So many services and features come in a bundle, it's difficult to address them all. If you're moving your phone service - from phone company to cable company, for example - you can keep the same phone number. And your cable phone service should come with a battery backup that lasts for several hours so you can make calls when the power goes out.
Quality of service.
A Consumer Reports reader survey showed the best services come from Verizon's FiOS fiber-optic service, which is limited in availability but growing. Combinations of phone companies and satellite companies scored relatively well, while traditional cable companies scored worst. That doesn't mean a bundle from your cable company is a bad idea. Services were rated on value, reliability, performance and support.
The survey found that bundle subscribers were reasonably satisfied with all three of the most commonly bundled telecom services. The magazine rates individual services in its January issue.
One bill.
This is often promoted as a big advantage of bundles, but it's actually a minor one. If you pay bills automatically, which you should do to reduce expense and hassle, having one bill or three doesn't matter much. For lower-income households, a large bill for all three services at once might be more burdensome than spreading out three bills over the month.
Watch promotional periods.
Some of the best deals require a commitment of a year or two. Know what the penalty is for canceling early. Other deals include discounted or free service and equipment for a specified period.
Know the costs.
You might have to pay such startup costs as installation and activation fees. Remember that extra TV boxes might cost you more. Of course, phone and TV service come with the usual monthly fees and taxes.
When signing up, ask for three dollar figures: the first month's bill, which might include startup costs; the second month's bill, which should be a normal bill; and the bill when all the promotional periods end.
Budget counts.
If you're pinching pennies and making sacrifices, bundles probably are not for you. They offer many services you should do without if you're digging out of debt or saving toward a goal.
yourmoney@tribune.com
Gregory Karp writes for The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa.
