You open your cable bill and are shocked to see it’s increased again. You can’t help but wonder why you’re being charged so much for something you don’t even use. The answer, my friend, is local channels. Cable companies have been charging customers for these channels for years, and there doesn’t seem to be an end. In this blog post, we will discuss the actual reason why your cable bill keeps increasing and what you can do about it!
The main reason cable companies charge you for local channels is that they are required to do so by the government. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandates that all cable providers offer local channels in their basic service tier. So even if you never watch them, you’re still paying for them.
On your cable bill, it’s usually called a “broadcast fee” but it can go by other names depending on your cable company.
So why does the government require cable companies to offer local channels? The answer is the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992. Congress put this law in place to ensure that all Americans had access to local programming, regardless of where they lived.
The problem is that the cost of offering local channels has increased significantly since 1992. And because the government requires cable companies to provide these channels, they have no choice but to pass on the cost to consumers.
So there you have it: 1 of the main reasons your cable bill keeps increasing. It’s not because cable companies are greedy; they have to offer local channels by law, and the cost of doing so has increased significantly.
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THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE
STEP 1 – GET FRNDLY TV
Frndly TV is the cheapest streaming service available (Trust me, I tried them all); it costs only $6.99 a month. Frndly TV replaces your cable, so you no longer have to pay those outrageous cable fees.
Because Frndly TV is a streaming service, by law, it’s not required to offer local channels, which means no broadcast fees. Because Frndly TV doesn’t have to provide local channels, this is the reason why Frndly TV is significantly cheaper than cable.
The $6.99 monthly fee is NOT an introductory price; this is a fixed price! You’ll only pay $6.99 monthly, with no price increase like traditional cable. This service is so cheap because it only has 40 channels, which is more than enough for most people. They have the top 40 cable tv channels and offer a 7-day free trial.
However, as stated previously, one of the negatives of Frndly TV is that it does not have any local channels. That’s done on purpose to help keep costs down and help avoid raising prices in the future.
So if you want to get local channels, you will need an antenna which leads us to step 2.
STEP 2 – GET A TV ANTENNA
All you need is a digital antenna. With an antenna, you’ll get all the local channels available in your area, and you won’t have to pay a dime.
Digital antennas are an excellent solution for those who want to cut the cord and save money on their monthly bills. Not only will you get all the local channels, but you’ll also be able to pick up various other channels (depending on your location).
Our recommended TV antenna is the Raven Custom Antenna: https://ravengadgets.com/products/raven-hd-antenna-version-2-0-best-digital-antenna
So if you’re looking for a way to save money on your cable bill, cancel your cable and get Frndly TV & A TV antenna. Not only will it save you money, but you’ll also get all the local channels available in your area.
Or You Can Just Use Trim
Following steps 1 & 2 alone will significantly reduce or eliminate your cable bill altogether. But what if you have a bundle deal with your cable company that requires you to keep your cable TV service? Or what if you simply want to keep your cable TV but just lower the bill?
This is where Trim comes in; Trim is a service that negotiates with your cable TV company and any other company you would like them to negotiate with. It could be your phone company, internet provider, etc…
The best part about this service is that there is no upfront cost! They only get paid only if they successfully lower your monthly bill. So on the off-chance they can’t lower your monthly bill; you pay nothing!
I highly recommend this service, especially if you no longer have cable but still have internet. Most cable companies offer internet service. If you cancel your cable TV, cable companies will increase your internet bill to compensate for your canceling of your cable TV service.
However, Trim stops them from doing that!
