Should you cancel your home internet?

It’s tempting, right? A lot of companies tempt you with “triple play” offers that combine home internet with television, phone or something else in order to keep the price down. But, eventually those offers go away. If you’re not ready to switch providers every two years, you’ll eventually pay full price. Depending on which provider you have, you could be paying $50, $75, or even more just for internet service. That’s, as the kids say, a lot of cheddar.

Do you actually use your home internet?

I know that sounds like a silly question. Everyone uses the internet. Some people use it for 5-6 hours a day continuously. It’s how we communicate, how we shop, how we get entertained. But do you use your home internet? How much time do you spend at home, connected to your Wi-Fi? It may be less than you think. If you have an unlimited data plan, you’re paying absolutely no attention to whether you’re connected or not. Your home router may be in a corner of the house that doesn’t reach everywhere, but you don’t care. And when you have friends over, do they use your Wi-Fi or do they use their own cell plans. Which leads us to the next question:

Could you make do without home internet?

Just as people have “cut the cord” from cable television, there are people who have gone to cellular-only as a way to save money. If you think you might want to be one of them, think about these questions:

Do you have good cell coverage in your home?

A lot of homes have dead spots where the cell coverage isn’t that great. We usually use Wi-Fi to cover those spots but if Wi-Fi isn’t an option then you’ll need some other way to get good cell coverage. A cellular booster system can help with that.

Do you have the right cell phone plan?

If you’re getting rid of home internet, you need a generous unlimited plan that doesn’t strangle your bandwidth or cut the quality of your videos. The great folks at Signal Connect can help explain what you need. Give them a call at 888-233-7563.

Do you need “hot spots” for some equipment?

If you’re looking at supplying internet to streaming boxes, smart TVs, or other devices like that you’ll need a hotspot to translate the cell signal into Wi-Fi. You’ll even need one if you’re trying to use a laptop since most of them don’t have cellular radios built in. Again Signal Connect can help. The number is 888-233-7563, in case you didn’t see it above.

Do you need to support other devices?

As I said, laptops usually need some sort of Wi-Fi. So do printers, in case you still have one. Take a look at all the older stuff in your home that might need Wi-Fi like eBook readers. Also look at all that smart home stuff you just put in. It needs an internet connection too. Chances are you will end up wanting to hook that hot spot up so the home can have some sort of Wi-Fi.

Is it worth cutting out home internet?

That’s a question only you can answer. Even at $3 a day, home internet is a pretty good value and it gives you the kind of access you’ve come to depend on. It may be outside your budget and that may not be anything you can control. I generally tell people that if they can at all have home internet they should, and often times there are very low speed plans at low prices that will at the very least keep you connected.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.