Costs of cutting cord on cable TV

I would like to cut the cord for TV and other services because my Comcast bill is about $220 a month for internet, Wi-Fi, phone and TV (including premium channels such as HBO). I don’t want satellite TV, and I can’t receive free over-the-air TV broadcasts because rooftop antennas aren’t permitted where I live. I’m interested in the Hulu streaming TV service. What can I do?

Streaming video from internet subscription services is less expensive than cable TV. For example, Hulu’s library of TV shows costs $8 to $12 a month, and for $40 a month you can also use Hulu to stream network TV and some other channels normally associated with cable.

But you can’t completely cut the cord. You still need high-speed internet service. Cellular internet services are available, but their data plans are usually too expensive for streaming video, which uses a large amount of data.

Whichever provider you choose, Netflix recommends that you buy a service with at least 5 megabits of download speed for streaming highdefinition video, or 25 mega- bits for ultra-high-definition video (also called 4K). You will also need a streaming device for your TV ($30 and up) that receives video via your home Wi-Fi network. If you don’t have a Wi-Fi router, they cost $50 and up.

You are probably paying about $25 a month for Comcast phone service, so for a comparable amount you could switch to a cellular plan. Note that this does not include the upfront cost of buying a cellphone.

Meanwhile, an alternative to a rooftop digital TV antenna is an indoor one.