September 4, 2024 Author: Amie Clark | September 4, 2024 |
Most Affordable Overall Rating: Best With Free Installation Overall Rating: Best DVR Features Overall Rating:As of 2024, no cable or television provider offers a specific package for seniors. That said, some offer lower prices than others, and several, like Xfinity, offer special discounted plans for low-income individuals. In this rundown of the best cable and TV packages for seniors, we've narrowed down over a dozen different providers to our top six favorites, basing our rankings on cost, channel variety, and extra features.
Not looking for cable or satellite service? Read our rundown of the best streaming services for seniors.
There are many choices when it comes to TV providers. We evaluated each option using the following criteria.
| Provider | Minimum monthly cost for live TV | Minimum number of channels |
|---|---|---|
| Cox | $61 | 75 |
| Xfinity | $15 | 10 |
| DIRECTV | $69.99 | 75 |
| Spectrum TV | $39.99 | 145 |
| Dish | $84.99 | 190 |
| Verizon Fios TV | $85 | 125 |
Starting Cost: $15 per month
Xfinity provides all the live TV you want, plus streaming, for only $15 a month. How? The company uses the internet, not cable, to bring you live TV, so its live TV prices are about one-fourth of competitors like Cox. Whether you want only 10 channels or 185-plus, there’s an affordable option for you.
You may remember Xfinity providing cable, but that is no longer the case — at least at the apartment where we got it in Philadelphia. Rather our options were all digital subscriptions, which means there was no cable box, no expensive installation process, and no high monthly fees. We paid only $15 a month for a bundle of 10 channels, which included 20 hours of DVR and standard networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.
We are huge Bravo fans, so we upgraded to the Popular TV option for $50 a month, which includes more than 125 channels. With free self-installation, we didn’t feel too guilty about upping our monthly expenses to see the live “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” reunion.
Xfinity is the most affordable provider on this list, mainly because it doesn’t use cable for live TV. Rather, it essentially uses live TV–like streaming, depending on your internet connection. A weak internet connection could be a huge problem, but our Xfinity internet has 1 GB speeds, so we had no issues and saved a ton of money. Prices start at just $15 a month and reach up to $60, whereas Cox starts at $61, Spectrum TV at $64.99, and DIRECTV at $69.99. And those are the cheaper options!
We self-installed the X1 box for free, but it cost an additional $10 a month. That made the cheapest Xfinity option $25 a month. That’s still less than half the cost of other companies’ starting plans though. Prices are locked for a year, and you’ll have to pay a $110 early termination fee if you cancel. Those prices all include a $10-per-month discount for enrolling in paperless billing and automatic payments from a banking account. One less thing to think about! Xfinity also offers mobile and home phone, internet, and home security services, but none of the bundles actually include discounts.
Xfinity TV Packages Compared
| Choice TV | Now TV | Popular TV | Ultimate TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $15 | $20 | $50 | $60 |
| Channels | 10+ | 40+ | 125+ | 185+ |
| Contract length | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
We are not in love with Xfinity’s customer service, as you may remember from our experience with Xfinity internet. It’s incredibly hard to get someone on the phone, and we were required to go through live chat before we could even get access to a phone number. It was no surprise that the company scored only 697 points out of 1,000 on the J.D. Power survey. When it comes to customer service — not to mention its incredibly slow and buggy website — Xfinity is subpar.
The company has a disappointing website and customer service, but you won’t be disappointed by its prices and channel options. Even when you take into account the equipment rental cost, Xfinity is by far the cheapest way to get live TV.
To learn more about the provider, read our guide to Xfinity cable for seniors.
