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Cable TV prices and channel counts

David Anders Last updated: July 23, 2021

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*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/16/21.

What is cable TV?

Cable TV uses coaxial cables or, sometimes, fiber optic cables, to send radio frequency signals to your cable box which then turns the signals into the image and audio you get through your television.

Though many will refer to all subscription TV services as “cable,” cable TV is a service separate from streaming providers like Hulu or YoutubeTV and satellite TV providers such as DIRECTV and DISH. If you want information on more than just cable TV providers, you can consult Allconnect’s TV Provider page.

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Our picks for the best cable TV providers 

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The listed six providers are some of the most widely available cable TV providers across the country and offer some of the best plans and channel lineups.

Cox TV – Best low-tier packages 

What we like

  • Great channel lineup – With any of Cox TV packages, you get access to a wide selection of channels

  • Great low tier package value – $25/mo. for 75+ channels is one of the better deals for cable TV

Things to consider

  • Additional fees add-up quickly – Receiver, regional sports and broadcast fees can add up to an additional $29/mo. That’s not even including the DVR fee, which is an additional $4 – $10/mo. Therefore, add $40/mo. to the advertised price to get a more realistic sense of what you will be paying each month.

Mediacom TV – Best package add-ons 

What we like

  • Channel customization – Easy customization options for every plan, including adding premium channels, digital paks and sports channels

  • Channel lineup – Good channel lineup with every plan

Things to consider

  • Additional fees – Expect a $6 charge (per TV) for local TV and a $15/mo. charge (per box) to rent the TiVo DVR

  • Bundling – Required to bundle cable TV and internet together

Optimum TV – Best TV equipment 

What we like

  • Great DVR equipment – Record up to 15 shows at once

  • High channel count – All of Optimum’s plans have a high channel count (220+ – 420+), which means you will always have lots of shows to choose from

Things to consider

  • High fees – Expect to pay an additional $11/mo. for the Optimum cable box and $17.99/mo. for cloud DVR service. There is also a network enhancement fee of $3.50

  • High starting prices – Optimum does not offer any cheap TV plans (i.e. under $50/mo.)

Spectrum TV – Best for no-contract cable TV 

What we like

  • High channel count – All of Spectrum’s TV packages offer a high channel count (125+ – 200+ channels)

  • No contracts – With Spectrum, you can cancel your plan at any time

  • Cheap plan available – Plans start below $50/mo.

Things to consider

  • Hidden fees – If you include the broadcast fee ($10-$15/mo.), the TV box fee ($7.99/mo. per device) and the DVR fee ($4.99/mo. for one or $9.99/mo. for two or more), you can expect to pay an additional $20 – $30/mo. than the advertised price. Take this into consideration when choosing a plan.

  • Disappointing equipment capabilities – Spectrum does not have 4K streaming capabilities and you can only record two shows at a time

What we like

  • Free premium channels – High-tier plans come with premium channels, including HBO and STARZ

  • Great channel lineup – Suddenlink offers an impressive channel lineup with all three of its TV packages. The channel count starts at 225+ channels and reaches 340+ channels

Things to consider

  • Hidden fees – Suddenlink’s DVR fee is $17/mo. And its TV receiver costs between $11/mo. and $17/mo. Suddenlink also charges nearly $6/mo. for its sports and broadcast fees.

  • Bundling – Suddenlink requires you to bundle your cable TV with Spectrum internet

Xfinity – Best for cheap cable TV packages 

Things we like

  • A variety of plans – Xfinity offers four main packages that range from 10+ channels all the way to 260+ channels. The channel lineup for the main three packages all include ESPN

  • Premium channels included – Xfinity’s top two packages, Preferred and Premier, both include premium channels in its lineup. Preferred only offers STARZ, but Premier offers all the most popular premium channels including STARZ, HBO, SHOWTIME and more

Things to consider

  • Equipment fees – Expect equipment fees to add up to at least an additional $20/mo.

  • Pricing varies – Expect pricing to vary slightly based on your location and also if you choose to bundle TV and internet.

Pros and cons of cable TV companies

If you’re weighing cable TV against other types of home TV service, such as satellite or streaming, you might want to examine the pros and cons of cable TV to see if it may be a better choice over other TV options in your area.

What we like

  • Bundling convenience –  Cable TV companies typically also provide internet and home phone, and may offer extra incentives for bundling.

  • Package selection –  Most cable providers offer three or more different TV packages, plus lots of add-on options for sports, movies and more.

  • Reliability – Cable service is also not as susceptible as satellites to service interruptions during bad weather.

Things to consider

  • Equipment costs – Rental fees for cable boxes and the DVR or HD service they provide can inflate your cable bill by $30/mo. or more.

  • Package pricing – Cable TV tends to be priced about the same as satellite TV, but more expensive than  streaming services.

  • Pressure to bundle – Some cable TV providers only make certain equipment or special offers available with TV and internet bundles. Others may not even offer standalone TV service, requiring you to get their internet if you want TV service with them.

Cable TV pricing and additional fees 

Expect to pay more for cable than the listed starting price. Along with taxes and broadcast fees, equipment rentals and add-on packages can add to your monthly cable bill.

  • Package pricing: $20-$125/mo. – The rate you pay for a set lineup of channels will vary, but starting prices for cable TV packages can range from $20-$125/mo. depending on the provider.
  • Taxes and broadcast/regional sports fees: Varies – These are unavoidable and will vary by location. Broadcast and regional sports fees are costs the provider has to pay to air certain content, which are passed down to the customer and can add $10-$20/mo.
  • Add-on packages: $10-$20/mo. each – If you want premium channels, extra sports networks or international channels, you can add individual packages for $10-$20 extra per month, each.
  • TV boxes and DVR: $5-$15/mo. per device – Some providers include one TV box with their service, but most will charge you $5 or more a month per device. The cost typically goes up for more advanced equipment that comes with DVR capability.

Cable TV package deals

Check for special offers, like Spectrum’s contract buyout offer, good for up to $500 to help you out of your contract with another provider. Be sure to read the fine print, however, as Spectrum’s buyout offer is only available when you sign up for select TV and internet bundles.

Bundling TV and internet together is a great way to potentially save on your cable bill. Along with saving you money on your monthly bill and possibly installation costs, bundling cable TV and internet could qualify you for extra equipment and package options.

Other common cable TV deals to lookout for are:

  • Free equipment
  • Free gift cards
  • Free installation
  • Free subscriptions to other services

Bundling cable TV and internet 

One of the best ways to save money on your cable TV bill is to bundle TV and internet together with one provider. Some providers, such as Mediacom and Suddenlink, do not allow customers to buy cable TV without bundling. Here are some of the benefits of bundling your services together:

  • Discounts – Although not all, many providers offer discounts when you bundle services together. For some providers, such as Xfinity bundles, the more services you bundle (cable TV, internet, home phone, home security, etc.), the more you save. Many providers, however, are starting to move away from bundle discounts. 
  • Convenience – The most common reason customers bundle their services is just for the convenience factor. When you have one provider for all of your services, changing your plans, moving or updating your billing preferences is much simpler. 
  • Promotional offers – Instead of offering a monthly discount, many providers will offer a free subscription to a premium channel or streaming service, or will even provide a VISA Gift Card.

Cable TV availability varies by address

Since cable TV operates entirely through wires, cable distribution lines must be installed above customers’ homes on their local utility poles or below customers’ homes on underground utility lines. 

Since the cable lines must be installed over or below your home, which cable TV provider is available in your area is not only determined by your ZIP code but sometimes even by your specific address.

Cable TV general service areas

  • Cox – Available in 19 states. Primary service areas include the Southwest, central U.S. and the Northeast.
  • Mediacom – Available in 22 states. Primary service areas include the Midwest, central U.S. and the Mid-Atlantic.
  • Optimum – Available in four states. Primary service areas include the Northeast and greater NYC area.
  • Spectrum – Available in 46 states. Primary service areas include the South, Midwest and West Coast.
  • Suddenlink – Available in 19 states. Primary service areas include the Ark-La-Tex region, most of West Virginia, eastern North Carolina and parts of Arizona, California, Idaho and Nevada.
  • Xfinity – Available in 40 states. Primary service areas include the Northwest, Great Lakes area and eastern U.S.

Source: broadbandmap.fcc.gov

Available cable TV providers for your address will depend on where you live. Click “Find TV providers” below to see cable TV providers in your area. You can shop and compare plans from available providers, all in one place for free.

FAQs

Who has the cheapest cable TV plan?

Xfinity offers the cheapest TV package at $20/mo. for 10+ channels.

The main reason only certain TV providers are available in your area is to help keep costs low. With all the expenses that come with providing cable TV and internet service, attempting to offer new services where another cable provider is already established would not be cost-effective.

Quite often, yes. Most cable TV providers offer price discounts and other incentives, such as equipment upgrades, when you bundle TV and internet together. Call our cable TV and internet experts to hear about special offers from cable TV providers in your area.

Yes. One of the best ways to access the major Networks, such as FOX, NBC, ABC, PBS and your local channel, is through installing an HDTV antenna. You can also stream shows for free on many of these major Networks’ websites or by going to TV.com. However, you will probably not be able to stream these shows live like you would be with an HDTV antenna.

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David Anders

Written by:

David Anders

Senior Writer, Broadband Content

David joined the Allconnect team in 2017, specializing in broadband and TV content. His work has been referenced by a variety of sources, including ArcGIS, DIRECTV and more. As a Senior Writer, David is motivate… Read more

Robin Layton

Edited by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

Read bio

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