Cable Companies: How to Choose
Choosing a cable company can be a daunting task. If you live in a rural area, you may only have access to a single cable provider, if any. But if you live in a more populated area, you’ll likely have several cable companies to choose from – in addition to other services such as satellite TV providers and IPTV. And of course, no two cable companies are alike.
If you’ve decided that Cable TV is right for you, do your research before committing to a cable provider. You may have more options than you realize.
Cable Providers in My Area
Which cable companies serve which states? See below for a brief overview of the country’s largest cable companies and their service areas, according to the national cable and telecommunications association.
Comcast
Comcast is the largest cable company in the U.S. and is found in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Xfinity is the name Comcast uses for its triple play (digital cable, cable Internet, cable phone) service. Markets include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable company in the US and provides television, Internet and phone to customers in 27 states, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Cox Communications
Cox Communications bundles television, Internet and telephone services together in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia.
Charter Communications
Charter Communications delivers cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 5.3 million customers in 29 states. It is the fourth-largest cable operator in the U.S., behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications. Major markets include Tennessee, Louisiana, New England, Alabama, Georgia, Central States, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Northwest, California, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska.
Cablevision
Cablevision is the 5th largest cable provider in the U.S. and offers high-speed Internet connections (Optimum Online), as well as digital cable (iO), and VoIP phone service (Optimum Voice). Major markets are New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Verizon
Verizon is the first major U.S. carrier to offer fiber to the home/premises technology through their FiOS service. FiOS is available in select markets, including Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Dallas, TX; Tampa, FL; Norfolk, CT; Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Richmond, VA; Fort Wayne, IN; Pittsburgh, PA; Harrisburg, PA; Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; Buffalo, NY; Syracuse, NY; Providence, RI and Boston, MA.
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks serves cable customers in Tampa Bay and Orlando, Florida; Bakersfield, California; Indianapolis, Indiana; Detroit, Michigan; and Birmingham, Alabama; along with smaller areas of Alabama and the Florida panhandle.
Suddenlink Communications
Suddenlink serves customers Digital TV, High-Definition TV, Digital Video Recorders, Video On-Demand, TV Caller ID, Phone, High-Speed Internet, Home Security and WiFi@Home. Major markets include Texas, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
Mediacom Communications
Mediacom has cable TV, Internet and phone service in 22 states. It is the largest cable company in Iowa and second largest in Illinois. Mediacom also serves areas in the Florida Gulf Coast and around Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Insight Communications
Insight Communications serves customers in the three contiguous states of Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Insight offers bundled, analog and digital video, broadband Internet and voice telephone services.
Cable ONE
Cable ONE provides cable television, telephone and high-speed Internet service in 19 U.S. states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota and Washington.
Other cable providers
• Adams CATV
• Allegiance Communications, LLC
• Allen’s TV Cable (e)
• Americable International
• Americable Intl. (5)
• Armstrong Group of Co.
• Arvig Communication Systems
• Atlantic Broadband
• Bay Cable Management
• Bay Cable Mgt., Inc. (e)
• BendBroadband
• Blue Ridge Communications
• Bresnan Communications
• Broadstripe
• Buckeye CableSystem
• Buford Media Group, LLC
• Cable America Corp
• Cable Management Associates
• Carson Communications d/b/a Rainbow Communications
• Cass Cable TV
• CommuniComm Services
• Comporium Communications
• Eagle Communications
• Galaxy Cable, Inc
• Garden Valley Telephone Company
• General Communication, Inc (GCI)
• Grande Communications
• Greene County Partners, Inc.
• Hector Communications Corp
• Inter-Mountain Cable, Inc.
• JetBroadband VA, LLC
• K2 Communications, LLC
• KLiP Interactive, LLC
• Knology Holdings
• LongView Communications
• Massillon Cable TV, Inc
• MetroCast Cablevision
• Midcontinent Communications
• Mid-Hudson Cablevision
• MidOcean Partners
• NewWave Communications
• Northland Communications Corporation
• NPG Cable
• Orange Broadband Holding Company, LLC
• Patriot Media
• Phoenix Cable Inc
• Pine Tree Cablevision
• Rapid Communications
• RCN Corporation
• Rocky Mountain Cable
• Schurz Communications, Inc
• Service Electric
• Shenandoah Cable Television
• Sjoberg’s Cable TV
• Sunflower Broadband
• Sweetwater Cable TV
• T.V. Services Inc
• Tele-Media Corporation
• US Cable Corporation
• Vista III Media LLC
• Wave Broadband
• WaveDivision Holdings, LLC
• WEHCO Video, Inc.
• WideOpenWest