“Cutting the cord” is a widely used phrase to describe the process of freeing oneself from the increasingly expensive and frankly toxic relationship that many Americans find themselves in with satellite and cable companies. The most crucial step in cutting the cord is watching over-the-air (OTA) TV with an antenna.
Antennas Direct has helped millions of people cut the cord since 2003. Our dedicated Connection Crew have personally handled hundreds of calls about terrible customer service from cable and satellite companies, increasing bills, and surprise fees hidden in their subscriptions. Since we sell directly to our customers, we have a unique perspective to understand the viewpoint of people trying to receive their free, local HDTV signals. The most asked question is: How much will it cost to cut the cord?
We firmly believe no one should ever have to deal with an expensive monthly TV bill, so we’ve created a simple step-by-step guide to successfully cutting the cord for good! Use our cost calculator to estimate your monthly payment based on which streaming devices and services you would like to (or already) use. Never pay for content you can receive for free, and don’t overpay for content you never watch. And remember – a TV antenna is a one-time cost!
Here’s a brief summary of our recently updated Cord-Cutting Guide
1. What Do You Watch?
Each entertainment experience is as unique as the individual who’s watching. Before you cut the cord, make a note of all the shows you watch. Did you know? Out of the hundreds of channels you pay for in a cable/satellite subscription, the average subscriber only watches up to 17 channels – most of which are free on broadcast television with an antenna.
2. Locate Your Towers
Go to our website or use our free Antenna Point app, enter your zip code, and you’ll see the locations of the broadcast towers covering your area so you know where to be pointing your antenna for the best reception. You’ll also find a list of TV channels you can receive in your area when using the right antenna – which brings us to our next point.
3. Choose the Right Antenna
TV is free for everyone, everywhere in the country. However, if you don’t have the right antenna for your location, it is likely you won’t get all the TV channels available to you. Some things to look for when choosing the right antenna are: 1) Where your towers are, 2) How far away they are, and 3) What frequency they broadcast on. These key elements will help you choose, and with the right antenna, you’ll never waste another dime on TV.
4. Connect Your Antenna & Scan for Channels
We can never say this enough – Scan for channels! We’ve made the installation of our antennas easy. Once you’re done installing, go to your TV’s menu and scan for channels (some Smart TVs do this step for you). That’s it! You’re watching TV in Full 1080 HD that’s FREE!
5. Cancel Your Cable!
Ah, the best for last. Let your cable provider know you don’t need them anymore and cancel your subscription. Feel free to let us know on social media how it went!
If you have any questions or need guidance along the way, our Connection Crew is available 7 days a week. Happy cord-cutting!