How Spectrum Triple Play Helps You Save

by HN Porter of tech4today.net

In a normal acquisition that involves a monetary transaction, more usually means more(as in more products, more money right), however, when getting Spectrum services more usually means less.

Spectrum Triple play bundle come with a lot of benefits. In some, if not most, areas, Spectrum usually has promotions going on where you can find yourself getting the cable, internet and phone services at a cheaper price if you bundle up as compared to getting only single services.

If you add the individual prices of cable, internet and phone services together it can mount up to $99.97 per month for cable internet and phone services for the basic cable TV package. 

However, on a good day, you can get a promotional price of $89.97 per month for cable, internet and phone services for the select (basic cable TV) package. Another benefit that comes with bundling up your services is that you stand to qualify for a discount on your installation if the package you choose includes cable TV. Installation usually cost $49.99, however, if the services you order include cable TV you can get a $10 discount and you will need to pay only $39.99 for your professional installation. If you are switching from a provider that had you in a contract, a Triple play bundle (cable, internet and phone service) also gives you eligibility to have your contract early termination fee covered by Spectrum. This benefit covers up to $500 of your termination fee from your previous provider.

That doesn't even sum up all the benefits that come with your Spectrum services. Below is a list of a few of those.

Internet Service

- Internet service speeds starting at 100 Mbps

- Enough bandwidth for all your devices

- No data caps

- FREE modem

Cable TV

-The most HD channels available

-Thousands of On Demand choices

-Access to the Spectrum TV App

-Take cable TV on-the-go

Phone Services

- Unlimited local and long distance calling

- Up to 28 popular phone features

- No added fees like the phone company

Another thing worth mentioning is that all this comes with NO CONTRACT obligations.

Source: SPECTRUM

Charter Spectrum Voice: Benefits of having a home phone service

by HN Porter of tech4today.net

Spectrum Voice phone service is the digital home phone service provided by the company. It offers unlimited local and long distance talk throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. With unlimited talk, customers can make as many calls as they want without making any changes to their monthly bills. This is roughly up to 35% less than your typical phone  service company bill.

Other than giving you affordable landline phone services, the home phone line service come with other features including:

- Voicemail – Lets callers leave messages for you when you're not around, and you can check it from any phone service line.

- Call Waiting – Allows you answer calls and put people on hold while you're already on the phone service.

- Caller ID – Shows you the number and identifying info of who's calling you.

- Call Waiting with Caller ID – A combination of call waiting and caller ID that allows you to know who's calling and whether you want to interrupt your current call.

- Custom Ring – Set distinctive rings for regular callers so you always know who's calling without even having to look at the caller ID.

- Call Screening – Reject unwanted calls.

- Anonymous Call Rejection – Blocks anonymous calls, helping to weed out calls from unwanted telemarketers.

- Selective Call Acceptance – Only receive calls from approved numbers.

- Speed Dial 8 – Set one-touch dialing for up to eight people you regularly call.

- Call Forwarding

- Variable Call Forwarding – Forward all of your phone calls to any number within the US when you're away.

- Selective Call Forwarding – Choose up to 12 phone numbers whose calls will be forwarded to any phone in the US when you're away.

Spectrum Voice is a popular service, however, it is not sold as a standalone service anymore. It requires to be bundled with either internet or  cable TV or both. As a bundle, you also get to save more money as compared to buying single services.

Now you might be contemplating whether you actually really need a home phone service line, however, in a medical emergency, using a landline can save valuable seconds. Most states require phone companies to keep a dial tone on disconnected phone lines for emergency calls.

SOURCE: BUNDLEINTERNET

How to access Spectrum TV on Roku

by JE Cool of tech4today.net

Note: After creating a new Spectrum.net username, you'll need to wait 24-72 hours before you can use it to sign in to any cable TV apps. The Spectrum cable TV app will not work internationally. 

With the Spectrum cable TV app on Roku, you have access to:

- Live TV

- Guide listings

- On Demand 

 The Feature Tour

- Sign into the Spectrum cable TV app.

- Select Settings.

- Choose Support.

- Select View Tour.

Excluding 1st generation Roku, the Spectrum cable TV channel is available on all Roku players and TVs. The Spectrum TV channel is available when you subscribe to any Spectrum TV and Internet service plan. 

Ready to add the Spectrum cable TV channel? Visit the Roku channel store.

Note: Spectrum cable TV for Roku is intended for in-home use only with the internet service modem associated with your Spectrum account.

Which Channels can I Access?

- Check your subscription package.

- Channels may vary depending upon your location.

- Parental Control settings may affect the type of channels available.

- Pay-Per-View is not available at this time. 

How to Set Up Roku for the First Time

- Visit Roku.com and create a new account.

- Follow the prompts to register your Roku player or cable TV using the code provided.

- Make sure your Roku is activated and connected to the Internet service.

For further assistance, contact Roku support.

How to Add the Spectrum cable TV App to Roku:

- Make sure your Roku is connected to the Internet service and account is activated. 

- Using your Roku remote, go to the Roku Channel Store and find and install the Spectrum cable TV app.

- To use the virtual keypad, sign in using the arrow keys and the OK key on your remote. 

- Select I Agree to accept the License Agreement.

Note: You'll be automatically signed in the next time you open a Spectrum cable TV channel.

Roku Home Menu:

- Live TV

- Guide

- My Library

- On Demand

- Search

- Settings

Mini Guide:

1. Go to Live TV.

2. Press the Left key on your Roku remote.

3. Select another channel by moving the highlight up/down. 

Settings

Under the settings menu you can:

- Access Closed Captioning

- Clear On Demand history

- Clear your watch list

- Sign out

Source: SPECTRUM

How to use Spectrum TV App for Xbox One

by JE Cool of tech4today.net

The Spectrum TV app for Xbox One allows you to watch Live cable TV, browse Guide listings and view On Demand content. 

Note: You'll need to wait 24-72 hours before you can use the new username and password that you created through Spectrum.net, to sign in to any cable TV apps. Programming availability may vary based on your location and cable TV subscription. The Spectrum TV app will not work internationally.

Xbox One Controller Buttons: 

- Direction Pad or Left Stick: Helps to navigate the app (left, right, up, down).

- Y button: Opens the Search function.

- B button: Go back or return to the previous screen.

- X button: Exit menu or view program details.

- A button: Press this to make a selection.

While watching an On Demand program, the A button can display the playback controls.

Menu button: Access the menu options such as Settings or Help.

View button: Opens the Spectrum cable TV app Main Menu.

How to watch live TV:

Press the View button to view the Spectrum cable TV main menu.

- Go to Live TV > Press A > Press A again to view the program filters in the Guide > Press A to choose.

- Use the Directional Pad or Left Stick to browse available titles in the Guide.

- Press A to select a program and begin watching.

Tip: Program information will display on the bottom of your screen. Use the Left Stick or Directional Pad to view the Network Schedule or go down to return to channel listings.

How to view your Guide Options:

- Press the View button > Live TV > Press A.

- Press up or down on the Directional Pad or Left Stick until you see Guide Options.

- Use the Left Stick or Directional Pad to select from:

1. Search: Enter a person's name, sports program, movie title, etc.

2. Filters: Manage your program filters.

3. Favorites: Go to a network > Press A to add or remove it as a Favorite.

4. Sort: View available programming in order of Channel Number (#) or Network Name.

5. Settings: Turn Closed Captions and Secondary Audio On or Off and manage your Parental Controls.

- To exit Press B.

How to access My Library:

- Press the View button > My Library > Press A.

- Use the Directional Pad or Left Stick to go to a title.

- Press A to select the title or X to view additional program details.

To view available programming:

- Press the View button > On Demand > Press A > TV Shows > Press A.

- Use the Directional Pad or Left Stick to go through the available programming.

- Press A to select a series.

- Use the Directional Pad or Left Stick to view available episodes.

- Press A to select an episode and begin watching, or choose from:

1. Watchlist: Save the program to watch later.

2. Pin to Home: Save the program to the Xbox Home screen for easy access.

- To view more program details, press X.

Tip: You can press A while watching a program to display program information and playback controls. Highlight the desired function (play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, closed captioning or display mode) and then press A to select.

To view available titles:

- Press the View button > Movies > Press A.

- Use the Directional Pad or Left Stick to go through available titles.

- Press A to select a movie.

- From the program information screen, select:

1. Play or Resume to begin watching.

2. Watchlist: Save the program to watch later.

3. Pin to Home: Save the program to the Xbox Home screen for easy access.

- To view additional program details, press X.

- While watching a program you can press A to display program information and playback controls. Highlight the desired function (play, pause, rewind, fast-forward, closed captioning or display mode) and then press A to select.

To search for titles or programs:

- Press the View button > Search > Press A.

- Using the onscreen keyboard, enter a person's name, sports program, movie title, etc. in the search box. Use the following buttons on your Xbox One controller to edit your search:

1. X: Backspace.

2. Y: Clear.

3. B: Exit search and return to the previous screen.

- Go to a title using the Left Stick or Directional Pad > Press A.

To access settings:

- Press the View button > Settings > Press A.

- Choose from:

1. Help: View information about the Spectrum cable TV app.

2. Sign Out: Exit the Spectrum cable TV app.

3. Switch User: Sign in with a different username associated with your Spectrum account.

4. Closed Captions: Turn this On or Off.

5. Secondary Audio: Turn this On or Off.

6. Parental Controls: Block programs on selected networks. Parental controls set through the Spectrum TV app on Xbox One may not apply to other devices.

Source: SPECTRUM

How to use Spectrum TV App for Samsung Smart TV

by JE Cool of tech4today.net

The Spectrum cable TV app for Samsung Smart TV lets you watch Live cable TV, browse Guide listings and view On Demand content.

Note: The Spectrum TV app won’t work internationally.

Use of Samsung Smart Remote:

Compatible Remotes 

Based on the model of your Samsung Smart TV service, your Samsung Smart remote may vary. 

Visit Samsung support for a list of supported devices with Spectrum TV. 

Commonly Used Smart Remote Buttons

Use This button when watching Live cable TV, On Demand, or other programs. 

- Return/Menu: Opens the Spectrum TV service main menu and used to return to the previous screen.

- Left Arrow/Guide: Opens the Spectrum TV app Guide.

- Return (right arrow): Close the Guide and return to watching cable TV

- Directional Arrows (arrow buttons): Go up, down, left or right.

- Center Directional Pad: Press this to select items.

- Down/Info: View program details.

How to watch Live cable TV:

Press the Return/Menu button on your Smart remote to view the Spectrum TV main menu.

Go to Live cable TV and then press the Center Directional Pad.

Guide:

The Guide shows accessible cable TV postings. You can utilize the Guide to peruse programming dependent on the broadcast appointment, channel for explicit titles or spare projects to observe later. 

How to access the Guide using your remote:

- Press the Return/Menu button to view the Spectrum TV main menu.

- Go to Guide and then press the Center Directional Pad to select.

- Use the arrow buttons to browse titles.

- Press the Center Directional Pad to choose a program.

- Press the Return (right arrow) button on the remote to exit the Guide and return to the Live cable TV program you were previously watching.

On Demand

Choose from:

- Featured programming

- cable TV shows

- Movies

- Kid-friendly content

How to browse On Demand content:

- Press the Return/Menu button on your Smart remote to view the Spectrum cable TV main menu.

- Go to On Demand and press the Center Directional Pad.

- Choose from the categories:

1. Featured programming

2. Recently Watched

3. TV Shows

4. Movies

5. Kids

6. Networks

- Use the arrow buttons to go through available titles and then press the Center Directional Pad to choose a program.

- From the program info screen select Play, Resume or Start Over to begin watching.

Watching On Demand:

While watching On Demand, you can:

- Play, pause, rewind or fast forward the title.

-Press the Down Arrow to view program information.

Turn Closed Captions on or off.

Note:

Programming availability may vary based on your location and Spectrum TV service.

Key icon = titles not included in your cable TV subscription.

Padlock icon = program is blocked by Parental Controls.

How to search for content:

- Press the Return/Menu button on your Smart remote to view the Spectrum TV main menu.

- Go to Search and press the Center Directional Pad.

- Using the onscreen keyboard, enter a person's name, movie title, etc. in the search box.

- Go to a program using the arrow buttons.

- Press the Center Directional Pad to select the title and begin watching.

Settings Menu:

Manage Favorites

- Mark programs as a Favorites for easy access on the Guide.

Parental Controls:

- Instructions to view and change your Parental Control settings on SpectrumTV.com.

Support:

- See ways to contact us for help.

About

- View the version of the Spectrum TV app installed on your cable TV, Device ID, IP Address and more.

Sign Out:

Exit the Spectrum TV app.

To access the Settings menu using your remote:

- Press the Return/Menu button to view the Spectrum TV main menu.

- Go to Settings and press the Center Directional Pad.

- Use the arrow buttons to choose from the menu.

Note: Changes made to your settings on the Spectrum TV app for Samsung Smart cable TV are associated with your Spectrum account and will apply to all your devices.

Source: SPECTRUM

How to determine how much internet speed you need

by HN Porter of tech4today.net

Determining how much internet you need can be a pretty straight forward thing if you understand how the internet works. Some Internet provider like Comcast give you plenty of limited internet packages to choose from. Other internet providers such as Spectrum (which is inclusive of TimeWarner Cable, Charter and Bright House Network) have a starting speed from either 60 mbps or 100 mbps depending on the area. There a few factors to consider and unfortunately most people do not look into it and they end up paying for a high speed internet that is way beyond their usefulness. Researching how much internet is needed in your household can save you a lot of money.

Here are some factors to look into when deciding on how much speed you should get for your household;

-  The total number of Internet users in your household.

- What online activities your household engages in.

-  The bandwidth necessary for those activities.

- The number of users who will be using the Internet at the same time.

To give you a rough idea on the  average internet usage of  a 4  person household:

- Mom may use the internet for Streaming Video on Smart cable TV (4.00 Mbps) and Social Media (0.03 Mbps)

- Dad may Stream Hi-Def Movie on Smart cable TV (5.30 Mbps) and Sending Email (0.08 Mbps)

- Teen Child may use it for Streaming Music (2.00 Mbps), Playing online game (0.02 Mbps) and Audio call with other players (0.30 Mbps)

- Middle School Age Child may use the internet for Social Media (0.03 Mbps) Skype with Friends (0.30 Mbps)

- And putting into consideration other Devices such as Home Security 1 device (1.2 Mbps), Smart Phones 3 phones (3 Mbps), Kindle, or Other Tablet 3 devices (3 Mbps)

This will bring everything to a total of 19.00 Mbps

Most homes use their internet mainly for streaming and downloading. A 2-hour movie is about 2 gigabytes of data, and with 4 Mbps service it would take about an hour and 15 minutes to download. By increasing your Internet speed, you simply reduce the amount of time it takes to download the content. That same 2-hour movie would take half the time to download with an 8 Mbps connection.

Streaming is a bit different. According to Netflix, for streaming a movie, you need somewhere between .7 Mbps to 5.3 Mbps. High-quality audio and video will require more bandwidth or speed in order to stream properly. Based on Netflix calculations, for the best quality streaming Hi-Definition (HD) video, you’d need more than the basic 4 Mbps down. However, non-HD best quality streaming could be achieved with a 4 Mbps connection.

Streaming music is far less taxing on an Internet service connection as it requires about 2 Mbps for the highest quality audio.

Regarding e-mail, estimates are that an average email without attachments is about 75 kilo bits, which is 0.075 megabits, in size. An e-mail with a file attached increases by the size of the file.

Bandwidth usage estimates for online gaming are around 150 Mb / hour or about 1/20 Mbps. The real culprit is the usage for updates to the games and that can exceed 100 Mb for each update, or the audio calling services gamer use to talk to one another.

For a 2-way video call, Skype recommends 0.3 Mbps as a minimum upload and download speed.

Facebook users average about 0.03 Mbps when browsing the site, but requirements increase significantly when streaming videos from the site. Internet-connected Home Security and Automation devices use  more than 1 Mbps

Smartphones and devices like Echo, when idle use 1 Mbps each.

So before you make a choice on what Internet speed to go for, make sure you are choosing a speed that is really necessary for your usage to avoid paying extra for something you will not be using.

Source: OTELCO

Spectrum Basic Cable What to Expect

by HN Porter of tech4today.net

If you are wondering what basic cable TV is then well the simplest way to describe it is that it's, well, BASIC.  It includes your standard broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, FOX. PBS and a few other three letter named channels like ESPN, FOX News, and CNN.

For Spectrum’s Basic Service plan the  starting price about $24.00 per month,  however, the exact price differs from area to area.

The following channels are included with the Spectrum Basic cable TV service:

Spectrum Basic Cable TV Channel List

- ABC

- CBS

- C-SPAN

- C-SPAN 2

- C-SPAN 3

- CW

- EVINE

- FOX

- HSN

- Jewelry TV

- MeTV

- MOVIES!

- NBC

- PBS

- QVC

To add Expanded Basic, you’ll need to jump up to the Spectrum cable TV Select package. This includes 125+ channels and starts at $64.99 per month for 12 months.

So before you make a choice on what cable plan to go for, look into what you are getting so you don't end up paying for extra channels you don't even watch. If you are looking to save and are pretty okay with just the necessities in terms of cable, Spectrum basic cable will be the best choice to meet your needs.

SOURCE: CABLETV

What happens to New York State Spectrum customers if it kicks Spectrum out?

by JE Cool of tech4today.net

Spectrum Mobile was launched in 2018 as a hybrid Mobile Virtual Network Operators that operates by using WiFi and Verizon’s Wireless network to provide service to its subscribers.  When available, Spectrum will connect to Spectrum Wireless Hotspots for data usage.

Heres what you need to know about it:

- The service is only open to candidates who are customers with Spectrum Internet.

- If you cancel your Spectrum internet you will be required to pay an additional  $20/month for your Spectrum Mobile wireless plan.

- From the time of signing up with Spectrum Mobile, you are allowed to sign up a maximum of 2two lines under an account.

- After 30 days of signing up, you can add additional lines to reach your allowed limit of 5 lines per account.

- You are required to use Auto Pay for Spectrum Mobile.

- There are credit check requirements before finalizing the subscription.

- Customers have to buy a new Spectrum Mobile phone. 

So what Plan options do one have to choose from when it comes Spectrum Mobile. Below is a list with details of each option.

Spectrum Mobile Cell Phone Plans

1. Spectrum Mobile By The Gig

- Unlimited talk and text with 1GB of data at just $14

2. Spectrum Mobile By The Gig 2GB

- Unlimited talk and text with 2GB of data at just $28

3. Spectrum Mobile Unlimited

- Unlimited talk and text with 20GB of data at just $45

You can get your service plans and SIM cards at the Spectrum Mobile website. 

Souce: BESTMVNO

TOMSGUIDE

Spectrum Mobile: What you should know before signing up?

by HN Porter of tech4today.net

Spectrum Mobile was launched in 2018 as a hybrid Mobile Virtual Network Operators that operates by using WiFi and Verizon’s Wireless network to provide internet service to its subscribers.  When available, Spectrum will connect to Spectrum Wireless Hotspots for data usage.

Heres what you need to know about it:

- The internet service is only open to candidates who are customers with Spectrum Internet.

- If you cancel your Spectrum internet you will be required to pay an additional  $20/month for your Spectrum Mobile wireless plan.

- From the time of signing up with Spectrum Mobile, you are allowed to sign up a maximum of two lines under an account.

- After 30 days of signing up, you can add additional lines to reach your allowed limit of 5 lines per account.

- You are required to use Auto Pay for Spectrum Mobile.

- There are credit check requirements before finalizing the subscription.

- Customers have to buy a new Spectrum Mobile phone. 

So what Plan options do one have to choose from when it comes Spectrum Mobile. Below is a list with details of each option.

Spectrum Mobile Cell Phone Plans

1. Spectrum Mobile By The Gig

- Unlimited talk and text with 1GB of data at just $14

2. Spectrum Mobile By The Gig 2GB

- Unlimited talk and text with 2GB of data at just $28

3. Spectrum Mobile Unlimited

- Unlimited talk and text with 20GB of data at just $45

You can get your service plans and SIM cards at the Spectrum Mobile website. 

Souce: BESTMVNO

TOMSGUIDE

Charter Spectrum might stay in New York

by JE Cool of tech4today.net

Charter Communications got another expansion from controllers to keep working its Spectrum digital cable TV and internet service arrange in New York state without presenting a leave plan. 

Back in July to basically renounce Charter's capacity to work Spectrum after a disagreement about whether Charter was satisfying a necessity to extend its rapid web arrange over the state. 

Charter was requested to concoct a six-month leave intend to auction Spectrum to another transporter without upsetting administration. 

Since that time, Charter and staff at the Department of Public Service, the regulatory arm of the PSC, have been experiencing settlement talks, and the opposite sides have been approaching the magistrates for an expansion to fight off Charter's exit. 

A week ago, PSC Chair John Rhodes consented to another augmentation to permit settlement converses with the proceeding. 

Charter will currently have until Feb. 11 to document their half year plan. Rhodes additionally stretched out the due date for Charter to ask for a rehearing on the July vote. 

"Charter and DPS Staff state in their request for a limited extension that settlement discussions are ongoing," Rhodes wrote in a one-commissioner order approving the extension. "Given the ongoing dialogue along with the established framework for a settlement reported by the parties on November 21, 2018, which aligns with DPS Staff's principles in its October 9, 2018 letter, as well as Charter's continued obligations to comply with the Public Service Law and regulations, limited one-month extensions to file a petition for rehearing and file the six month exit plan are warranted to allow for further discussions while both sides reserve their respective legal rights."

Source: Times Union