If you’re going to go through the trouble of moving your flat screen TV to your new home, we’ll bet that you’re going to want to have it hooked up and working as soon as possible. This will require getting a television service pronto. However, picking out the right television service isn’t a decision to rush. Not all television services are the same; they all have their pros and cons.

Satellite vs Cable

When choosing a TV service, you have two basic options: cable and satellite. Each has their pros and cons.

Cable TV

Positives
• Easy to connect
• Consistent – bad weather doesn’t affect it
• Local services

Negatives
• Not as many options as satellite
• More expensive than satellite
• Might not reach remote areas

Satellite TV

Positives
• Works in remote areas
• Generally cheaper than cable
• Numerous channel options

Negatives
• Susceptible to bad weather – storms can cut service
• Costly and difficult to install – it involves many parts
• Need to maintain with your satellite to ensure it is positioned correctly

How To Find Cheaper Television Service

Whether you decide on cable or satellite, it’s going to cost you money, usually in the form of monthly bills. However, you can try to reduce your costs in a few ways:

Do your homework – don’t just take the first service you find. Shop around and look for deals with different companies.

Look for package deals – see if a company offers a television package that will drop your costs. If you only watch certain channels, ask if you can get only them for a lower cost, as opposed to getting every channel.

Forego the luxuries – Of course, everybody likes HD and DVR, but using non-HD, non-digital TV and foregoing the DVR can mean getting TV for as little as $1 a day.

Transferring Your Existing Television Service

If you are happy with the television service and plan you have now, contact you provider’s customer service department to see if they service your next home. If they do, you can easily transfer your account when you move.

Getting Your TV Hook Up As Soon As Possible

If you picked out a provider and service, set up a time for the provider to come install your service before you move. A good day to pick would be a day or two after you move because you probably will have your TV(s) set up by then and the installer will have room to move around.

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