Despite the expense, people are increasingly satisfied with cable TV
Despite the expense, people are increasingly satisfied with cable TV
Streaming is still more popular than cable overall, but traditional pay-TV methods may be gaining traction with viewers once again.
Is a cable counter-revolution on the way? New data from JD Power indicates it’s possible. The global consumer intelligence firm has released new data regarding customer satisfaction with cable and satellite versus streaming, and the data shows that viewers are starting to reevaluate cable as streaming prices rise.
Key Details:
- Notable jump: Cable and satellite have seen a jump of 18 satisfaction points year over year.
- Long way to go: Live TV streaming still holds a 99-point satisfaction advantage over cable and satellite.
- Reigning champion: YouTube TV is once again the most satisfying live TV streamer, per the data.
Per the data from JD Power, satisfaction with cable and satellite overall has increased by 18 points year over year. JD Power uses a 1,000-point scale, so while the increase isn’t monumental, it is a notable jump for a TV medium that has been declared legally dead more than once.
Traditional pay-TV’s satisfaction jump is occurring at a time when cable and satellite are much more expensive than live TV streaming, to the tune of $41 per month more on average. Live TV streaming still has a 99-point satisfaction in value for price paid per JD Power, but its satisfaction score declined by three points in 2026.
“For much of the past decade, Live TV Streaming was once positioned as the primary value alternative to traditional television,” JD Power senior director Carl Lepper said. “While streaming providers continue to deliver excellent customer experiences, satisfaction levels have remained relatively flat since 2024 and value perceptions have started to decline. Conversely, traditional TV providers have steadily improved customer satisfaction every year since 2024 by strengthening their value proposition and improving affordability perceptions. That sustained progress is helping traditional providers close a gap that once appeared much larger.”
Live TV streamers are trying to fight back against weakening value perception with multiple tactics. Streamers like DIRECTV and YouTube TV have launched genre-based channel plans with smaller channel counts and lower prices, while Sling TV now offers short-term subscription options as brief as one day. Live TV services are also bundling on-demand streaming services to try to entice value-conscious subscribers.
For the fourth year in a row, YouTube TV has taken the top spot in customer satisfaction for live TV streaming services. It scored a 643, the only streamer on the list higher than the segment average of 627. Sling TV came in just under average at 626, and Hulu + Live TV is third in satisfaction score at 622.
Click chart to expand.
Live TV streamers are still more satisfactory than cable and satellite overall, but the margins are shrinking. Streamers have to do more to prove to customers they’re a good value, and it remains to be seen if the tactics they’ve employed so far will bear long-term fruit.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.