Internet bills don’t have to slow you down
In this week’s installment of Taming Your Budget-Busting Bills, we look at how to lower your Internet bill.
When it comes to monthly bills, one that seems to be ever increasing is the one for your Internet.
Not all hope is lost, though. Here are tips on how you might be able to get your bill under control: ❚ Determine what speed you need: A growing number of cable companies now offer download speeds of 100Mbps (megabits per second) or faster, with some offering blazing fast 1Gbps connections.
Netflix recommends a speed of 5Mbps for streaming HD video or 25Mbps if you plan to stream sharper,
4K content. Play video games online?
Microsoft recommends a minimum of 3Mbps for downloads and a 0.05 Mbps upload speed for Xbox Live.
If you don’t stream a lot of 4K videos, play video games online or live in a household where a number of devices are on at once, you could find yourself more than pleased with a 25-50Mbps connection.
❚ Know options and negotiate: According to a recent report from Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a community development organization, more than 129 million people are limited to a single Internet provider when using the FCC’s broadband definition of 25Mbps download speeds and 3Mbps upload speeds.
Some consumers, however, have multiple options. Not sure if you are one of them? Sites such as BroadbandNow- .com allow you to type in your ZIP code to see what choices you have.
❚ Buy your own modem and router: Your provider charges you a monthly fee for them. But unlike the cable box, you can easily replace your modem and router.
If you plan to stay in your current home or apartment for a year, paying the fee for a modem/router is a decent option as you’d be hard-pressed to find good replacements for the $60 to $120 the cable company will charge you over the course of a year.
If you are in it for the long haul, however, buying your own modem could save money. When buying make sure to confirm with your operator that it works for your provider and is certified for the speeds you want.