How To Cut Your #Internet Costs

You may have a great Internet provider, but are simply feeling the pinch every time the bill arrives. It cannot hurt to check in every once and a while to see if you are still getting the best value for your money with your existing Internet provider. Find out ways to cut Internet costs while receiving the service you need right here.

1. Is Your Internet Living Up To Your Expectations?

Most people are surprised to find out that their Internet is not as fast as the internet company promised. It's really more a problem with technology, but it is misleading. How can this help with saving you money on the Internet?

For starters, check the speed at SpeetTest.net. It will show what speed you are actually receiving. Remember, your Internet company probably only specified what speeds "up to" a certain speed to expect.

Depending on how many households in the area are using the same service provider, and problems with the Internet provider, in general, will determine whether your service is fast or not. That's fine if you are just going to use the Internet to check email. It hampers your lifestyle if you watch shows and movies online, or are hoping to play live action games. 

Streaming shows requires a good deal of speed. Though live action games require a fast computer, a solid network, lots of memory, and very fast upload and download speeds to keep up with the pace of game play. The upload speeds need to be at the minimum Mbps with at least 2 Mbps download. Though, the faster the better.  

If you need faster speeds, start out by contacting your Internet service provider. If they cannot resolve the problem, then see what other customers in the same situation did. Did they change out old modems, add a new router onto the modem/router combo, or simply find a new company to provide the Internet?

Sometimes your provider may give you a break on the cost if they cannot deliver the speeds they promised. If they are consistently delivering lower speeds, they might acknowledge that and charge you for a lower level plan.

If it turns out that the provider bought your television provider last year, and it requires the Internet to work, you have bigger problems. They may not have thought out their aim to buy the competition. That means that the DVR never works well, and what used to be great television provider now is sub-par. In other words, shop around for better service and more competitively priced plans.

2. Know The Usage Rate

Bandwidth is something to think about when considering whether you are able to get the speed you want out of your Internet. Check listings of how much bandwidth you require to do what you want. Remember, running television boxes, live gaming, and watching videos are all bandwidth intensive.

However, if you are paying a lot of money and barely use the Internet for anything other than checking email, you may not need all of the bandwidth you buy every month. So, look at the bandwidth you are using versus how much it costs. That will help with the next step.

3. Negotiate Rates

At this point, you have the information necessary to negotiate. It's no secret that most Internet Service Providers never deliver the speed they advertise. But if you were banking on their advertised speed to play games or upload videos, call them out on it politely. If the speed is too slow to use what you need, see about upgrading to greater speed and bandwidth with other providers first. How much will it cost?

If it costs less than your present provider, let them know that. Let them know you are ready to walk, along with your television service contract, and your voice over Internet phone too.

4. Bundle

You may not want the cable company's television service, but signing up for it can save you a bundle of money every month. Do whatever works to cut the bill in half.

5. Buy A Modem

Some providers have notoriously bad modems that they rent out for $10 a month. Just buy one and save $10/month. Modems, especially when called on to double as wireless routers only last 2 years, if that. Some providers have notoriously bad modems that they rent out for $10 a month. Just buy one, and save $10/month. Modems, especially when called on to double as wireless routers, only last two years at that. Get a high-quality cable modem that can provide you with optimum internet performance as speed and efficiency are crucial. Save the money for the inevitable breakdown to buy a new modem.
Save the money for the inevitable breakdown to buy a new modem.

6. Low-Income Government Subsidies

Look into EveryoneOn if you are a low-income household. Information is available at the FCC site. They help you stay connected to the Internet even when your income is dragging.

If you're unsure exactly how to switch your internet, use a guide to learn how to switch broadband to get an amazing deal. It's probably a lot more simple than you think.