Is it worth canceling cable TV? Discover streaming alternatives

Just the thought of calling the operator and asking for cancel cable TV It's already disheartening, isn't it? But know that nowadays it is possible to cancel the subscription without the headache of a few years ago. With the popularization of streaming, subscriptions tailored to your taste — and pocket — can be much more worthwhile.

What are streaming services?

But before making the decision, it is necessary to assess whether it is really worth canceling cable TV and changing the service for one or more streaming. Initially, it is important to know what your priorities are and how much you are willing to pay.

Although most services streaming available in Brazil are focused on movies and series, there are also some with programming of open, closed and sports live TV channels. Shall we check out the services?

Netflix

A Netflix is the most popular service streaming in Brazil and the one with the greatest variety. With a large number of original series and films, the darling of the Brazilian public also has a very rich catalog of productions from around the world, including the hits The House of Paper, from Spain and the hit Round 6, from South Korea. There are also award-winning films, Brazilian productions and a wide choice of reality shows. Another factor that facilitates access to the service is the optimization of the streaming, very accessible for any platform, be it PC, smart TVs, consoles and even by cell phone.

Prices, on the other hand, are the main problem for subscribing to the service. Currently the basic plan, which offers 1 screen and SD resolution (480p) costs R $ 25,90 per month. The standard plan, which offers 2 screens and Full HD resolution (1080p) is R $ 39,90 per month. The premium plan, with 4 screens and 4K resolution (2160p), costs R $ 55,90 per month.

Prime Video

One of the options most criticized by users, but it has some positive points that go beyond the streaming. O Prime Video is part of the Amazon Prime package, which includes free shipping unlimited on products with the Prime seal, Prime Music, streaming of Amazon Music; O Prime reading, a library of free eBooks and magazines; and Twitch Prime, the premium experience of the Twitch platform, aimed at streaming live games.

All services are costing a subscription to $ 9,90 monthly. The platform also offers a 30-day free trial. The negative points are in the navigability, difficulty to follow the seasons due to the layout of the site/application and in the library itself, which although it has good films, especially classics, lacks great originals, as was the success of Fleabag e The Boys, until then the platform's only major public and critical hits.

Disney +

O streaming da Disney it has three great flagships: the company's own historical library, classics and major franchises; the second is the Marvel Studios, which, in addition to the film collection, also shows new productions by Casa das Ideias, including new series such as Wandavision e Loki; and the third is the universe Star Wars, with rich content, with movies, series, animations and documentaries.

In addition to, of course, also releasing new original content, such as The Mandalorian and the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi solo series. The monthly fee for streaming is $ 27,90 monthly. There is also the possibility of making an annual plan of R$ 279,90/year (equal to R$23,32 per month).

Star +

Belonging to the Disney group, the Star + seeks a different audience: those who are fans of live sports, especially international football. With transmission of all the games of the English, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese and French championships, in addition to the Copa Libertadores da América, the streaming is perfect for those who want to follow the main clubs in the world, being able to choose the game they want to watch without depending on a channel grid.

Speaking of channels, transmissions are made by channels ESPN e Fox Sports. In addition to the games, channel programming, such as traditional “round table” programs, are also broadcast live. There is programming in addition to sports, such as series and movies, but the catalog is far inferior to the competitors. The highlights are for Simpsons, Family Guy e Futurama. Star+ and Combo+ prices in Brazil are: R$ 32,90 monthly; BRL 329,90 per year; Combo+ monthly (package with Disney+ and Star+): R$45,90.

Apple TV +

That Apple is one of the great companies in the field of technology is nothing new for anyone, but within the streaming, the Apple company is not among the leaders with the Apple TV +. This does not mean that the service or catalog is bad, on the contrary, award-winning works such as Ted lasso e The Morning Show draw the attention of the public and specialized critics. On the other hand, the service, even though it costs $ 9,99 monthly, has not yet become popular with the Brazilian public.

Much is due to the confusing marketing with Apple TV, which is a set-top box which allows you to connect the television to the internet and play online content directly on the screen, similar to the most popular Chromecast and Fire TV Stick. Other than that many still believe that the service is exclusive to users of Apple devices. That said, it is important to note that being a user of an Apple device has its advantages in terms of connectivity and even free service periods after purchasing an Apple device.

HBO Max

New in the market, but already catching the public's attention, the HBO Max is already one of the most commented services, including by the Brazilian public. With titles from Warner, including films and animations from DC Comics, productions of HBO, cartoon network, in addition to original productions and all games from UEFA Champions League, the service arrives to rival Netflix.

The platform offers two subscription models. The first is Multitelas, which gives the right to five profiles, including children's profiles, with content for children, and up to three devices connected simultaneously. The content is displayed in 4K and the user can still download the movies and series to watch offline.

The other type of subscription for HBO Max in Brazil is the Mobile version. Aimed at those who consume content on smartphones and tablets, the plan allows the use of only one screen at a time and the resolution is adapted to each device. In this subscription there is also the possibility to download the contents to watch later. According to the platform, two out of three people watch products through their devices.

There are three different payment types in each of the two paid versions. For those who subscribe to Mobile mode, the monthly amount is R$19,90. If you opt for a three-month subscription, the plan costs R$54,90, lowering the monthly price to R$ 18,30. The annual package is for R$169,90, reducing the monthly fee to R$ 14,16.

balloon play

O balloon play premiered with the aim of bringing together TV Globo productions, so there is a great focus on classic soap operas. For example, The Clone, Family Ties, The Untamed, Mistress of Fate and Extreme Beast are available — new titles are added every 15 days. In addition, it is possible to watch live TV programming, in addition to accessing all TV news, auditorium and sports programs in full.

However, Globoplay is not a streaming option just focused on TV, it also has a large number of successful international productions in its catalog, such as Grey's Anatomy, Bates Motel, Prison Break, The Office and Doctor Who. Original national series as well are produced exclusively for streaming, such as Shippados, A Division and Assédio. There are also children's options and musical productions, such as shows by Luan Santana, Marília Mendonça, Sandy & Jr. and Thiaguinho.

There are several types of Globoplay plans, including additional channels from the Globo group, Premiere (Brazilian football) and Combate, but in the traditional plan, the monthly fee is R$22,90. The additional plan + live channels (which include 19 channels of variety, music, movies and more costs monthly R$49,90.

Paramount +

With the daring bet of going head-to-head with market giants Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Vídeo, Paramount + is another streaming service focused on series and movies. The strategy to stand out from the competition in Brazil is to combine the company's classic intellectual properties with a low price.

Among his main films are classic films such as The Truman Show, Almost Famous (2000), The Godfather and the series Twin Peaks, The Handmaid's Tale and PEN15. Another differential is the productions of MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Showtime.

The monthly plan for the streaming service is R$19,90 and there is no loyalty to the subscription, which can be canceled at any time. With the monthly plan, you can access up to 3 screens simultaneously and support on any platform (web, Android, iOS and Smart TV). In the annual plan, the value of the Paramount Plus subscription in the annual plan is R$200,00 and it also allows access on up to 3 screens at the same time, with support for any platform (web, Android, iOS and Smart TV).

Discovery +

Discovery + is the latest streaming service in Brazil, which belongs to the Discover group and has several original productions. Made for those who are already used to following the programming of the Discovery group's TV channels, after all, subscribing to the streaming plan can be much cheaper than maintaining a cable TV subscription.

Most Discovery+ titles are documentaries, reality shows or TV shows. Among the main titles are: Irmãos à Obra, Largados e Pelados, Fever de Ouro, Master Chef Brasil and 90 Days Fiancé.

Discovery+ can be tried for free for seven days. After this period, the monthly price of the service is R$21,90. The user can also opt for the annual package, which costs R$229,90. In the sum of the 12 months, there is a small discount on the second option offered by the company. Claro operator customers can experience streaming with all content at no additional cost.

DirecTV Go

O DirecTV Go is a platform for streaming by subscription that works by IPTV (distribution of television signal via internet). The service offers streaming of live channels, whether open or closed programming, in addition to part of the programming available on other services.

With plans from R$69,90 per month and additional packages purchased separately, DirecTV Go can serve as a middle ground between those who don't want to give up exclusive TV attractions and those who don't plan to spend on streaming such as Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, among others.

DirecTV Go can be purchased in two subscription models. The monthly, which costs R$69,90, and the annual, which comes out by R$699. Both have more than 70 live channels with movies, series, broadcast of sports championships and children's and journalistic programs.

How to cancel cable TV?

Now that you know a little more about the main platforms for streaming in Brazil and if you have decided to cancel cable TV, pay close attention to the promise step. The cancellation request can be made either on the internet or through a call, and this varies depending on the service you hire.

The most usual thing is for the subscriber to go through an attendant to confirm the cancellation. It should ask the reason and sometimes even offer advantages to the user. After all, getting a new customer is much more difficult than keeping an existing one.

Claro TV

To cancel Claro TV, NET, for example, just go to website or in the application, click on “Contact Us” and send a message asking for cancellation. However, it is important to verify that there is no shortage in the plan, which can generate a fine. Thus, it is recommended to try over the phone, which may take longer, but then you can clear all doubts immediately.

The cancellation of Claro TV can be done through the platform Minha Claro Residential. Just follow the steps below:

1. Access Minha Claro Residencial;
2. Be login with owner's email. If it is the first access, it will be necessary to make a brief registration, on the same page;
3. Click on "Customer Service” from the main menu and select “Cancellation";
4. Fill in the requested fields and confirm the submission of the cancellation form.
5. write down the protocol number opening the call.

Another way to cancel Claro's pay-TV is by contacting the operator by phone number. It is important to remember that it is necessary to have the Account holder's CPF to cancel your subscription TV.

Claro phones to cancel the TV:

• Cancel Claro TV: 106 99 (Free call)
• Exclusive link for the hearing impaired: 0800 970 2150 

Clients course free who wish to cancel the service, simply stop making top-ups on the TV. Thus, as the service does not have a fixed monthly fee, it is only necessary that you stop recharging, without having to make calls to the operator.

Live TV

Vivo cancels TV plans and its other services by telephone or through the platform My Alive. See the steps below to cancel the Vivo subscription TV.

1. Call Central da Vivo, at *8486 or by phone 103 15;
2. Inform the Account holder's CPF.
3. request the TV Vivo cancellation and follow the operator's instructions.
4. Note the protocol number.

There are also other ways to cancel Vivo TV.

1. Access the Meu Vivo platform, by application or internet browser.
2. From the main menu, select the option “My plan".
3. Then click on “Electronic Cancellation".
4. Write down the protocol number and wait for the cancellation.

It is important to remind the customer that you want cancel GVT TV, which is now part of the Vivo group, just use one of the ways described above to request the cancellation of your pay TV.

To cancel a single package or additional channel of your Vivo TV, call the Vivo Service Center 103 11 and request the suspension of the service. To request the cancellation of an additional Vivo TV point, simply call *8486 and place the order.

SKY

For the cancellation of SKY, if you have been a subscriber for less than a year, there is a fine to be paid on account of the 12-month loyalty that telecommunications service providers usually offer. According to the company itself determines, the amounts of the fine range from R$599,00 to R$1299.

To cancel works in a different way than the others. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Access  SKY website via a computer or smartphone;
2. login with your account in the subscribers area "My SKY";
3. Click on "my package/recharge";
4. Select the option “Cancellation".

Keep in mind that the value of the last invoice will be proportional to the time of use. This means that you will only pay for the days you used the plan and not the full monthly fee. It is worth remembering that the 12-month loyalty period also applies to SKY TV's postpaid plans.

Any questions about canceling the plan, SKY provides a chat so that the customer can speak directly with an authorized attendant. We'll show you how you can do this with the following steps:

1. Access  SKY website via a computer or smartphone;
2. Click on the “Help";
3. Select the plan in which you have doubts;
4. When scrolling down, click on the “Chat Online".

After waiting a few minutes, a SKY agent will start the online service via chat.

To request cancellation via call, the option is to contact the SKY Service Center. The company provides two contact numbers:

• SKY Call Center: 10611 (Toll Free);
• Customer Service for the Hearing Impaired: 0800 701 1200

prepaid SKY

Prepaid SKY is simpler because of the recharge system. This function comes down to you “recharging” your plan, just like we do with our cell phone line. Thus, the service is automatically canceled if you do not recharge the plan after the end of the stipulated period.

In other words, no calls, no queues, no tickets, no cancellation fees, no loyalty and no accessing the operator's website or talking to an attendant. If you change your mind and want to go back with the plan, don't worry, your TV or internet signal will only be disabled until you top up again.

Hi TV

As with any monthly or annual subscription TV subscription service, unsubscribing from Oi TV can be done directly from your computer, without filling out forms or calling the call center directly.

1. Access company website;
2. Then the customer must do the login in service "my hi“. If you still don't have a registration, just enter your CPF, an email and create a password;
3. On the page, select the option “cancel service” and proceed with the steps to cancel the service.

Even though the cancellation is done automatically, one of Oi TV's attendants may call you to offer you greater advantages in continuing with the company. So, it's up to you to accept it or not. At the call center, the cancellation of Oi TV must be done through the following telephone number: 106 31 (Free call).

And then, the cable TV subscription will continue, it is already subscribing to several streaming Or will you still have both? Leave your comment below!

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