Consumers looking to cut costs without sacrificing satisfaction for Internet, television, and telephone service should consider bundling with Verizon FiOS or AT&T (News - Alert) U-verse, says Consumer Reports.

 

Consumer Reports found Verizon FiOS (News - Alert) and AT&T U-verse "the most consistently satisfying providers" for Internet, television, and telephone services.

 

In areas where telco-delivered service is not available, a highly-rated cable company is the next-best choice for many households, Consumer Reports says.

 

According to Consumer Reports' survey, better cable companies include Cox (News - Alert), Cablevision and the smaller Bright House and Wow, which are fine alternatives to fiber-optic service providers for all three services in areas that they are available and also offer Internet and telephone services.

 

If television service is a priority and fiber-optic service isn't available, satellite service also may be a fine option, the organization says. Consumer Reports suggests opting for a bundle that includes DirecTV. It scored higher than all the major cable companies and Dish Network, the other major provider of satellite service, for TV picture, sound and channel selection. It is also offered in hybrid bundles along with DSL Internet and landline phone service from some telephone providers.

 

The Consumer Reports survey found that subscribers were very satisfied with Internet, phone and TV from the best telecom providers. However, bundling doesn't come without some problems. The survey revealed a high incidence of complaints about billing, and fees with some providers' triple-play packages. Despite its high marks overall, Verizon (News - Alert) FiOS was below average for customer service to its triple-play customers. Cable companies that bundle services had fewer customer-service problems overall.