE: $109.99/month for 140+ channels, including regional sports networks
- PREMIER™: $154.99/month for 150+ channels, including regional sports networks and premium channels (like HBO Max™, SHOWTIME®, STARZ® and Cinemax®)
Need more help deciding? Learn more about the best streaming packages from DIRECTV.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment do I need to begin streaming TV?
You’ll need high-speed internet access, a compatible streaming device and a streaming service subscription. And self-installation at home is fast and easy. Once you sign into your DIRECTV STREAM account, you can start streaming TV right away.
What is the cheapest way to cut cable?
The cheapest way to cut cable is to cancel your cable service and sign up for a streaming service instead. You’ll still get the programming you enjoy without a cable connection, and many popular streaming services, like DIRECTV STREAM, make it easier to customize your channel lineup so you only have to pay for the channels you watch.
The content is featured on https://www.directv.com/insider/ is editorial content brought to you by DIRECTV. While some of the programming discussed may now or in the future be available affiliates distribution services, the companies and persons discussed and depicted, and the authors and publishers of licensed content, are not necessarily associated with and do not necessarily endorse DIRECTV. When you click on ads on this site you may be taken to DIRECTV marketing pages that display advertising content. Content sponsored or co-created by programmers is identified as "Sponsored Content" or "Promoted Content."
