WASHINGTON – An estimated 400,000 customers dropped their satellite, telecom and TV-services in the second quarter — and it’s becoming a trend.
The Wall Street Journal reports the second quarter is usually weaker because college students disable their cable for the summer.
But the news still raises the question: Is time for you to cut the cord?
The answer depends on where you live and what you like to watch, as well as your typical viewing habits.
Here are some tips from Smart Money:
Cut cable service if you…
- …don’t mind spoilers. At the earliest, most shows aren’t available online until the next day.
- …don’t mind ‘piecemeal’ solutions. You may need to watch shows on a laptop, and you may need to use a variety of services to find the shows you like.
Don’t cut it if you…
- …are a sports junky. While some leagues offers streaming, they might not offer it for all games.
- …love premium channels. Only some shows are available for streaming on some networks (legally) so you’d likely have to wait for them to come out on DVD or hit Netflix, would could take a year or more.
For more on why some might be cutting the cord, and tips on making your decision, visit Smart Money.
WTOP’s Rosemary Frisino-Toohey contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
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