How bundles are priced
A bundle is not usually a discount on both services equally. More often the internet is priced close to its standalone rate and the television is discounted heavily, because television is the service providers are losing customers on. That is why a bundle can make TV look almost free.
This matters for one reason: if you would not have bought television at all, a bundle that adds it for $20 has not saved you $20. It has cost you $20. The saving is only real if the service was already on your list.
Working out the real saving
| Separately | Bundled | |
|---|---|---|
| Internet 500 Mbps | $60 | $60 |
| TV package | $85 | $45 |
| Equipment | $25 | $25 |
| Broadcast and sports fees | $35 | $35 |
| Monthly total | $205 | $165 |
Illustrative figures to show the shape of a typical bundle, not a quoted price.
A $40 monthly saving is worth having. But note what did not change: equipment and the broadcast and sports fees are identical either way. Bundles almost never discount fees, and fees are where television bills grow.
What to check before signing
- Does the bundle discount survive the promotional period, or expire with it?
- What is the combined price in month 13, and in month 25?
- If you drop TV later, does the internet price rise? Frequently it does.
- Is a contract required for the bundle when the standalone services are contract-free?
- Are broadcast and regional sports fees included in the quoted figure, or added?
- Does the bundle require a phone line you do not want?
Mobile bundles are the newer discount
Several broadband providers now sell mobile service and discount it heavily for existing internet customers — often more heavily than they discount television. If you were going to pay for mobile anyway, this is frequently the largest bundle saving currently available, and it does not require you to take a television package you do not want.
The same caution applies: check what happens to the internet price if you later drop the mobile lines.