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J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8
Breaking Up Is Easy to Do
Living without pay TV isn't as hard as it sounds. All it takes is great internet access.
By Jaime Fink / Mimosa Networks
W
hen my partners and I launched Mimosa
Networks, we knew that new wireless broadband
would be the future of fiber-fast internet access
for homes around the globe. For years, I've predicted the
demise of traditional "linear" TV, yet every month I would
look at my $168 cable TV bill and shrug, "What other option
do I have?"
ough consumer adoption of "pure" internet services –
with no TV or phone bundles – has been slow, the writing is
most certainly on the wall. By 2030, as many as 40 percent
of U.S. households are expected to cut the cord, according to
predictions in a new report by market analyst TDG Research.
Determined to "eat my own dog food," I made it my
mission to see whether this "internet-only" industry is really
ready to cut the cord.
Researching streaming options was a bit more complicated
than I had hoped. On a positive note, there are finally lots of
streaming video options, including DIRECTV Now, Sling
TV, YouTube TV, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, and upstarts such
as fuboTV and Philo. On the downside, there are actually
so many choices that sorting through the channels and
packages to match our viewing preferences was confusing and
complicated.
In the end, no one streaming provider got it perfect. For
my family's viewing needs, we settled on DIRECTV Now,
which gave us all the major national networks and broadcasts,
as well as local and national sports programming. We also
added fuboTV's Sports Plus package, ensuring that my wife
can follow her Arizona Wildcats in the Pac 12 and I can still
follow the SF Giants and the essential NFL RedZone. With
the combination of DIRECTV Now and fuboTV, together
with Netflix and Amazon Prime, our family has even more
content than we had before, and we don't miss a show or a
game that we used to watch on our cable TV.
To put a cherry on top, by switching our cellular package
to T-Mobile ONE, I also get free streaming of fuboTV and
DIRECTV Now anywhere on my iPhone, and T-Mobile now
pays for my Netflix! Switching all my content to the Apple
TV 4K delivers the programming at 1080p HD resolution,
and of course the 4K video and the new HDR look amazing.
So how much did I save? My previous bill – formerly $196
a month, including TiVo and Netflix – is now down to just
$85, saving me a whopping $1,332 a year! Count me as a fan!
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ISP
Fortunately, this cord cutting exercise was all possible due to
my amazing independent ISP, Google Webpass, which gives
me unlimited data and great 300 Mbps+ speeds for just $46
a month.
Sadly, it may not be this easy for half the homes in the
U.S. – those that don't have access to true broadband speeds
of 25 Mbps or whose data plans may be capped by a DSL
or cable provider. is is where having real ISP competition
in the market truly matters, and new technologies to enable
fiber-fast speeds – such as Mimosa's – will be critical to
consumers in this brave new world where demand for internet
bandwidth will explode in the post-linear TV era.
e freedom to cut the cord starts with great internet
access. My advice? If you're a consumer, find a great ISP that
supports your digital demands with superfast bandwidth. If
you don't have one, now is a great time to speak up and let
the FCC know you support broadband competition, and they
should give local ISPs the access to spectrum they need to
provide great competitive services in your neighborhood.
If you're a provider, get ready for the gradual
disappearance of traditional pay-TV service, and formulate
a business strategy that will take account of this consumer
trend. Most important, recognize that you have to up your
broadband game. Consumers want great internet access, and
sooner or later, if you don't deliver it, a competitor will.
v
Jaime Fink is the chief technology officer and co-founder of
Mimosa Networks, a provider of fixed wireless solutions for
urban and rural areas.