Today’s question comes from Avery, who asks, “Doesn’t the internet always come with a TV service? Is there a way to get internet without it so I can use Tablo for my TV instead?”
Our 4th Generation Tablo is a network-connected DVR. It uses the internet to download critical updates and secure its TV guide data. Therefore, you need internet for a Tablo DVR to function. Cable internet is often bundled with a TV service but what if you only want free over-the-air TV and streaming channels? It is possible. The following discusses how.
The best place to start is right outside your front door. Many local internet providers can get you a cable connection and leave out the TV service. Usually, these are just as reliable as their larger competitors.
All that being said, even the large cable companies often have cable services without TV. If you want to explore such, we recommend speaking to a cable representative in person, as opposed to over the phone or online. Sometimes in-person representatives can get you unexpected and worthwhile bargains. Larger service providers are usually more expensive than smaller ones but you should save on not having TV bundled with your connection.
Of course, you could always go with fiber optic. It’s simply the fastest. AT&T, Frontier, Quantum Fiber and numerous others can provide it, if it’s in your area. It’s expensive but if you secure it without TV, it’ll be less so.
If you live in a 5G location, you can go beyond cable. 5G is an advanced mobile phone network that’s also excellent for internet. T-Mobile, AT&T plus many others may give you a deal on 5G cell service and internet without TV.
If you live in an out-of-the-way place, you may want to look into satellite internet. It may be more expensive and less reliable than the options mentioned above, but if you skip its TV offerings for Tablo, you may find it affordable. Of course, before considering such a solution, verify what channels are in your area and consider what kind of TV antenna you’ll need for your location. It may help to visit The Free TV Project and discover some options based on answering a few questions about your home and where you live.
Once you’ve secured your internet and have your TV antenna ready, you can then set up your Tablo. You’ll be both online and able to save money by watching excellent, free TV.
Have a question about watching TV that you’d like answered? Send us a note and you may see your question on the Tablo blog and in an upcoming issue of our newsletter, Stay Tuned!
