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How We Rank

Find out how we rank, rate, and test services and products featured on CableTV.com.

Because TV and internet stuff is important to us, we take our research and testing seriously. We base our reviews and ratings on a unique blend of hard data and qualitative analysis. Read on to see how exactly we rate and test (i.e., have fun with) the services and products featured on our site.

Customer satisfaction surveys

Every year, we collect thousands of comprehensive customer satisfaction surveys in which customers rate their TV, streaming, and internet providers. We do this because we want to know what actual customers think (what a concept) about everything from their bill to their channel lineup.

Editor’s Choice awards

Every Editor’s Choice award is determined by crunching data and debating what the numbers mean as a team of experts. We like to think that this is where our TV and internet geekiness really shines. Below, we break down what we take into account for each service we review on the site.

TV and streaming

Editor’s choice is based on pricing, number of channels, quality of channels, on-demand and original content, DVR storage, and customer satisfaction, and it’s the best overall.

Best value takes into account price per channel and channel popularity.

Cheapest is, well, the cheapest you can get—don’t overthink it, pal.

Best for sports is determined by the number of popular sports networks, simultaneous viewing, and interface experience.

Best for families looks at family-friendly live channels, on-demand content, and parental control settings.

Internet

Editor’s choice takes into account price, download speeds, upload speeds, reliability, availability, and customer satisfaction, and it’s the best overall.

Fastest goes to the provider with the fastest download speeds and lowest latency available (duh).

Best value factors in price, download speeds, and data caps.

Best in customer satisfaction is the top provider in overall satisfaction according to our annual customer satisfaction survey.

Best no-contract evaluates no-contract plans with a low cost, high customer satisfaction, usable data caps, and contract buyout plans.

Editorial star ratings

You may have noticed that we provide editorial star ratings for every service and product we review on our site. What you probably don’t know is that we use a method called attributive star ratings, which gives us a mad scientist aura. All our Young Frankenstein and Rocky Horror Picture Show love aside, attributive star ratings are quite easy to understand.

Attributive star ratings explained

Our experts rate every service and product according to four categories, then average the score to get the overall score.

Then we evaluate the scores and debate them as an editorial team, settling on a score that puts it in context with other similar services and products. Bada bing, bada boom!

Editorial star rating attributes

Bang for your buck

(way too expensive) 1 —– 2 —– 3 (okay for the price) —– 4 —– 5 (excellent for the price)

Reliability/user experience

(frequent issues) 1 —– 2 —– 3 (some issues) —– 4 —– 5 (no issues)

Features

(only essentials) 1 —– 2 —– 3 (some advanced) —– 4 —– 5 (advanced)

Customer satisfaction

(all negative) 1 —– 2 —– 3 (mixed) —– 4 —– 5 (all positive)

Hands-on testing

In addition to awards and ratings, we test many of the services and products featured on our site in order to collect qualitative data.*

This helps us flesh out what to expect from a service or product by evaluating everything from user interfaces to signal strength in real time.

*Our goal is to test every service and product, but sometimes it’s hard to get our hands on certain services because of price, availability, or location. 

We do hands-on testing on these:

  • TV services
  • Streaming services
  • Internet services
  • Streaming devices
  • Remotes
  • Modems and routers

Meet our expert editorial staff

Editorial oversight

Even though we like to have a little fun and get a little sassy (Sophia Petrillo from The Golden Girls would be proud), we feel it is our duty to be fair and ethical. 

That’s why our team of writers, editors, and compliance specialists ensure that all pricing, contract information, features, and any other relevant information is up to date.

We also fact-check claims and gut-check editorial insights so that our readers get a more complete understanding of the services and products on our site.

Related articles

Wanna know more about our site and staff? Check out our About Us page or our Media page if you’re a member of the press.

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