When it comes time to choose your cable TV, home internet and home phone service, there are a few things you should know. Today, many cable companies offer digital phone services that can be bundled with your television and internet service. Often, the company will offer the three services packaged at a significantly lower price than if you choose one or two of them separately. When choosing your cable TV service, make a list of the channels you must have and a few channels it would be nice to have. It is possible you can work a deal with the cable company to get a few of the “nice to have” channels with the “must haves.” When it comes to home internet, you will need to determine what speed you need and whether there are limits on how many people can access the modem at one time. If you are only using the internet for the occasional web search, a slower speed may work for your household but if you will be playing online games, streaming video or have several people using your home internet at once, you will want to choose a higher speed.

As much as it may be surprising, cable is still not available in some areas, leading those consumers to use satellite to watch television. Not all satellite services offer home phone or internet which means there are none of those types of bundles to use for savings. However, you may be able to get channel packages that will save you in the long run. Remember that satellite TV, unlike cable, relies on the satellite dish being able to “talk” to a satellite above the Earth. This means the dish must be located so it consistently faces where that satellite exists in space. This could determine the size of the dish you need as well as where the dish will be placed on your home.

Home automation uses the latest digital technology to allow you to control a wide range of home functions. You can use a system to control your doors and windows, garage doors, lawn sprinkler, lighting, thermostat and appliances. Choosing a home automation system completely relies on what you want to automate in your home. You can use an automation system to connect to your thermostat so you can turn the heat or air conditioning up a few degrees just before you get home. You can also use it to turn on certain lights so your home is not dark when you arrive. An automation system can be used to start your oven so it is preheated upon your arrival or even to check to be sure you turned off an appliance before you left. When choosing a system, you want to be sure it is secure from hackers and that it is easy to use. Be sure that the system is compatible with your computer and smartphone as well.

There are many options available for home security as well. Today, there are digital doorbells that allow you to see who is at your front door without walking over to look out a window or peephole. These systems also record activity in the area where it is placed, providing you with documentation of what happens outside your home. You can also get Bluetooth-enabled camera systems with motion detection that alert you on your phone if there is movement in your yard. If there is suspicious activity, you can contact law enforcement from wherever you are to check out your home to keep from being the victim of a crime. There are even voice-enabled home security systems that allow you to talk to anyone who may be in your yard.

If you are considering changing your wireless & cell phone service, there are things you will want to look for before you do. You want to choose a company that offers you devices at reasonable costs. However, one of the most important things to determine when choosing a wireless & cell phone service is the coverage in areas where you will spend the most time. It is frustrating to have a cell phone and be unable to call, use the wireless capabilities or perform other functions with our phone because there is no service. In addition, you will want to talk to the company about pricing. Just keep in mind that many companies offer an introductory price that will expire after a certain period. You will want to ask what the price will be once that period ends to avoid a surprise bill.

Many consumers have decided to get rid of cable and satellite TV, replacing it with TV & music streaming services. Music streaming services have been available for many years with apps like Pandora or Spotify. Using those apps, you can play your favorite songs, create a playlist or simply select similar genres of music to play in the car, at your home or for an event. Today, you can also get TV streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Roku. These services offer original programming as well as the ability to watch shows from other networks after they have aired. In order for any streaming service to work, however, you must have internet service. If your internet service is slower speed, you may have issues with streaming services operating properly.

Whether you are looking for home phone service, computers & software or automation systems, be sure to visit EmployeeandMemberDiscounts.com. There you will find savings on computers & software, cell phone and wireless services and much more. These are discounts that used to be available only to certain employees or organization members but are now available to anyone. There is no membership fee and you can begin saving immediately.