Is spectrum worth it?

Spectrum is a worthy service for those looking for a budget-friendly internet service provider. It stands out due to its lack of contracts and the premium HD channels included. The company rankings are quite good as it is second best cable internet provider and third overall Internet service provider.

Charter communications own spectrum and has being in operation since 1993. As of today, the company operates in 44 countries and serves an estimated 29 million customers.

Spectrum offers you internet, home phone services, TV and mobile over its broadband network. The company offers its unlimited internet service with no data caps. Its cable network once upgraded will offers users up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) internet speeds.

Why spectrum is worth it?

Lack of contracts

One great positive of joining Spectrum is you do not have to sign lengthy contracts. This means the services you enjoy operate on a month-to-month basis. Since you do not have monthly contracts you can cancel, move on to another package if the need for cost savings arises. The company can also buy out your old contract early termination fee to an amount not exceeding $500.

When it comes to ratings Spectrum performs quite well having being rated as the second best cable internet provider, third overall best internet service provider and sixth for best internet service providers for gaming. Tests done by the Federal communications commission (FCC) state that 93% of customers who go for Spectrum are capable of attaining almost 93% of the advertised speeds. The only place they did not perform that good was in the customer service department where they were ranked eighth according to data from the American Customer satisfaction Index.

Affordable TV packages

If you are looking for an affordable way to keep yourselves entertained then Spectrum TV options are quite good. When you upgrade your package to silver you get SHOWTIME, and HBO while if you upgrade to Gold TV you get SHOWTIME, HBO, TMC, STARZ, and STARZ ENCORE.

Plan	Price	TV Channel count	TV service Type
Spectrum TV Select	$44.99	125+	Cable
Spectrum TV Silver	$74.99	175+	Cable
Spectrum TV Gold	$94.99	200+	Cable

*Offers and Availability vary by location and are subject to change

Internet Packages

When it comes to the internet packages you have three options – the standard, ultra, and Gig. The standard internet package starts at $49.99 and this gives you a download speed of 100 Mbps with no data cap. The Ultra offers you a download speed of 400Mbps and the Gig 940Mbps. The upload speed is decent at 10mbps, 20 mbps, and 35 mbps respectively.

The standard internet package offers you online shopping, email, and light streaming. While the number of devices to connect to is not specified you get download speeds of 100 mbps and 10 mbps upload speed. This is quite adequate for one to watch things like Hulu with a minimum download speed of 3 mbps and 16 mbps for 4 K videos. If you have a larger family with intensive browsing then the Ultra gives you to 400 Mbps and 20 Mbps of upload speed. For the most heavy duty browsers then the Ultra is the most recommended with download speeds of 940 Mbps and 35 Mbps of upload speeds.

Spectrum Price comparison

Provider	Monthly Price	Download speed	Data cap
Spectrum Internet	$49.99 to $69.99	100 – 400 Mbps	Unlimited
AT&T Fiber	$35 – $60	100 – 940 Mbps	Unlimited
Frontier FIOS Internet	$29.99 – $199.99	50 – 1000 Mbps	Unlimited

Low latency

Having a low latency is a great advantage when you are playing games as it is more responsive. Spectrum offers one a 24 millisecond (ms) latency, which is slightly better than the average for most cable ISPs at 25 ms.

Sports channels

If you are a sport fun then it is imperative that you get a TV internet package with lots of sports channels. When you go with the select you get eight sport channels, 15 for silver and 30 sport channels for Gold. Some of the channels you get include ESPN, Golf channel, Spectrum Sports, NFL network, NBA TV, ESPNews, Fox Deportees among others.

Spectrum TV fees

If you plan on getting a TV receiver with DVRs for your TV room and other rooms then we do recommend you get yourself a DVR service package. For this the rates at Spectrum are quite affordable you get charged $7.99/mo. For the TV receiver with remote, $4.99/mo. For DVR fee, $9.99/mo. For the DVR service package (2-4 DVRs) and installation cost of $49.99/mo. This is a onetime fee.

How to get Spectrum

Before you can start enjoying spectrum services you need to first have a look at the Spectrum map to see whether the service is provided in your area. It’s only then can you select your preferred bundle. You will then need to have an estimate of your speed and budget. You can either install the unit yourself or have a technician do it for you. You will need a modem and router for efficient internet connection. The company supplies the modem for free while the router can be rented.

Conclusion

Spectrum is worth it due to its variety of channel options, premium channels included, lack of contracts and fantastic pricing options. You also get a host of sports channels for $90/mo. The only limitation you have to the service is that it is not available in all locations and you will need to check availability before ordering. The internet speeds are decent but there have being some limited complaints when it comes to customer service.

FAQ

Which devices are compatible with Spectrum TV?

You can access Spectrum TV on the go through their app. The app can also be used as a remote control and this allows you to browse through channels, access parental controls and set up recordings. Spectrum TV is compatible with the following streaming devices: Roku devices, iPhones/iPads, Fire TV, Xbox one and Samsung Smart TVs.

Does Spectrum TV have fees?

It is normal to be charged fees for this but we found those for Spectrum to be quite affordable. If you have a TV receiver with a DVRs in various rooms then we do recommend you get the DVR service.