Spectrum TV for Seniors, Tested and Reviewed in 2024
Spectrum offers customizable cable TV packages with various HD channels, add-ons, and bundles.
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855-933-3525
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855-933-3525
Spectrum offers affordable, customizable cable TV, internet, and both home and mobile phone services. They have more HD, add-on sports, international, and premium channels than most other providers, with packages starting at $25 per month for 12 months. We appreciate how Spectrum doesn’t require contracts or have early termination fees. Customers can also choose from several add-ons that add variety to Spectrum’s already-streamlined plans.
Many members of our team have Spectrum TV®, and we’re impressed with Spectrum's TV mobile app, Apple 4K voice-activated remote (great for older ears and eyes), and excellent Internet bundles. Spectrum even made our list of the best cable TV plans for seniors.
Read on to learn about our team’s complete experience with Spectrum TV, how to get the best deal, and tips for deciding if it’s the right provider for you.
Pros About Spectrum TV
- Budget-friendly bundles
- Free HD and 160+ channels available
- Free access to Spectrum On Demand
- Free Spectrum TV App
- Spectrum Guide Narration available for those with vision loss
- Optional voice-activated Apple 4K remote
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- No contracts or early-termination fees
- Contract buyout program up to $500
Cons About Spectrum TV
- No senior discounts currently available for Spectrum TV plans
- Installation fees
- Promotional prices increase after 12 months
- Required equipment
Spectrum TV Plans and Pricing Overview
We’ve found that Spectrum’s plans offer good value for your money. Remember that the listed prices are promotional and may increase after the first 12 months, similar to most cable providers.
Standard Plans Spectrum TV packages include:
- Free HD channels
- Thousands of on-demand titles
- Stream anywhere with the Spectrum TV App or by visiting SpectrumTV.com on your PC
- Add extra channels for an additional monthly fee
| Package | TV Stream | TV Select Signature | TV Select Plus | TV Stream Latino | Mi Plan Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Promotional price* | $40 per month | $95 per month | $105 per month | $25 per month | $70 per month |
| Channels | 85+ | 150+ | 160+ | 45+ | 170+ |
*Prices increase after one year of service.
Not Interested In Spectrum TV? Check Out These Quality Alternatives
Spectrum TV is a popular choice among older adults, thanks to its budget-friendly bundles, but it’s certainly not the only quality option on the market. A few factors are worth considering when shopping for the best TV plan, including monthly rates, bundling options, available channels, and extra features. You should also double-check to see what’s available in your geographic area. Here are a few of the highest-rated TV providers we have reviewed.
Choosing a Spectrum TV Plan
Spectrum offers three standard cable TV plans: TV Select Signature, TV Select Plus, and Mi Plan Latino. They also have TV Stream and TV Stream Latino, which require a Spectrum Internet plan. Customers can bundle these plans with Spectrum TV and Voice or purchase add-on channels.
Disney+ Basic is currently included in select Spectrum TV packages. It’s critical to check rather than assume that you’ll get this added platform plus other channels owned by Disney Enterprises. Below, we’ll go over two of our favorite packages for seniors.
Spectrum TV Select Signature
Spectrum TV Select includes over 150 popular channels like HGTV, ESPN, and the History Channel. We found that the package included many popular channels and shows we enjoy. When our team tried out this plan, we could stream live content anywhere on the Spectrum TV App with free access to on-demand programming. We could even navigate our TVs using the mobile app as a remote.
During testing, we discovered that you can use the Spectrum TV mobile app as a remote and stream content to any of your devices.
Plus, there are no contracts required. At $95 per month for 12 months, it’s a bit expensive, but the selection makes up for it. This plan is a great starter package for those who want popular channels. You’ll get family-friendly channels, news, and sports channels — all in one.
If you’re a sports fanatic, we recommend upgrading to Spectrum TV Select Plus. It features 160-plus channels, including most of the same channels as the Signature plan, plus regional sports channels. This package costs $69.99 monthly for 12 months. Alternatively, you might also want to consider DIRECTV packages, which feature complete regional sports coverage, plus the NFL Sunday Ticket with some plans.
Mi Plan Latino
Starting at $70 per month for 12 months, Mi Plan Latino includes 170 channels. You’ll get all the top sports, entertainment, and family channels, from Telemundo to Cartoon Network. As a perk, this plan includes over 75 Spanish channels and 65 English channels.
Mi Plan Latino is perfect for Spanish-speaking seniors who want access to their favorite content. We appreciate that Spectrum offers this package for those who prefer watching content in Spanish. Since the plan also comes with English channels, there is still plenty to watch for guests who don’t speak Spanish.
Add-On Channels
You can customize your Spectrum TV cable package with optional sports, international, and premium channels when checking out. These extra channels and streaming subscriptions range from $5 to $29.99 per month. We’ll review the add-on channels below.
Sports View
If you or your family members are hardcore sports enthusiasts, we recommend purchasing the add-on Sports View channels, starting at $10 per month. It includes 20-plus extra sports channels, such as NFL RedZone and MLB Strike Zone.
Entertainment View
Starting at $15 per month, Entertainment View features over 70 popular channels, such as OWN and the Cooking Channel. If you enjoy multiple types of content or like to channel surf, we recommend this add-on.
Latino View
Have a bilingual Spanish speaker in your household? For $15 per month, you’ll get over 70 Spanish channels with programming from Mexico, Latin America, and Spain.
Max
For those who need their daily entertainment dose or love family movie nights, a subscription to Max may be a great fit. Watch all your favorite premium shows and movies, including on-demand titles, with the Max app. You’ll find popular titles, plus premium movies (some still in theaters!) for $15 per month.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®
Cue the drama and enjoy great content from Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, featuring six premium channels of Emmy Award-winning shows, movies, and other popular titles. You can add this channel to any Spectrum plan for $10 per month.
STARZ® & STARZ ENCORE®
STARZ is a great place to start for TV enthusiasts who enjoy good storytelling and dramatic shows. You can add STARZ and STARZ ENCORE to your Spectrum TV package for $9 monthly. You’ll get access to their original series and enjoy popular titles like “Outlander.”
International: Mandarin View
If you want to broaden your entertainment horizon, we recommend purchasing international add-ons. With Mandarin View, you can get Mandarin channels starting at $9.99 per month. It’s great for those with family members who enjoy content in their mother tongue.
Spectrum has no long-term contracts, a 30-day free trial, and a contract buyout program to make your sign-up process as painless as possible.
Spectrum Equipment and DVR Rundown
Equipment
After choosing a cable TV plan, you may be asked if you want to use an HD Box or Apple TV 4K. Keep in mind that adding TV equipment to your plan is required. Here’s the lowdown.
Spectrum’s HD Boxes cost $12.50 per month. This box enables HD viewing and access to all of your channels. This equipment has a tiny footprint and blends in, though we have seen even smaller boxes with DIRECTV Stream.
It also includes a universal remote, and you can pay an additional monthly fee for cloud DVR storage. For a fee, professional Spectrum installation and support are available.
Spectrum's HD boxes are small and discrete, as seen in our tester's home.
Spectrum TV plans come with a free plug-and-play Xumo Stream Box for 6 months. Xumo is a free ad-supported streaming service. After your initial six-month period, you’ll pay $5 a month for Xumo until you reach the $60 mark. At this point, you own the box and will incur no additional charges.
If you opt for the Apple TV 4K, it includes a voice-activated remote, an excellent option if you dislike tiny buttons, have vision loss, or have dexterity issues. Simply use your voice to tell the remote what you want to watch, and it will pull it up!
You can access all your channels via the Spectrum TV App. Users can upgrade to include cloud DVR storage, which allows you to save up to 100 hours of your favorite shows and movies.
Note that you’ll be on your own for Apple TV 4K installation, so reach out to a more tech-savvy family member if that’s not your strength. You can purchase the device for $180 upfront or pay $8.99 monthly for 20 months.
Browsing content in the Spectrum TV app
Installation
Spectrum TV packages may require professional installation, which may cost a fee. We had great experiences with both DIY and professional installation. The service people who installed our service also installed the Spectrum app on our smart TVs. This added service can be vital for less techy folks. We also found it was easy to pair Spectrum devices with a variety of different remotes.
Spectrum offers a few different remotes, including the standard one featured here.
When we tried out DIY installation (which was free), the process was simple and only took a few minutes. We just plugged our equipment in and called Spectrum to activate our package.
Spectrum TV App: The Gateway to Your Favorite Entertainment
With the Spectrum TV App, you can access your entire channel lineup and up to 50,000 on-demand shows and movies on your mobile and connected devices. Those devices include smartphones, tablets, Xbox Ones, and Samsung Smart TVs.
The app allows you to create watch lists, watch live TV, stream on-demand content, set (grand-) parental controls, and even program your DVR anywhere. We found that the app was easy to navigate and made managing our accounts and content streamlined as it’s all in one place.
Spectrum's TV mobile app features up to 50,000 titles to browse, as seen on our tester's mobile app.
We’re big fans of Spectrum’s parental controls. You can easily monitor and restrict content if your grandkids visit regularly.
You can easily set parental controls in the Spectrum TV app, as seen on our tester's app.
Spectrum Bundles to Help You Save
Spectrum bundles combining TV, Internet, and/or home phone may be available, depending on your location. You may also be able to bundle mobile phone coverage. We recommend checking out these offers to save even more on your monthly bill. Spectrum bundle deals vary by address. If you live in an apartment building, set up your residence to receive Spectrum services.
When we looked into the types of available bundles, we were asked for our address. Then, they asked us to provide a telephone number so a sales rep could call us and let us know our eligible offers. Chatting with customer service allowed us to ask questions and learn about current promotions to get the best deal.
Spectrum Internet and TV bundles start at $90.98 monthly for 12 months with AutoPay. They feature download speeds up to 400 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) and no data caps (your gamer grandkids won’t be causing any overage charges). Just remember, these prices and availability will vary.
Below is a look at one of our favorite bundles for older adults.
TV SELECT SIGNATURE + INTERNET ULTRA + VOICE
We’d recommend this bundle if you’re looking for a comprehensive package with TV, Internet, and home phone service. You’ll get over 125 channels and download speeds up to 500 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary), plus 28 calling features for your home phone. As a perk, you can enjoy free on-demand access in HD. You’ll also receive a free modem. The voice plan offers unlimited calling to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, plus no added fees.
Customer Service
While not the highest rated for customer service, Spectrum is well within this industry’s average.1 All in all, we’re pleased with Spectrum’s customer service. Wait times are decently short. We never waited longer than 10 minutes to speak to a rep.
All the customer service reps we’ve spoken with were kind and gave helpful advice. When we had issues with outages or experienced spotty Internet service with our bundle, Spectrum’s customer service was swift, prompt, and easily accessible through the app or by phone.
Comparing Spectrum to the Competition
It’s vital to compare Spectrum to other top providers to ensure you get the best value and package for your needs. For instance, Xfinity’s cable TV packages are worth looking into.
Xfinity, a part of Comcast, has similar bundled TV, Internet, and voice options. Unlike Spectrum, you’ll need to sign a contract to get its best deals, and it has data caps, which we’re not big fans of. Xfinity excels in speed and value, however. They also offer excellent bundles, plus home security systems, making them a one-stop shop. Read our full Xfinity TV review to learn more.
Quick Tip: Check out our cable TV buyer’s guide for tips on saving on your package, a comparison of top providers, and more.
DIRECTV is a stellar option for those who live in remote areas without cable TV or those wanting a streaming package with plenty of channels. They’re one of our top picks for movie buffs and sports fans. However, DIRECTV’s prices are much higher than Spectrum’s starting rates, and their satellite packages require two-year contracts.
>> More Comparison: DISH satellite TV review
Cox Cable TV has a more expensive starting price but offers more customizable packages than Spectrum. Since Cox is only available in around 18 states, it may or may not be an option for you. Check out our Cox cable review for the details.
The Bottom Line on Spectrum TV
From our experience, Spectrum TV offers flexibility for its packages, bundles, and pricing, making it a top choice for older adults. While it’s vital to remember equipment and service add-ons can increase your bill, eliminating contracts is a big plus.
Overall, the service hits a sweet spot for seniors looking for fair pricing and robust channels, particularly if you want to throw in an Internet plan. With various premium, sports, and international channels, Spectrum TV offers worthwhile packages for seniors and families of any size.
Watch our video below to learn more about our experience with Spectrum TV.
Our Methodology
Our senior tech experts researched and compared Spectrum cable TV plans to the plans offered by other providers. We tested Spectrum’s plans for ourselves, including performing our equipment installations and evaluating Spectrum’s professional installations. Our team also recruited older adults to provide their feedback on their experiences with Spectrum, their plans, the TV service, and the overall value they received. We included the essential details of each TV plan, plus our overall impressions of Spectrum based on our personal experience to help you decide if Spectrum is right for you. Some of the most important factors we considered included:
- Price and value
- Quality of customer service
- Number and variety of channels
- Equipment and add-ons
FAQs About Spectrum TV
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Does Spectrum charge for professional installation?
Spectrum may charge $49.99 or more for installation, depending on your area.
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How much will my bill go up after the promotional period has ended?
You can expect your TV bill to increase by approximately $30 per month at the end of the promotional period.
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Are there options for customers with vision or hearing impairment?
Yes. Spectrum Guide Narration is available to customers with a Spectrum receiver. It recites onscreen text and provides audible guidance for easy access to TV menus, DVR, on-demand shows and movies, and more. There are also additional features for customers with vision loss.