Modern consumers are always looking for ways to save. This thrift mentality is a direct outcome of the rising market prices. Even the costs of commodities have seen an insurmountable increase over the past few years, driving consumers to the edge. Internet technology has not been immune to this shift, either. Once considered a luxury of its own kind, the internet has become an indispensable necessity, nowadays. Just last year, the pandemic made it mandatory for every household to acquire a high-speed internet connection like TWC internet, in order to adapt to the “new normal,” defined by remote working, virtual classrooms, online shopping, video communication, and live TV streaming, etc.
Despite its crucial importance, internet access has remained out of the reach of many users, especially the ones with tight budgets and those who lost their jobs in 2020’s massive upheaval. However, there is a simple solution to this problem, i.e. cheap internet. What is cheap internet and is it worth investing in if you’re caught up in a cash crunch? Let’s figure it out below.
What Qualifies as Cheap Internet?
The word “cheap” often conjures negative connotations. In other words, people associate “cheap” with run-down and third-rate. That’s not true at all. Cheap internet does not mean low-grade internet. You may get download speeds as fast as 300 Mbps with some cheap internet plans. The word “cheap” here denotes the price and a cost-effective one at that.
So, cheap internet is an internet service that costs less than $30 or $50 a month at most. The usual market rate for internet services hovers around $80 to $100 a month, which a significant majority, especially those with low incomes, may find unbearable. Therefore, cheap internet rescues households at the brink of destitution, by supplying them with good enough internet speeds for a super-affordable monthly price.
Can You Get Cheap Internet For Different Connection Types?
Yes, you can get cheap internet plans for the top internet connection types in the US. Here’s a deeper insight into the availability, speeds, and monthly costs of such deals:
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line utilizes telephone lines in a community to transmit internet speeds. These copper cables are readily accessible, making DSL installation the cheapest out of all. This internet type is available in most of the geographical regions of the US, and even in rural areas to some extent.
If you live in a DSL-covered location, then you can find cheap internet plans from top DSL providers, delivering 0.8 Mbps to 100 Mbps for less than $50 per month. Keep in mind that distance matters with DSL, so only go for a cheap DSL plan if you reside close to the provider’s station.
Cable
Cable internet uses television wiring in a neighborhood to transmit internet speeds. These coaxial cables are also readily accessible, much like DSL, saving on installation costs for consumers. Cable is mostly found in urban and suburban areas in the US, and if you happen to live in such a zone, you can easily come across cheap internet plans from the best cable companies, offering download speeds from 25 Mbps to 300 Mbps for less than $50 a month. Since cable is a “shared” connection, you may experience a drop in speeds whether you subscribe to an expensive or cheap cable internet plan.
Fiber
Fiber internet leverages state-of-the-art fiber optic cables to transmit extremely fast internet speeds. One major downside of fiber internet is its $99 and above installation, since fiber infrastructures are not as common as copper ones, and have to be separately laid underground. On top, fiber internet has limited availability.
So, if you live in a fiber-connected region and can bear the initial, one-time installation and activation cost, then you can surely find cheaper plans from fiber providers, delivering up to 500 Mbps speed for $50 a month, extra fees excluded. Other than that, fiber may not be the cheapest option out there for average households.
We are not mentioning satellite and cellular internet here because those internet types offer up to 50 Mbps speed at most for $50 per month, and even that is riddled with lower data caps, which is entirely inconvenient.
Should You Buy Cheap Internet?
Single-user households are at a loss when searching for the right internet plans, speeds, and prices. Their internet requirements are generally minimaland they don’t need a connection that gives them too much bandwidth and too much speed. This is where cheap internet comes to the rescue. For less than $50 a month, cheap internet can provide you the most suitable network speed that can support:
- One to two connected devices at a time
- Music streaming (up to 320 Kbps speed required)
- Web browsing, social media surfing, and emailing (1 Mbps speed required)
- Online gaming (3 to 6 Mbps speed required)
- Video conferencing (3 to 6 Mbps speed required)
- Online video streaming (3 Mbps speed required for SD, 5 Mbps speed required for HD, & 25 Mbps speed required for 4K resolution)
Thus, with cheap internet, you can get an amazing web experience while paying affordably for the service.
Note: Speeds may drop based on the connection type. Plans may have a fixed data cap. Cheap internet may not support a household of multiple internet users. Rates may skyrocket with time.
Consider all these factors before you sign up for a cheap internet plan.
The Final Verdict
Whether or not you should invest in a cheap internet service depends on your unique circumstances. If you live in a well-connected area with lots of internet options and giant ISPs offering diverse plans, and if you only need internet access on a single device for basic online activities, then you should give cheap internet a shot. It will prevent you from dealing with higher connectivity costs and help you save up on your monthly internet bills.
On the other hand, if you live in a large household of multiple active web users and need a dedicated, long-term network line, then cheap internet may not be right for you. So, evaluate your requirements and circumstances before subscribing to a cheap internet deal.
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