10 Examples of Why You Might NOT Want to Bundle Your TV, Internet and Phone Service

The buzz-word for the day is “Bundling”, which is when TV, Internet, telephone and other services are packaged, or “bundled”, into a single, all-inclusive billing arrangement. These packages are advertised as a way for consumers to get great prices by wrapping all their services into a tidy and efficient aggregate form. Indeed, introductory prices for bundled services are often very attractive, but that can change after the introductory period has expired. Here are several reasons you might not wish to combine your services:

1. Cost – While a wildly-hyped “introductory” price may be a very good deal, and an apparently good reason to bundle services, what will the price be whenever that introductory period ends?
2. Transparency – It can be difficult to identify individual components of packaged products, which makes it hard to read a bill, which can have many “hidden” charges and fees.
3. Unwanted / Unused Services – In order to receive a bundled service, consumers may end up purchasing services they only use sporadically, or not at all.
4. Poorly Coordinated Technical Support – There does not appear to be any one-size-fits-all technical support program. You may have to communicate with more than one person to fix a problem, and these people often have no connection to each other, which is a real problem when conflicting solutions are offered.
5. Bad Customer Service – Poorly trained customer service representatives are all-too-often the norm rather than the exception, and this leads to frustration and stress for the person who has to wade through the morass. Mistakes are made that usually cost the consumer, who then may have little recourse to rectify those errors.
6. Confusing Packages Make Comparison Shopping Difficult – With so many companies offering so many programs, with little-or-no universality, it can be a daunting process for the client who tries to differentiate among the competition or to compare prices on similar services.
7. Inability to Change the Bundle – What happens when you find out that, either the package you signed up for doesn’t truly suit you, or that your needs have changed? For instance, you may have enrolled in a program that doesn’t include satisfactory internet connectivity. Will you be able to make adjustments, and, if so, at what cost?
8. Changing Carriers May Cause Installation Problems – You might have to change the carrier for one or more of your services to qualify for a particular bundle, and this may incur delays and expenses the customer may not have figured on.
9. Add-ons – If your deal includes special features, such as HD television, are you equipped to accept these items, or will you have to purchase or lease equipment in order to enjoy any benefit?
10. Availability – Some Services offered in a package deal may not be available where you live, such as rural customers who may not get any cable service, or who live where cell-phone service is poor or non-existent.

Remember, it doesn’t hurt to ask questions when you are shopping, so, before you sign anything, make sure you are satisfied that your needs are met, and that you wouldn’t actually be able to negotiate better deals on an individual basis.

Taken from My ISP Finder