Cable TV Networks

You know some of the most popular shows watched on cable television but what are some of the networks that you may find yourself viewing should you decide on cable television? It really depends on what cable package you decide to purchase but chances are if you select a package that has many channels, rather than a basic cable package, you will most likely get channels such as the following:

You will get your local television channels, so whatever your major network channels are, you should get. You will also most likely receive channels such as A&E (Arts and Entertainment), the E Network (The Entertainment Network), BET (Black Entertainment Television), Cartoon Network, Lifetime Television, HGTV (Home and Garden Television), CMT (Country Music Television), the Discovery Channel, MTV (Music Television), TLC (The Learning Channel) and ESPN (sports) for your viewing. Obviously, there are many more channels you could be and will be receiving, but you can pretty much bet on these channels for most major cable providers.

What Happened in the 1950's with Cable TV?

After much work by John Walson in the 1940s to perfect the rudimentary cable TV system he had originally started, coaxial cable was put to use, thus making Community Antenna Television (CATV) extremely popular.

Because of Walson's work in the 1940s, cable television grew in popularity in the 1950s. By 1950, there were 14,000 customers throughout the nation who were utilizing CATV in their homes with around 70 CATV systems available throughout the country.

In the 1950s, Milton Jerrold Shapp came up with a plan to get rid of those antennas that sat atop stores and apartments. He called it the Master Antenna Television (MATV), which got rid of antennas that made the tops of these buildings look like an antenna graveyard.

Prices For Packages

When doing a comparison for cable television providers in your area, you can expect to find several different package deals presented to you. What can you expect to pay for each package? It depends on where you live and how much the cable providers charge in that particular area.

For example, if you live near St. Louis, Missouri, you will probably find three major providers for cable or satellite that you can choose from. Comcast, Dish Network and DIRECTV are all available for cable in that area.

Comcast will charge you over $50 for their standard service plus one digital channel from either a digital movie channel, a digital sports channel or a digital family channel. Dish Network will charge you about $35 for 100 channels including some of the most popular channels, such as E! Entertainment television and CNN along with your local channels. DIRECTV will charge you about $30 for the family package, which includes over 40 channels of favorite family programming along with your local channels.

This is just the beginning of what packages are offered by each provider in this area. The list is quite long and quite concise. If you are looking for the best package deal and prices available to you, try doing your comparison on a website that will take care of all the work for you!

Help! I'm Moving ... Now What?

So, you are moving! Congratulations on the upcoming event. Needless to say, moving can be quite a hassle. You have to contact all of your utilities, call your cable company and make sure they can switch you to your new address or cancel it altogether and find a new cable television provider. It really can be a pain!

But, it doesn't have to be if you use a website that will take care of the hassle for you. Connectmycable.com is an example of one of these types of websites. By simply logging onto their website, you can click on "Moving Services," which will give you so much information that hopefully you won't feel so overwhelmed!

You can compare and shop for new cable providers online and even order your new cable directly from their site. In many areas, you can even order your new utilities, such as gas, electric, phone, Internet, newspapers and even change your address through them!

Sites like these really do make your moving experience so much easier! Everything you need to transfer to new services is right there for you with the click of your computer mouse!

Comcast Bundling Packages

Comcast, a major cable television provider, is just one of the providers that offers bundling of services. Comcast refers to their bundling package as Comcast Triple Play because it consists of three services you most likely are paying for separately right now. These services include: high-speed Internet, cable television and Digital Voice service. By bundling these services through Comcast you can pay one bill per month instead of several.

You don't need to purchase the Comcast Triple Play, you can also bundle your services with just two things, such as high-speed Internet and cable television. It really depends on what is available in your area for you. The Triple Play isn't available in all areas where Comcast is a cable provider. You should check with Comcast to see what is available in your area or do a search on a cable television search site, such as Connectmycable.com.

Electronic Funds Transfer

Most major cable companies such as Comcast, Mediacom, Time Warner and Adelphia also offer another way to pay your cable bill. An electronic funds transfer is when money is taken from your checking or saving bank accounts on the same date every month and paid directly to your cable bill.

Signing up for electronic funds transfer is easy. You can either do it online directly through your cable company's website or you can call the company's customer service number. Keep in mind, you must fill out a form that has your name, your address and telephone number along with your cable account and your bank account. You may also be asked to mail in or fax a voided check so that the electronic fund transfer can be set up from the appropriate account.

Electronic funds transfer is another quick, free, and easy way to pay your bill and get it paid on time every month with no effort from you. Just don't forget to record the deduction from your bank balance each month.