Rebecca Palmer
Senior Staff Writer
Rebecca Palmer has been writing about tech and consumer finance since 2010. Her work has been featured in the Deseret News, Idaho Business Review, TopTenReviews.com, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and lives in Salt Lake City with her exceptionally delightful pup, Nymeria.
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Rebecca Palmer2/7/23
YouTube TV is a refreshing option for cable or satellite TV cord cutters. It feels just like a traditional TV service, but without the hidden fees or equipment rental. Shows and games are easy to find and record, simultaneous streams are a breeze, and the interface felt familiar and intuitive on every device we tested.
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
Parents have dozens of video streaming services to choose from, and it seems like new options crop up every day. But Netflix was one of the first, and it’s still the most popular by subscriber count. (1) Netflix is also our editor’s choice for a streaming service for kids and families because of its library with something for everyone, trusted parental controls, and freedom from ads on almost every plan.
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If you can get fiber internet from Optimum , you'll get great all-around service with fast speeds and reasonable pricing. If you can get only cable internet, you'll get slower max speeds and may see different pricing. Both options are decent, but watch out for third-year price hikes and potential customer service hassles.
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From reliability and premium channels to DVRs and live TV streaming options, we have you covered. Our expert reviewers focused on not just price, but every element of the TV-watching experience. The top TV provider of 2023 is
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
Internet that won’t connect can be very frustrating. The problem could be as big as a widespread internet outage or as small as a loose cable connection.
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Xfinity is a fantastic provider overall. It offers fast speeds, reliable service, and reasonable prices. Some plans still require contracts, and others still have data limits. Watch out for Xfinity’s hidden fees and spotty customer service record, but it may not be as bad as it once was.
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Rebecca Palmer2/2/23
Our team of speed hounds analyzed max internet speeds from providers in the US, and we found the fastest (and most reliably fast) options out there. These internet plans can handle dozens of simultaneous streams, VR chat, live gaming, and even massive video conference calls.
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Dave Schafer, Rebecca Palmer2/10/23
AT&T offers one of the best values in internet service—fast fiber internet speeds at reasonable prices, plus some of the best support in the business and rock-solid reliability. With no contracts, no data caps, and no monthly equipment fee, AT&T is
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HughesNet has the cheapest broadband satellite internet plans, with speeds up to 25 Mbps and data limits up to 100 GB. You'll pay a lot of money for not a lot of speed and not much data, but it's a workable way to connect for folks in rural areas. Where available, consider other connection types or satellite internet providers if you don’t want to be held back.
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Local internet service providers (ISPs) sometimes lack a certain something. They might be expensive or fail to reach the speeds of national providers. Omni Fiber wants to buck that trend with speedy internet at an affordable price and the promise of local customer service, but can it deliver? Spoiler alert—yes, it seems it can.
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Rebecca Palmer2/7/23
Spectrum TV is good if you’re bundling and on a budget, and we love the $500 contract buyouts. Better yet, Spectrum doesn’t force you into a contract, so you can give the cable TV service a try with relatively little risk. We don’t love the
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
The best streaming service for news junkies is DIRECTV STREAM because it offers all your local channels, all the top cable news channels, and an optional 10-digit remote. Each of our top options offer all the local and national news you expect, plus a few nice extras and freedom from contracts and installation headaches.
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Rebecca Palmer3/6/23
DIRECTV is our top choice for regional sports networks and offers channels for every appetite, but watch for price hikes, second-rate DVR tech, and hidden fees.
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Rebecca Palmer3/3/23
DISH offers a sweet three-year price guarantee and one of the best DVRs available, but picture quality is unreliable, and you’ll miss out on regional sports networks.
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Rebecca Palmer, Cara Haynes2/10/23
Fiber is faster and more reliable than cable, but cable is much more available and usually cheaper than fiber. Fiber is the clear winner when it comes to speed and performance, but its limited availability makes it off limits for most folks. That said, fiber and cable are the two best internet types out there, so really you’ll be happy with either—as long as you get
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Kinetic by Windstream aims to bring better internet to rural and remote areas. While it offers one of the best values in internet service anywhere, it’s hampered by a mediocre customer experience.
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Optimum offers exceptional value. You get tons of channels, a solid DVR, and a good selection of sports and premium channels for a very reasonable price. Despite some additional fees, Optimum is an excellent choice.
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Xfinity TV offers a lot of features and strong channel prices, as well as powerful internet to bundle up with. High fees hamper the experience, but Xfinity remains one of the
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Starlink has the fastest speed and lowest latency of any satellite internet service, but its availability and customer service lag behind competitors. While Starlink’s performance is impressive for satellite internet, it can’t compete with a traditional cable or fiber connection.
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To determine the best cheap cable TV providers, we considered a few factors. Cost of service was important, but we also looked at the number of channels you get for that cost, availability, fees, quality of bundling options, and overall quality of service offered.
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
The DIRECTV STREAM experience is very similar to traditional TV, but we love that it requires no contracts or equipment rentals. Our tests surfaced issues with audio, screen size, and casting on mobile and browsers, but we liked channel surfing and catching games on bigger screens.
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The story of Frontier internet is one of two services: a slow and expensive DSL network and a fast and affordable fiber network. Which one you get makes all the difference.
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CenturyLink offers excellent fiber internet, but it’s available only in limited markets. If you can't get fiber, you may be able to get a DSL connection but you'll pay nearly as much.
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Our choice for the best satellite internet provider is Viasat. It’s one of only two satellite internet providers that offers service nearly everywhere in the US. And it’s the better choice because it offers plans with higher speeds and more high-speed data. If you're looking for more providers that serve remote areas, check out our
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Viasat (formerly also Exede internet) can’t keep up with cable or fiber, but it’s a relatively fast and widely available choice for satellite internet. Viasat offers more speed and data than HughesNet, but you should also consider Starlink if it's available in your area.
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In 2023, the regular 18-week NFL season kicks off September 7. But things kick off with the draft at the end of April, and the pre-season starts August 3.
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Our pick for the best DSL provider is Kinetic by Windstream. It offers broadband speed across more of its DSL service area than any of our other top choices. Kinetic by Windstream also has low pricing and unlimited data.
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
The most important factor in how much internet speed you need at home is how many devices are connecting at once. Most apps don’t use very much
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
Hulu + Live TV has something for everyone to watch, including one of the best on-demand libraries we reviewed. It’s hard to use on the go, though, and its interface was confusing in our tests. You get great original content, but you can find lower prices and a more conventional viewing experience elsewhere.
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Making the jump from cable to streaming TV is a choice a lot of people are making these days: every major cable TV provider reported more customers cutting the cord than ever before. (1)
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Verizon Fios TV offers an excellent value TV service. The customizable Your Fios plan is particularly attractive, but all tiers offer a lot of TV for the money. Add in outstanding internet, and it’s hard to go wrong with Verizon.
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
Gamers need decent speeds, no questions about it. But even more important, they need fast ping and rock solid reliability. Our first internet service provider (ISP) pick for gaming is
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Rebecca Palmer2/9/23
Philo is a great value if you love feel-good movies, reality TV, and shows about home and family, but you’ll miss out on sports, news, and local channels. We put it to the test on browsers, phones, and streaming sticks, and we think it’s a fair contender for the softer side of live TV.
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Rebecca Palmer1/20/23
Having internet access is more important than ever, and there are many ways to get online for free or cheap. Between a new federal initiative, programs from internet providers themselves, and widespread mobile connectivity, you have a lot of options.
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Spectrum offers speedy, reasonably priced cable internet service, and a strong budget plan. We wish there were fewer fees attached, though.
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Verizon Fios offers fast, reliable fiber internet, along with one of the best overall customer experiences in the business. Verizon Fios is highly recommended, and it's
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Our team of experts compared the biggest providers out there, and the clear winner for home internet in 2023 is AT&T. We love its screaming-fast upload and download speeds, its free national hotspot network, and its excellent customer service.
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Mediacom offers a decent value in TV, but it’s far from perfect. First, you must bundle it with internet—standalone TV isn’t available. A thin sports selection and lots of fees also hurt. That said, Mediacom internet isn’t bad, so if you’re going with that, it probably makes sense to go with Mediacom TV, too.