Best Internet and TV Bundles for November 2024 - Broadlink Data Services, LLC.

Understand your speed and entertainment demands. Before comparing available bundles, get an idea of what internet speeds you need and which TV channels you’d like to have. Selecting the bundle that most closely matches your needs is the best way to ensure you’re not overpaying for services you won’t use, or perhaps paying for services that can’t meet your household demands.

If you wouldn’t sign up for gigabit internet by itself, you probably don’t need it in a bundled package. Similarly, if you wouldn’t sign up for a TV package with just your local channels, you can pass on any bundles with a locals-only channel lineup.

Compare connection types. When comparing bundles between providers, or possibly even different bundles from the same provider, consider the connection type. 

Fiber is ideal for home internet, but few providers — AT&T, Quantum Fiber and Frontier included — offer a fiber TV service. Unless you’re bundling with Verizon Fios, expect your fiber internet provider to offer a streaming TV service, if any at all. 

Cable internet providers typically build bundles with standard cable TV packages, although some, such as Spectrum, may also have live TV streaming packages. There are pros and cons to each. 

Standard cable packages often come with better reliability and more recording storage, although equipment and broadcast fees tend to be higher. Streaming can be cheaper, but the savings may come with sacrificing storage space for recording shows.

Some internet providers, especially those of the DSL and satellite variety, bundle with satellite TV providers Dish and DirecTV. Keep in mind that such bundles will require mounting a satellite dish somewhere on your home and will likely come with a two-year contract for TV service.

Consider the fees, fine print and other extras. For the most part, what you pay for internet each month will run fairly true to the advertised price. Renting a router may add to the cost, as will taxes and other minor fees, but that’s about it.

TV service is a bit different. Expect a Broadcast Fee to add anywhere from $15 to $25 to your monthly bill, plus an additional Regional Sports Fee if you have local sports networks. Equipment can also get pricey with added fees for each TV box you rent, plus potential charges for DVR service. Be aware of these fees when comparing and signing up for a bundle package.

Along with added fees, you’ll want to consider any service terms or contractual obligations. Does the internet come with a data cap? Does that satellite TV service require a two-year contract and a significant price jump after the first year?

Lastly, look for any special promotions or bonus offers that come with your bundle. I say “lastly” because special offers are the least significant factor when choosing a bundle — pricing, speeds, channel selection and service terms are more important. If you’re debating between bundles and one comes with a $200 gift card and the other does not, the decision becomes a bit easier to make.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to bundle. There may be times when selecting internet service from one provider and TV from another is more cost-effective than bundling. For example, Verizon Fios internet is generally a better deal than Spectrum’s internet service, but Spectrum is cheaper when it comes to TV service. 

How we evaluated the top internet and TV bundles

Hands-on testing is central to CNET’s reviews and recommendations of various products and services, but such a process is impractical if not impossible when it comes to home internet. Even if we could physically test each ISP, external and unavoidable factors such as the equipment (which will vary by provider and connection type), interference from nearby networks, the local infrastructure and even the time of day could affect the results.

Instead of hands-on testing, we perform frequent, in-depth evaluations of national and regional ISPs and the bundles they offer. To start, we explore a provider’s availability, technology and speed details using the most recent data from the Federal Communications Commission. Next, we look into all available plan options, including the number of plans to choose from, upload and download speeds, TV channel lineups and promotional versus standard pricing. 

Plans can vary by region, so we run multiple serviceability checks in various service areas to provide more informed speed, channel and pricing details. We also reach out to the providers directly to verify plan and pricing information.

Finally, we take a look at service details such as data caps, added fees, contracts, price increases and other considerations to be aware of before signing up for an internet or TV service. When available, customer satisfaction reports like those from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, not to mention a look at what real customers have to say on sites like Reddit and Downdetector.com, provide further insight into evaluating an ISP.

After examining the applicable providers in a given category (in this case, “best bundles”), we determine which providers and plans we feel should be considered among the “best.” If you’d like to learn more about how we evaluate internet providers, check out our breakdown of how we review ISPs.

Internet and TV bundle overview

Bundling internet and TV together is a convenient way to sign up for multiple services, and could even save you some money versus signing up for individual services. 

Bundles will vary by provider, and each provider is likely to offer a number of different bundles, so be sure to explore all your options to get the best bundle for your needs and your budget. Speeds, channel selection and pricing are important considerations, but pay attention to added fees and service terms when comparing bundles. Remember, you don’t have to bundle internet and TV together if it makes more sense to get internet from one provider and TV from another.

Internet and TV bundle FAQs