Understanding Fiber, Satellite and Cable TV Providers Contract

Wed, Jan 19, 2022 10:19 PM

Month by month and year by year, the TV industry is evolving. Since sports are king, we still have satellite, cable, and fiber TV, but we also have more live TV streaming choices than ever before.

There are tons of on-demand streaming options available too, if you are not into sports and enjoy binge-watching.

The much more common reason for dissatisfied clients typically lies inside the contract. Tighter cancelation policies, abrupt price increases, and extra fees all contribute to the hate fire of the internet against TV service companies.

We're with you right there. We want to be more open and up-front about this stuff with these providers. But it's up to us, for now, to dig into contracts and to grasp what we are getting into.

Early payments for termination

This isn't an issue for services like cable and live streaming that don't need conventional contracts. Early termination penalties apply only if you have signed a long-term deal that you are seeking to get out of. (Satellite companies, we're looking at you.)

For instance, if you terminate a DIRECTV contract, for each month left on your contract, DIRECTV will charge you a fee.

So you're looking at a big fee if you need to get out of your deal, but you still have nine months left. Sure, it's steep, but it's all in the contract agreement. Before you sign up, make sure to ask your provider about early termination fees.

Sudden price change

We've already discussed it a number of times, but the second-year price rise that some providers have could be a killer. For the first 12 months, this is where you get a discount deal, and things look amazing when you unexpectedly open your bill a year after signing up and it's doubled in price.

It's certainly not good for your blood pressure, but it does not come as a surprise if you are vigilant. With DIRECTV, this practice is most common, but be sure to inquire about any price increases that might arise after the conclusion of your promotional time, just so that you are not blindsided with a giant bill.

Hidden Charges

The worst are undisclosed payments. We know it all. Here's a rundown of the ones to pay attention to:

Fees for Activation
Fees for installation
Fees on Supplies (Receivers, DVRs, routers, etc.)
Regional sports fees 
Fees for Broadcasting
Costs for premium networks  such as Cinemax, HBO, and Showtime

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