There are now three main ways to get television at home: a traditional cable or satellite package, an on-demand streaming service such as Netflix, and IPTV. They overlap, but each is built around a different way of watching. Here is how they compare.

At a glance

Cable and satellite

Strengths: very reliable, no dependence on your broadband speed, and familiar to everyone in the house.

Weaknesses: usually the most expensive option once equipment rental and package add-ons are included, tied to one address, and often sold on long contracts.

Netflix-style streaming

Strengths: polished apps, original series and films, easy to start and stop month by month.

Weaknesses: little or no live television, and content is split between many services, so households often end up paying for several at once.

IPTV

Strengths: live channels and on-demand content in one place, a programme guide like cable, no installation, and it works on devices you already own, at home or away.

Weaknesses: quality depends on your internet connection, there is a short setup step when you first install a player app, and services vary a lot, so it pays to choose a provider with responsive support and a clear refund policy.

Which should you choose?

• You mostly watch series and films on your own schedule: an on-demand streaming service covers it.
• You want live channels and a guide without a long contract or a box: IPTV is the closest match.
• Your internet is slow or unreliable: cable or satellite will be more dependable until that changes.
• Your household watches a bit of everything: many people pair one on-demand service with IPTV for live TV.

Try before you commit

The simplest way to decide is to test on your own devices and connection. Start with a short plan, see how it performs in the evening when your network is busiest, and extend if you are happy. View our plans and pricing, or ask us a question.