When you are moving, it is not only important to do proper research on energy suppliers, but don't forget about internet and TV? Comparing internet and TV is very important when you want to save on your monthly costs. Nowadays, there are so many providers that you may not be able to see the forest for the trees. So read on quickly so that we can help you with your TV and internet!
Duration of current subscription
First check carefully how long you still have a contract with your current provider. The contracts with providers are often 1 or 2 years. This means that you only have a notice period of one month after this period. Most people think they already have the perfect subscription and have therefore often been with their current provider for years. But pay close attention, because one provider is of course not the same as another. It is very possible that another provider has a higher internet speed or a subscription for the best price. That is why it is a good idea to look carefully at a new provider when you move.
Long term contract
Are you still tied to a long-term contract? Then we have to disappoint you, unfortunately. Providers do not see a move as a valid reason to terminate your current contract prematurely. This means that you will unfortunately have to wait it out. Of course, all these different providers also have different rules and conditions, so check carefully how it exactly works with your subscription.
Service area
Sometimes it also happens that your current provider cannot provide services in your new place of residence. Further in this article you can read why this is sometimes the case. Do you see online that a provider cannot deliver to you? Then you can contact them to terminate the contract anyway. Whether this is with or without a penalty depends entirely on the provider.
Not every provider can deliver everywhere in the Netherlands. This is due to the fact that fiber optic has not yet been installed everywhere in the Netherlands. For internet and TV via cable, there is only 1 provider per area. When choosing providers of 'all in 1 packages', make sure that you do not live too far from the local exchange. The further you live from the exchange, the slower your internet is. And your internet speed is not only important for surfing the internet quickly, but it is also important when you want to record digital TV, for example. So take a good look at the available subscriptions.
Free transfer service
Sometimes you can pay a 'fine' to be able to switch. It often happens that when you decide to take out a new subscription, the new provider will pay this fine. You also don't have to arrange the switch anymore and the new provider will do it all for you. Internet providers like to offer this free switching service, because they want new customers of course.
Internet speed is personal
The internet speed that someone needs is of course very personal. However, it is true that the higher the speed of the internet, the more expensive your subscription. If you do not use much, you can also just live with a cheaper subscription and you do not need an additional subscription. Furthermore, it is true that your internet speed does not only depend on the use, but also on the number of connected devices. Internet providers all have different packages for this. Below we give you a number of examples of what you need exactly:
- Low (20Mb/s)
This is for 1 to 2 people. It is fine to surf, email or stream to a limited extent on about 2 devices at the same time. - Average (50Mb/s)
This is for a family with average consumption. You will not quickly experience problems when multiple devices are working at the same time. - High (100-200Mb/s)
This speed is useful when you download a lot and are often connected to multiple devices. You can also use this speed to watch Netflix and play games at the same time without any problems. - Very high (400Mb/s+)
Do you download a lot? Then this is a good option. Do you not? Then this speed is actually completely unnecessary for the average user.
TV package
Also take a good look at your TV package. Do you currently have interactive television, extra channel packages or do you pay a surcharge for extra channels? Then you can now ask yourself whether you really need all of these and otherwise you can also see if another provider does not offer this for much cheaper. Sometimes it also happens that some packages cannot be changed. So there is a big chance that sometimes there is something in a package that you do not use at all. That would of course be a great shame. So check this carefully.
Through television
Cable TV is standard with every subscription at various cable companies. If you choose to use interactive TV, you will pay a surcharge for this. The price of this depends on the package you choose.
But what exactly is interactive TV? With interactive TV you can decide for yourself what you want to watch and when you want to watch it. You can not only pause live programs, but you can also watch missed programs.
Streaming
Many providers now also offer 'Video On Demand'. Here you can rent films and documentaries. You can add these to your subscription for a small additional payment. You also have the option of HD quality, which many people really like. You can easily install the apps of these services on your smart TV. Do you have a smart TV? Then you can also watch interactive TV without a separate TV receiver. How convenient is that!?
Telephony
An internet and TV subscription often still includes telephony, while you actually no longer need it. This of course also depends very much on the person, but it is a fact that people often no longer have a fixed telephony at home and use their mobile phone. In this case, it is good not only to check this with your old subscription, but also to take this into account when switching. Perhaps you do not need to take a package and that you are cheaper off with separate services.
Mobile subscription
As previously stated, people often no longer want a subscription with fixed telephony. That is why you can now increasingly opt for packages including a mobile phone subscription. This is called quad play. The advantage of quad play is that you only have to deal with one company. You often enjoy benefits, such as a discount on your invoice, extra TV channels or special data bundles for your mobile phone.
The disadvantage of this is that you are then tied to one provider and therefore less likely to switch. It is also possible that a more expensive subscription with another provider may be better suited to your use or will be of better quality.
Helpful tips
Do you still want a subscription with telephony? Then you can indicate to your new provider that you would like to use number retention. The old and new provider will then ensure together that you can take the old number with you to your new address.
Unfortunately, you cannot take your email address from a provider with you. For example, do you have an email address from the provider, such as piet@provider.nl? Then you will unfortunately lose it when switching. Therefore, always use an email address, such as Gmail from Google, so that you are not dependent on a provider.
Compare based on tests
The Consumers' Association conducts quarterly research into the quality of internet, TV and telephone. They publish the results on their website. The Consumers' Association assesses internet providers on:
- Quality of the internet, TV and telephone connection
- Quality of customer service
- Overall provider rating
The points that the consumer association assesses are very important when you want to take out an internet and TV subscription, because of course you not only want to pay very little, but you also want good internet and TV.
Independent comparison site
Online you can easily compare internet providers. You will immediately see the differences and it will be looked at which subscription suits you best. An important aspect of comparing is that you enter your correct postcode & house number, because then the website can search well for providers that deliver to your address.
Often these websites scan the current offer well. Think of the following providers: Caiway, Delta, KPN, Telfort, Ziggo and T-Mobile. For the exact list you can always consult their website.
Finally
As you have read, there are many possibilities with regard to the packages and services that you can take out with all those different providers. Therefore, always make sure that you look carefully at providers and their offers. Sometimes it can make a huge difference when you compare TV, internet and telephone with multiple providers. This way you also prevent yourself from paying unnecessarily much for years.
