Consumer Reports Says Consumers Like to Bundle

Results of a new survey released by Consumer Reports suggest consumers are pretty happy with the triple play. Among more than 20,000 individuals surveyed, 75% of those who reported subscribing to a discounted bundle of TV, Internet, and phone services said they would "definitely or probably buy that bundle of services again." While the debate rages over à la carte TV programming, it appears customers are largely content to buy multiple entertainment and communications services from a single provider. (See Pondering Prepaid Cable and Cox's $35 'TV Economy' Tier Launches Sans ESPN.) Discount pricing is a big reason for the positive outlook, and Consumer Reports notes that consumers gain more on that front when multiple providers have to compete for business in the same market. Of the service providers Consumer Reports covered, the research outlet found that the FiOS offering from Verizon Communications Inc. and services from WideOpenWest topped the customer satisfaction list, although Verizon did record more negative responses in the billing department. U-verse from AT&T Inc. and most cable companies' service offerings ranked as the next-best bundling choices. Hybrid packages of satellite TV, DSL broadband and landline phone service were among the least satisfying options. (See also Cable Competitors Top TV Satisfaction Survey.) — Mari Silbey, Special to Light Reading Cable