Lowering the Cost of Streaming May Start With Your Phone and Internet Bills

Joe was reviewing his monthly bills when something caught his attention. His sister had mentioned that her cell phone service cost about half of what he was paying.

Curious, Joe took a closer look. He discovered she was using a prepaid service that ran on the same reliable network he was already using. The coverage was the same, but the monthly price was significantly lower.

Susan had a similar realization while looking at the household internet bill. Her provider offered a simplified prepaid plan with speeds that were more than enough for streaming, but at a much lower monthly cost.

By rotating streaming services, using an antenna for broadcast channels, and taking advantage of FAST streaming platforms, the household had already reduced the cost of entertainment. Looking at the services that power streaming revealed even more opportunities to save.

Consider Lower-Cost Cell Phone Service

Many wireless customers remain with the large national carriers even when lower-cost alternatives use the same networks.

Several prepaid carriers operate on those same networks at significantly lower prices.

Examples include:

• Visible -- unlimited plans starting around $25 per month on Verizon's network
• Cricket Wireless -- plans starting around $30 per month on AT&T's network
• Metro by T-Mobile -- plans starting around $25 per month on T-Mobile's network

For customers paying $80 to $100 per month for wireless service, switching to a prepaid option using the same network can represent significant savings.

Look for Lower-Cost Internet Options

Internet service is another major monthly cost for households that stream television.

Some providers now offer simplified or prepaid internet plans with lower prices and fewer promotional gimmicks.

For example, Xfinity offers NOW Internet, a prepaid option that provides about 100 Mbps service for roughly $30 per month, with the modem included.

Other households may find alternatives in wireless home internet services such as T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet, which can offer simplified pricing depending on location.

The goal is not necessarily to switch providers, but to determine whether a lower-cost plan already exists.

Avoid Monthly Equipment Rental Fees

Many internet providers charge monthly rental fees for routers or gateways. These fees often run $10 to $15 per month.

Purchasing your own router can eliminate that recurring charge. In many cases, a one-time purchase pays for itself within a year.

Some providers now include the modem with service, but customers may still choose to use their own router for better performance or features.

As with an antenna replacing a monthly TV fee, owning equipment can remove another recurring charge from the monthly bill.

Choose the Internet Speed You Actually Need

Another common source of overspending is subscribing to internet speeds far higher than a household actually uses.

Streaming video requires relatively modest bandwidth:

• A 4K stream typically requires about 25 Mbps
• A 50 Mbps connection is usually comfortable for a single viewer
• A 100 to 200 Mbps connection is more than sufficient for most families

Many households subscribe to 500 Mbps or even gigabit internet plans when those speeds are rarely necessary for typical streaming and everyday use.

Reviewing the current plan and choosing a more appropriate speed tier can sometimes lower the monthly bill.

Use Streaming Bundles Carefully

Some streaming services offer discounted bundles that combine multiple platforms into a single subscription.

Bundles can reduce the overall cost if the household already plans to keep those services year-round. However, they can also reduce flexibility.

For viewers who rotate streaming services to save money, bundles may make it harder to pause or cancel individual services and could increase overall spending.

Bundles may be worth evaluating, but they are not always the best fit for a rotation strategy.

Check for Streaming Already Included With Other Services

Some streaming services are included with other subscriptions such as phone plans or memberships.

For example:

• Netflix may be included with certain mobile plans
• Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime
• Paramount Plus may be included with Walmart Plus

These services are not always truly free. In many cases the cost is built into the subscription price.

However, if the household is already paying for that plan, it may make sense to use the included streaming service rather than paying for it separately.

Look at the Entire Picture

Reducing streaming costs often starts with the subscriptions themselves. Rotating services, using an antenna for broadcast television, and taking advantage of FAST streaming platforms can make a significant difference.

But the services that support streaming -- internet service, wireless plans, and equipment fees -- can add far more to the monthly total than any single streaming app.

Reviewing those bills from time to time may reveal additional opportunities to save.