There was never a better time than now to cut the cord to your cable service. Nowadays there are endless amounts of streaming services and original content available, and you don’t have to wade through hundreds of irrelevant consumer ads to enjoy them. Whether you’re paying through the nose for a channel bundle that you barely touch or have your eye on a particular series or network, here are some practical ways to move to stream-only and away from cable TV.

Finding Streaming Services that Work for You

One of the first steps you can take in cutting the cable cord is to find a streaming service or services that fits your needs. Looking to save as much money as possible? Free options such as Pluto TV or Sony Crackle have a much smaller selection but don’t cost anything to use. Are you an avid sports fan? Live TV streaming options like Hulu Live, YouTube TV or Sling TV have ESPN and other sports channels on demand for a monthly subscription. Do you love Disney? Disney+ is one of the newer streaming services with more and more selections every day. Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime are also affordable and competitive options for on-demand movies or shows. Premium channels such as HBO are usually available as add-ons to these apps for an extra monthly price. The choices may seem overwhelming but are worth sifting through to see what best suits you. Most of these streaming services offer free trials so you can test them out before committing to anything.

Find Streaming Device(s)

Now that you know what sort of content you’d like to have access to, you can search around for compatible devices that will allow you to stream what you want. For example, if you already own a PlayStation, Xbox, or a Smart TV, you could download your choice of streaming app through those without purchasing any extra hardware. However, a Roku’s streaming stick, Amazon’s Fire Stick or an Apple TV are one-time price options and simply plug into your television’s HDMI port, connecting to your home WIFI network and allowing you to download each streaming service’s app – whether or not you own a Smart TV.

Find a Reliable Connection

Whatever route you take as far as streaming service or device, you’ll want to have a fast and reliable internet connection for uninterrupted binge-watching. Most of us know the horrible feeling of that little buffering circle. Don’t get stuck right waiting for your streaming service to load right as the climax of the show or movie is coming up! These cliff hangers are totally avoidable with no-lag fiber internet service from energynet. Our Full Speed fiber internet option has download speeds up to 1 gigabit and provides whole-home Wifi – stream in every room!

For a flexible, customized, and cost-effective TV-watching experience, you can’t go wrong by starting with these steps. Explore the many options before you and don’t be held back anymore by a limited and impersonal cable service.

Have questions about what kind of internet service you need based on your streaming or gaming needs? Reach out to our team today! Give us a call at 270-887-0763.  Sign up at goenergynet.com.

The employees of Hopkinsville Electric System (HES) and energynet have a long history of participating and contributing to the annual pledge campaign for the United Way of the Pennyrile. This important community campaign collects financial contributions from area businesses and residents which are then redirected to 20 area non-profit agencies to provide health, education and income services to residents in Caldwell, Christian, Todd and Trigg counties.

For the 2019-2020 campaign, HES’s 48 employees pledged over $25,000. Thirty-one employees extraordinary giving attaining entrance into The Latham Society, which recognizes donors who pledge $500 or more for a given year. HES employees have also taken time to serve in volunteer roles within the United Way organization.

The 2019-2020 United Way of the Pennyrile campaign ends in late February. There is still time to make a pledge and make a meaningful difference in the lives of area residents. For more information about the campaign and the impact it has on residents in the region, visit www.pennyrileunitedway.org. You may also call 270-886-8171.