My 3 Best Tips for Internet Without Cable

By Jim Kimble / Published November 5, 2023

Navigating the maze of high-speed internet options without a cable or phone line subscription can be daunting. 

Over the years of being a cord-cutter, I’ve managed to secure an affordable plan that suits my needs for internet speed. In this guide, I’ll share the insights I’ve gained from my last seven years of personal experience of getting internet service without a cable bundle or phone line.

This guide aims to help you figure out everything from downloads to devices. 

The basics about shopping for internet service

  • Some cable companies tack on equipment fees if you are not using your own modem or Wi-Fi router. I have found that one of the easiest ways to save money on your internet bill is by purchasing your own modem and Wi-Fi router. 
  • If you have a larger house with a lot of internet-connected devices and screens, then a Wi-Fi mesh network is a better investment that will quickly pay for itself. Thankfully, most major brands including TP-Link and Netgear are compatible with all the major ISPs. You can double check with your local providers before signing up for service.
  • You can easily learn about the difference between a modem vs router before you start shopping so you can get the best long-term monthly rate possible. 

Aside from buying your own equipment, you should always ask for any installation fee to be waived. 

If a typical broadband connection is too expensive or not within your budget, you can use a cellular provider for a mobile hotspot to stream video, or watch YouTube on your TV. And satellite internet is another option. 

What internet providers are near me?

Generally speaking, there are five kinds of internet service providers in the U.S. 

Cable internet, fiber-optic internet, mobile wireless, wireless internet, satellite internet, and DSL internet are all connecting homes across the United States. 

Cable internet

Major cable providers such as Xfinity, Spectrum and Astound (formerly RCN) offer cable internet service over their copper wire connection. Cable internet has an average speed of 10 to 600 Mbps. 

I was an internet Xfinity customer on-and-off for close to a decade, but eventually switched to RCN (currently Astound) because the company offered lower monthly rates. Regardless of which cable internet provider you use, my advice is the same: 

  1. Never accept the first offer or discount that you are given 
  2. Don’t feel obligated to answer all of their questions
  3. Be polite, but pushy

Let me explain my second and third points in detail. What do I mean when I say, “Be polite, but pushy”? By pushy, I am talking about being insistent on what you want (i.e. a lower price). You do not have any license to be rude whatsoever. In fact, being polite and patient is always your best path forward when negotiating your internet rates. 

Customer service reps are often trained to ask probing questions in order to suggest higher price options for internet service. (This isn’t simply my experience, but it was also well documented in a 2016 Senate investigation.) So, there is nothing wrong with saying that you want a basic internet connection for email and that you use a TV antenna instead of streaming. 

Xfinity

Xfinity is the largest cable internet provider in the U.S. and offers some level of service in the following states: 

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
See Xfinity Plans

Cox

Cox internet serves approximately 22 cities across the U.S., including Macon, Gainesville, Providence, Palos Verdes, Roanoke, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Alexandria, Las Vegas, Pensacola, Irvine, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Tulsa, Cleveland, Meriden, New Orleans, Phoenix, Norfolk, Tucson, and Baton Rouge. But Cox has a data cap at 1,250 GB.

You can also get a residential internet connection with the following providers in the U.S.

Spectrum

  • Spectrum Internet®: Starting at $49.99/mo for 12 months with Auto Pay.
    • Speeds up to 300 Mbps.
    • Free Advanced WiFi.
    • Free Unlimited Mobile Line.

WOW!

  • Internet 100: Starting at $19.99/mo with AutoPay & paperless billing for 1 year.
    • Ideal for email, web browsing, social media, or streaming TV.
    • No contracts.
    • 30-Day money-back guarantee.

Astound Broadband

  • Up to 300Mbps: Starting at $25/mo with no contract required
    • Free modem
    • No contracts.
    • 1-year Internet price lock

Fiber-optic internet service providers

Verizon FiOS, AT&T Fiber, Quantum Fiber (formerly CenturyLink), Google Fiber, Frontier and Xfinity are among the fiber-optic internet service providers. 

Fiber-optic gives you a true, individual connection that is not shared or hampered by high-traffic internet usage in your neighborhood. It’s the only connection that has equal download and upload speeds. You can get up to 1,000 Mbps of internet speed, depending on the provider.

I’m currently using Verizon Fios ($24.99 per month with pre-pay). 

Verizon Fios covers 9 metro areas of the U.S. The coverage area includes Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Providence, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington D.C.

You should look over the lineup of offers in your area. Some include covering your cost of Netflix for a year or two. 

But if you’re trying to keep your cost of Internet down, I recommend getting the $24.99 per month deal if it’s available. These days, it’s pretty easy to avoid renting your modem from Verizon – which costs around $15 per month.

TIP: When you are signing up for service, be sure to mention that you are going to be using your own Wi-Fi router or mesh network. Years ago, you were required to use a FiOS router, and I used to recommend buying refurbished Fios routers on eBay.

I spoke to two Verizon techs who did my home installation, and they told me that the company did away with requiring a FiOS-specific router years ago. Just about any Wi-Fi router can be connected to the FiOS ONT unit that delivers fiber optic service in your home. Make sure you set up auto-pay on your account to get the full discount.

If you do not live within the coverage are for Verizon FiOS, you can still get fiber-optic service from: 

Mobile Wireless using a Mobile Hotspot

Cell phone providers are becoming a popular alternative to having a standalone internet connection. Some mobile wireless providers are now bundling plans with streaming services such as Disney+. 

Using a budget cell phone plan from companies such as Mint Mobile or Cricket for a mobile hotspot may be cheaper than cable internet or fiber optic plans. Mobile phone plans from Verizon and Xfinity are now also offering some streaming TV packages as part of their service.  

  • Mint Mobile 
  • Cricket
  • Tello 
  • Xfinity Mobile

Mobile Hotspot Devices

A viable substitute for home Internet is using a Netgear Nighthawk Mobile Hotspot Router. The M1 (MR1100) model is a gigabit-class LTE mobile mobile hotspot router. It’s designed for a maximum download speed of 1Gbps. Buying an unlocked one will give you the most flexibility.

This portable router functions just like any other dual-band router operating on a 2.4 GHz and 5GHz frequency.

Wireless Internet

T-Mobile Wireless Internet

  • Limited-Time Offer: Free Blink smart security package with T-Mobile Home Internet for $50/month with AutoPay.
  • Trial Period: 15-day worry-free trial to test the service.
  • No Annual Contract: Service without annual contracts or data caps.
  • Speed Guidelines: Offers various speeds to match different needs, from basic browsing to high-demand applications like HD streaming and gaming.
  • Cost: Starts at $50/month with AutoPay (eligible payment method required), with no extra fees.
  • Technology: Utilizes a 5G Gateway and Wi-Fi 6 technology for home internet delivery.
  • Setup: Easy setup with an app-guided installation process.

Verizon Wireless Internet

  • Plans: Offers LTE Home Plus and LTE Home plans.
  • Pricing: LTE Home Plus starts at $45/month with discounts ($80 without), and LTE Home starts at $35/month with discounts ($60 without).
  • Discounts: Prices include discounts for Auto Pay & postpaid mobile unlimited plans that include 5G Ultra Wideband.
  • Early Termination Credit: Up to a $500 credit to cover early termination fees from other providers.
  • Money-Back Guarantee: 30-day satisfaction guarantee with a full refund if not satisfied.
  • Premium Extras: Choice of a HomePod or a $200 Verizon gift card upon service activation.

Satellite internet providers

In 2024, you will start hearing more about satellite internet providers. Big players such as Amazon are talking up their expansion into residential internet service through satellite. Starlink, operated by SpaceX, is already providing internet access in 53 countries. And there are companies such as Hughesnet and Viasat operating in the U.S. You need southern exposure to get a consistent signal from the satellite providing internet access. 

DSL internet

DSL internet is still a thing. Also known as Digital Subscriber Line, DSL connections are slower, and not as reliable as other options. You can get speeds up to 100 Mbps. But considering its price and other options available to most people, DSL is more or less the option of last resort. 

How do I get internet service without cable?

Cable providers may still want you to sign up for a TV and internet bundle. But you shouldn’t feel pressured these days. Reality eventually sunk in after millions of people cut the cord from cable TV bundles and satellite packages. 

Eager to keep up with the times, cable companies have pivoted hard into providing fast, residential internet alongside other services such as mobile phone plans and home security. 

Make sure you are taking advantage of online-only pricing, or introductory rates.

You should definitely buy your own cable modem, Wi-Fi router or other equipment instead of renting equipment from your service provider.

I am currently using a TP-Link Archer A20 because I prefer the range it delivers around my two-story home and out into my yard. If I were buying a router today, I would go directly to the TP-Link website, and check latest router and mesh networks on sale.

TP-Link Archer AX55

The Archer AX55 has Wi-Fi 6 speed, high-gain external antennas and enhanced home security features

What does that mean for you, the consumer? You now have more power to negotiate, even if you only have one internet service provider in your area. 

How to Negotiate for Internet without bundling cable

Here is one of my many stories from negotiating with a customer service representative. This story happened roughly five years ago.

I am not picking on Comcast here. I have been a happy customer of theirs for years. Rather, I want to give you a firsthand account of how you can get the best deal possible for internet service.

A few years ago, I called Comcast for Internet service because I saw a deal online for $34.99 per month. When I started my phone call to my local Comcast agent, I was told that the “best deal” for an Internet-only package was $79.99 per month. But I could get a slightly better deal if I bundled my Internet service with cable.

Bundling is a pretty typical sales strategy with most cable companies. It is part of what’s called “upselling” the customer – something that every major cable TV and satellite TV provider practices.

It essentially means that customer service agents are trained to suggest upgrading to more services than what you’re looking for. Why? Because it reaps huge profits in the cable TV business, especially when those introductory rates expire.

To level the playing field a bit, I am going to tell you about secret rates that are never advertised. Watch this video from C-SPAN 3 for a minute because it’s on point with what I’m going to show you. 

You should always be aware of this when

Be Aware of Upselling

During my call to Comcast, I was asked a number of questions about how my wife and I use our Internet. Do you stream a lot? Are you a gamer? Do you work from home?

I said no, no and no…  

The truth is I do all of those things and more. So why did I tell these little white lies? Well, a couple reasons.

It’s really nobody’s business what I use my Internet service for as long as it’s legal. More importantly, I know from a government report that these questions are designed to probe for information so it can be used to upsell you more services that you’re not asking for. 

So I had to stay firm: I was looking for an introductory rate without bundling any other service. Paying $80 per month was way too much, I said.

I was put on hold. A few minutes later, I was offered Internet service for $49.99 per month (60Mbps download/5Mbps upload), but it had to be bundled with phone service.

Nope, not interested. I guess I’ll call somewhere else, I told her. “I see that the introductory rate for RCN is about $29.99 per month,” I said.

That last statement prompted the agent to put me on hold again. Little did my customer service agent know: I had already checked out the local competitors in my area, and none of them had service at my new address.

When she came back, she “found” a new deal. There was a smaller Internet-only package of 25Mbps download and 6Mbps upload for $39.99 per month. This was closer to what I was looking for. The download speed was plenty for streaming on multiple devices and even gaming. But I still wasn’t done negotiating.

Keep asking questions even when you seem close to a deal

I had a question about data caps. Were there any in my area? What are fees associated with them? I was told that there was a fee – about $50 if I went over my monthly allotment of 1024GB. “No one has ever gone over it,” the agent reassured me.

No one?

I had some questions. So I was put on hold again so a manager could talk to me. What were the first words out of his mouth?

After quickly introducing himself, he said I was eligible for $99 per month deal for bundled TV and Internet. There was no mention of my question about data caps.

There was the upsell again.

Always maintain control of the conversation

I stopped him and asked for his name again. Names are important, but really what I’m doing here is reasserting my control over the conversation. This is a really important thing to keep in mind.

You need to maintain control of the conversation. And you need to understand that you’re dealing with highly trained people who are laser focused on upselling. So here’s what I did.

I explained why he was summoned to the phone. He knew why, of course. Then, I asked again my question about the data caps.

No one has ever gotten hit with an data overage fee, he said. “It’s impossible,” he added.

Impossible? Then, why have a fee to begin with?

The answer I got was some mumbo-jumbo about how it was developed back when DSL was offered. I knew there was a little bit more to the story.

After my conversation with the manager, there was no more upselling. Instead, I kept asking questions.

If you keep asking questions and maintain control of the conversation, your chances of saving money only goes up. 

How I chipped off more fees for my low priced Internet

I knew that I would already be using my own modem and router. That saved me from rental fees tacked on my bill. Buying your own modem and router can save you another $15 per month, according to Fair Shake.

But there is still more money to be saved.

I knew from doing a little research ahead of time that the people renting the condo that I was moving into were already Comcast customers. So I asked: Could I self install my Internet service instead of having a service technician come out?

Watching someone else hook up my equipment, and pay them to do it seems kind of silly. I still had to pay a $15 “activation fee.”

There was no clear explanation about what the activation fee covers. But hey, it beats paying $90. The added savings actually came from my customer service agent. She told me that if I enrolled in autopay then a $5 credit would be applied to my bill every month. That got my monthly payment to $34.99 per month.

Now that’s a good deal.

5 More Tips For Getting Internet without Cable

1) Don’t bundle: Learn to Keep Saying No

Cable and satellite companies all work from a similar business model. They attract customers with an introductory rate that, for a time, may be a fair and competitive deal. That deal will change in a matter of months, and the price will go up (sometimes significantly).

When you call back to get the price back down, you’re met with a calm, but firm resistance. I got an introductory rate for Internet that lasted me 12 months.

I also knew exactly how much my rate was going to increase after it ended. So there are no surprises for me. I only got this deal because I refused to bundle, cited rates offered by competitors and continued saying no to deals as they got better.

I accepted the fourth offer made to me. You can do the same exact thing. It’s not that hard.

2) You’re quoted a price, but not fees

Let’s say a local cable company is offering an introductory offer of 25Mbps for $39.99 per month. Sounds pretty good, right?

It does until your first bill shows up in the mail or your inbox invoicing you for $50. What happened? Fees, my friend.

Even if you’re just subscribing to Internet, make sure you ask about the rental fee associated with your cable modem. I recommend buying your own cable modem. You could save up to $15 per month from your bill. I personally found that my Internet speed improved substantially once I bought my own cable modem.

Motorola MB7621

Jim’s Choice: I bought the Motorola MB7621 in 2019, and used it for months before switching to fiber-optic. It supports most ISPs and has a two-year warranty.

Cable companies began creating new fees as a way to charge customers more money in a way that did not affect the base price of programming packages that are advertised to you and me. Earlier this year, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission proposed a rule requiring cable TV operators to disclose the full pricing for “video programming services” in promotional materials and on their bills.

Will it ever happen? I don’t know. What I can tell you is that many customers routinely get upset about this style of billing. Congress even held a series of hearings on the matter. You can read the findings of the Congressional investigation yourself. Check out this graphic from their report on what direction broadcasting and other fees have been going in:

internet-without-cable
From “Inside the Box”, a 2016 Senate report on customer service and billing practices within the cable and satellite industry.

3) Watch out for data caps

Data caps are just another sneaky way to levy more fees on customers. Except this is specifically aimed at broadband users streaming Netflix or playing video games. Watch too much Netflix and you get whacked with an extra charge. There has been mounting public pressure about the practice of data caps as a way to toll customers.

The Federal Communications Commission, under Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, is proposing a formal inquiry into the practice of data caps by internet service providers (ISPs). The move seeks to examine the use of data caps by broadband providers and their impact on consumers and competition.

The FCC wants to understand the rationale behind ISPs’ data limits amid increasing consumer demand for broadband and the technical possibility of offering unlimited data.

The commission announced plans in June to open a consumer portal for public input on how data caps affect internet usage. This feedback will contribute to a broader assessment of data caps’ implications for various communities, including those with disabilities, low-income families, and groups that have historically faced discrimination.

The FCC will also review its legal authority to address concerns raised by data caps.

I suggest that you also read this USA Today article about why Charter dropped data caps when it acquired Time Warner Cable.

4) Downloads, uploads & truthiness

Some ISP’s will brag about how much download speed they are capable of piping into your home. Good for them. They also may suggest to you that a baseline Internet package could slow you down and cause lags when you stream Netflix and so forth.

I’ve always used Internet speeds around 25 to 50Mbps and rarely have a problem. Just remember: download speed is the rate at which you can download something from a remote server (e.g. watching a movie on Netflix).

Most of the time, when a download slows down for you, it’s more likely the server — not your Internet connection. So getting a high speed Internet connection doesn’t actually speed up everything.

Sometimes, you may also encounter lag or hangups because of shared bandwidth. Uploads is the speed at which you can post a photo on social media, or move some files to Google Drive.

5) Agents get incentives on “savings” and selling

Here’s the money saving part: There’s a lovely silver lining in the way many cable, satellite and ISP’s operate. They are terrified of losing you as a customer. They don’t want their steady stream of income (i.e. you) to go to someone else.

That’s why the cable/satellite industry has both pooh-poohed the idea of cord cutting as a growing trend, and slyly got in the game of offering broadband and alternatives to traditional cable.

There’s a ton of training that customer service reps (the pawns of the corporation’s chess board) undergo to keep you as a customer.

The knights of the board are called “retention specialists” and these guys are the ones with the juice to give you the best deals on Internet service without cable. How do we tap into their special powers?

Retention agents at major cable and satellite companies are evaluated and compensated based on how well they can sell you more, even when you are asking to downgrade your service.

Commissions can be a significant portion of retention agents’ salary. These commissions range from approximately 25 percent to 40 percent of retention agents’ salaries at Charter, Comcast and Time Warner Cable and DirecTV. These figures were compiled by Congress as the TWC and Charter merger were underway, and they’re still very telling. Retention agents are able to access their performance metrics in real-time. Draw your own conclusions with how that affects you when you’re calling trying to cancel or downgrade service.

Becoming a “save” to save on Internet without cable

If you want to downgrade from a cable and Internet bundle to just Internet service without cable, the best way to do this is to initiate the break-up. Call and insist that your last day of service will be at the end of the month. Be firm. Mean it when you call. You’ll meet quite a bit of resistance. They’ll ask what the problem is. Why do you want to cancel?

Their training is kicking in. And you can look at this diagram I’ve included which illustrates it nicely. The diagram shows the top-down approach that Time Warner Cable was using to retain as much of your current cable/Internet subscription as possible. Generally, this is fairly successful because most people don’t really want to get rid of their cable. They don’t want the hassle of removing their equipment and returning it. They just want a better deal. The truth is the cable company doesn’t want you unhooking their equipment either.

internet-without-cable
From “Inside the Box”, a 2016 Senate report on customer service and billing practices within the cable and satellite industry.

But to get that best deal for Internet service without cable, you need to get to the bottom of the scale I’m showing you. Somewhere between the “final save” and “maintain relationship”. You need to learn about the secret rates.

What are the best Internet without cable deals?

I keep getting an introductory rate on my Internet — about $35 to $40 per month — after being quoted much higher prices. 

What’s the best way to begin?

If I already have Internet service from a cable company and I’m not moving, I start the call by giving them a date of when I’m ending service. I schedule my cancellation date about 30 days out. Once I make my intentions known, the probing questions start. I don’t give them info they can use to upsell me. So I say I spend most of my time outside.

I end the call saying that I would only remain their customer, and think about returning to cable someday (lie) if I got the $35 per month rate. That was not an advertised rate. If I’m told no, then I end the call with my cancellation date hanging out there.

Pretty soon, a retention specialist will call or email. Either way, do I end up with a lower price? Sure. I learned how to order off the menu. And now that you have all my best tips, it’s time for you get a better deal on internet service without cable.

Jim Kimble is a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of journalism experience. He has been at the forefront of the cord-cutting movement since 2016, testing and writing about TV-related products and services. He founded The Cord Cutting Report in 2016, and serves as the editor.

Major publications, including MarketWatch, Forbes, and South Florida Sun Sentinel, have interviewed Kimble for his years of expertise. He gives advice on the complexities consumers are navigating with streaming options, and over-the-air TV. Kimble has been a staff writer or correspondent for several award-winning, daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe.

47 thoughts on “My 3 Best Tips for Internet Without Cable”

  1. I cut the cord this year after being fedup with Spectrum for the past 3 yrs paying 70.00$ a mth for internet only! I have a firestick so why should i have to pay such a ridiculous amount of money just to be able to watch a tv that I’ve already paid hundreds of dollars for! Just doesn’t make any sense to me.

    Reply
  2. Some articles that I’ve read say that there is an issue using an outdoor antenna along with the existing coax cable that runs throughout my house (i.e., I have DTV and 5 TVs; all the coax is built into the walls) and getting my internet service via Spectrum (i.e., I have Spectrum Cable Internet). I don’t really know whether these coax lines actually are the same or not. I would like to install an outdoor antenna and leverage the existing coax that runs through the house.

    Reply
  3. I agree. You instead of one bill now you end up with three or four separate bills that add up to the same thing. Like I said previously. YOu can get an antenna for local channels (That’s Great) but then there’s the internet for streaming and if you want live tv you still have to subscribe to a cable co.

    Reply
  4. I appreciate your info and efforts. Unfortunately most carriers have become wise to the “I am canceling my service” used by thousands and are now playing chicken/dare with customers telling them sorry to see you go…but offering no better rates at first

    Reply
  5. I agree. Cutting cable is great but still need internet still need some kind of cable plan to watch my Amazon fire stick. Hassle and money still.

    Reply
  6. To save a dollar or so a day, which is not that much, it seems like too much trouble and time to cut the cord. Since time is money I would not waste my time to perhaps only save pennies a day. When someone comes up with a way to really save a lot without all the hassle and inconvenience then I’ll take the plunge. Presently it’s more convenient to just pay for one service. By the way if you do the math paying for Hulu, Netflix, Amazon prime, phone service and internet access adds up to almost the same as cable! What are you really saving and is it worth your time and effort?

    Reply
  7. On hold while AT&T processes my order now. I made it clear from the outset what I wanted: drop DirecTV and keep only Internet (with improved speed and equipment). I raised the possibility of going to Toast instead of AT&T. They gave me 40Mbps and a new router for $40/month.

    Reply
  8. It’s not cutting the cord because you still rely on some kind of cable company to provide Internet and that’s useless Most apps like USA Network HDTV AMC network TNT network all require log in to a TV provider on say for example Amazon fire stick which is useless to me now because I have to log in to the TV provider and it tells me I don’t have that channel access. I cancel optimum cable have Internet only and can’t watch anything I wanna watch Netflix is only good for Movies and old seasons of shows nothing new or Currently showing Not really saving any money if you have to pay separate for Internet separate for Netflix separate for hulu add it all up same as just getting a bundle package

    Reply
  9. You’re not really cutting the cord from cable because you still need them for Internet at the end the day I put my optimum cable on seasonal still have Internet and can’t watch anything I wanna watch anyway I have an Amazon fire stick and everything I wanna watch requires a TV provider Log in and then it tells me I don’t have that service so I Can’t watch the shows or the channels I wanna Netflix is great for movies that’s it what about Live TV Like HGTV Food Network USA Network AMC network all need a tv provider and service package that includes those Channels in the cable package very frustrating have no choice but to go back to cable and pay a $130 for the bundle

    Reply
  10. You aren’t really cutting the whole cable if you’re still using it to supply your internet service. The cable is definitely still connected. Therefore, calling it “cord cutting” is presumptive. I’m currently running with no cable connection, using Sprint phone hot spots to supply all my internet at speeds of 45 to 95 Mbps (traffic-dependent) (50Gb/month each line) with fewer problems than I’ve had when I used Comcast, and am saving around $120 per month by doing so.

    Reply
  11. Cut the cable 6 mos ago. I saved $136 per month. Using Direct t.v.now,gave up land-line. Internet from Comcast for 59.99.per.month with 150mbps.$11for modem rental. Also use an antenna when I feel like it. It all works.

    Reply
  12. I gave Cablevision an end date. The retention e-mail/call never came. I blinked in this month’s staring contest. Next month I will probably be giving Verizon the call. $50 Internet guaranteed for one year. Right now I’m stuck at $80 for basic cable/phone/Internet (two boxes). So, I will save another $30 per month with the switch. Otherwise, I have YouTube Tv and Hulu and haven’t missed anything about cable.

    Reply
  13. I like how you mentioned that one should continue to ask questions, even if the deal is coming to a close, as this will help you better control the situation. I’ve been thinking of getting my own internet service, so these tips will help me find a great provider. Thank you so much for all these great tips on comparing internet service providers and getting a great deal.

    Reply
  14. Apologies in advance if you have already answered this question elsewhere. I’ve read and re-read your rundowns on the various non-cable ISP providers pros & cons. I’ve also checked availability and in my area (San Diego) I am able to get DSL Extreme and Toast. Do know if one or both of them will allow you to upgrade your service without any additional service fees, other than just the increase in the monthly rate? For instance, if I were to sign up for the DSL 12Mpbs package at $38.00 a month and find that I’m getting a lot of buffering/stalling when I watch Netflix/Hulu/Prime etc. and I decided I wanted to upgrade to the 24Mpbs package at $50.00 a month, I understand that it’s going to cost me an additional $12.00 a month, but do they add on any additional “service charges”, “fees” for making the change?

    Reply
    • Hey Art,

      I’m not sure that you would get stuck with extra fees if you upgraded service. I’m fairly sure that you would incur some cost for equipment up front because both TOAST and DSLExtreme require you using their equipment. But I think once that’s done, it’s done. They certainly don’t need to add anything if you’re just increasing Mbps plan. I bet either place would be happy to answer that question before you sign up.

      Reply
    • You should double check your options with a search tool like Broadband Now. If you truly only have one provider, call up and say you want to cancel. They might offer to knock down the price. If they don’t, inquire about a plan with lower Mbps. You only need about 25Mbps download for decent streaming. At worst, you can always upgrade later. But I’ve never found the need to.

      Reply
  15. Best deal… Cut all cables… Win Win… They will have to offer reasonable prices again, just to stay alive. Spend the extra money on a coffee or take someone, or yourself, out to dinner at a fancy restaurant once a month. You aren’t missing anything worth watching on TV. However, you are missing-out on everything that isn’t on TV, or the net.

    The world could end, but you wouldn’t know it until someone tweeted it, or you waited until after the commercial, or it hit a high popular “thumbs-up” on youtube, and was associated with the “I’m bored” keyword pair you keep typing in, to find something new to watch.

    Remove the umbilical cord… It was only needed when you were in the womb, and that had a data-cap and bandwidth limit too. The world/life began, the moment that thing was severed.

    Reply
  16. Thank you for providing us with such informative information. As I was reading I felt like you were speaking directly to me as I am a person who also do not like games with pricing, fees, taxes, etc…when I’m paying. I believe the truth shall set us free from the nonsense. Thank you!

    Reply
  17. I am going to stay for the rest of the summer up on river property. How can I get internet there for short term without cables?

    Reply
  18. So confused. Comcast offers rates of 150mbps. We just stream/use internet. Is that overkill? They do not offer internet only. Local ISPs do, but offer 40MB.

    Reply
    • For me, personally, that would be overkill. I have more than dozen devices hooked up and pay for 50Mbps. I’ve never had an issue with buffering or bandwidth. So you might want to support a local ISP if they offer good service and a fair price.

      Reply
  19. I am reading all you have to advise and still am not sure the best way to cut the cord. I have 5 units I rent to Lodgers. I want A SUPER cheap way to keep the business phone (6-10 incoming calls/mo), WiFi and they choices for Lodgers. The $220/mo is choking me!

    Reply
  20. My wife and I recently moved to a new area, so we are looking for a new internet service provider. I like your point about getting online to find listings of smaller carriers. This sounds like a great way to compare ISPs that aren’t just big-name brands like you said.

    Reply
  21. My family just recently moved and we can’t have our same internet provider and we have been having a hard time finding a good internet provider. I had no idea there was such a thing as secret rate charts! That’s really good to know. Thanks for the information!

    Reply
  22. Wonderfully informative article!! Could you unleash the secrets of Roku,Fire stick and Apple TV for us? How much internet speed does one need to support these? Are they worth getting? Cost vs Quality vs value. How do we protect ourselves?….also, May we clone you? jk

    Reply
  23. Thank you for your work on this, after reading all this we finally switched off the cable ($210/month without any extra channels with spectrum) and got amazon fire tv and a fire stick for my daughters tv…used my name to get the introductory offer on Internet from spectrum ( had been in my wife’s name) and got PlayStation vue and Netflix…saving over $100/month now and able to watch everything we did before…only issue is that the spectrum wifi modem/router is a cheap one so we will be investing in our own. Again, thanks for all the tips and work you’ve done!

    Reply
  24. Hello! 2 quick Q’s:
    It seems like it is necessary to wait until current contract is up before pulling these moves?
    Also, assuming they don’t immediately offer you a good deal, what do you do for internet in that handful of days once you’ve canceled and are negotiating to become a save?

    Reply
    • These are great questions, and I’m glad you asked.

      If you are under a contract, then you should fulfill that contract. You don’t want to be in a situation where you get hit with some cancellation fee.

      Once you are in the free and clear, wait until the first of the month. When you call, start off by saying that your last day with them will be the 30th/31st (whatever your calendar says). Be polite, but be firm. By doing this, you are setting up the chess board more in your favor. They won’t immediately offer you a good deal. You might even have go through with canceling and hanging up the phone. That’s all good. They need to know (or think) that you’re kicking them to the curb forever. Companies hate that and will do anything to prevent it, even if the other person on the phone with you sounds like it’s no big deal.

      The upshot here is you still have your internet for a full month. Nobody is showing up the next day to rip it out.

      You’re setting up a situation where they are chasing you. They will call you and offer you deals. Don’t accept the first one. It’s not the best one. Make sure you know what the introductory rates are in your area. Know what competitors are charging for Internet too. Treat this like an ex- that did you wrong, but you still care about. Your position is simple: the price you’re paying is too high. Like I said: Be polite, but be firm. Are you really going to let them back in so easy?

      Reply
  25. I called Comcast after my bill went up $42 for the month. I tried your suggestions. I gave them my cancellation date. They could have cared less. They offered me a $15 decrease and internet only for $89.99.

    Reply
  26. My wife and I have been cord cutters for years now. I will try to be a “save” and get my internet rate lowered. Our costs besides Internet are pretty good. It started when we bought an Ooma box which cost about 149.00 and replaced our landline keeping our phone number but the phone bill is now 3.95! Then we got a Roku for signing up for The Blaze TV when it was new. Now we have 3 Roku boxes and I converted an old PC into a Plex media server on which we burned all our movies we owned over too, added a hand full of tv channels (recently CBS refused to serve video…arugh). Our phones are through Cricket at $35 each with unlimited voice & text plus 3GB data (we have yet to go over that). We also enjoy Hulu, Netflix (one is going next month) and I just took on the Curiosity documentary channel for 29.99 a YEAR. We use to have an 80.00 internet, 50.00 Dishnetwork bill, 50.00 each cell, and 35.00 landline phone.

    Reply
    • You might take a look at PlayStation Vue. ROKU is one of the devices supported. Great packages, low prices, can be watched on 5 devices at a time. In many areas the locals are also available. No boxes. No contract required. Cloud use for DVR. Right now they are the best non cable TV offering for those who would still like a live channel package and free recording capability. https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/

      Reply
  27. Wow! It’s a lot to digest but the thought of cutting cord and saving money excites me more! You have to take an active role in ‘divorcing’ your cable company! Your articles are very insightful and valuable as I’m on my journey in a cable-less home.

    Reply
    • How to Get the Best Deal for Internet without Cable

      Frustrated with trying to get a fairly priced Internet connection?

      You’re in the right place if you’re looking for some relief. And you should be a little aggravated.

      Broadband is scarce in most of America, and competition is rare. Even worse, someone along the way thought it was a good idea to let cable companies become the dominant Internet service providers in the U.S.

      You can write a better article by cutting off the first three grafs. Writing online? Just get to the point.

      Reply

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