Although Sparklight doesn’t require you to sign a contract, both TV plan’s dollar-to-channel ratios are pricey compared to the competitors. Sparklight is also only available in 21 states and only in select areas. Suppose Sparklight is one of the only cable TV providers in your area. In that case, this provider is still a reliable option to enjoy staying up-to-date on the news or watching sports, lifestyle, and entertainment shows. Before you knock it, let’s dive into the details to see if this is your next provider. It’s about $2 per channel for the Economy package and almost $1 per channel for the Standard package. Sparklight has one of the biggest dollar-to-channel ratios in the industry. But if you don’t like this cable provider, you can get your money back as long as you cancel within the first 30 days of your new service. Sparklight’s 100-channel plan is still $20-$30 more expensive than other cable providers’ 100-channel TV plans, with fewer channels. If Sparklight is your only cable option, just budget accordingly for your entertainment. What sets Sparklight apart is the equipment varies from one location to another (HD TV box or TiVo). Luckily, both types of TV boxes are the same price. You’ll want a DVR if you need to record the Sunday morning football game while you’re at church. Or maybe you’ll need to record 90 Day Fiancé while you’re working the night shift. Either way, you’ll get 200 hours of cloud DVR storage to record anything your heart desires. If you want your sports networks and local news stations to be up and running, you’ll have to face surcharges for those. This isn’t uncommon. According to Sparklight’s site, they’ll waive your installation fee if you enroll in the “Sparklight Easy Pay” program, which is automated payments from your bank account. (This just makes life easier, so why not?) The Standard package is the better choice if you are willing to spend more for a complete channel lineup with local, kids, movies, and sports channels. Scroll down a little further for the good stuff, up to and includeing the sports channels. For example, Xfinity TV charges $9–$15 for its premium channels, and Spectrum TV charges $6–$15. The best deal Sparklight offers is the Digital Value Pack add-on, which lets you add up to 24 premium channels for $16 a month. If you like the idea of getting Succession and Warrior in your channel lineup, by all means. Otherwise, if you order Sparklight TV, we recommend you save a few dollars by ordering HBO Max, STARZ, CINEMAX, and SHOWTIME as a standalone service through their app. The Digital Value Pack gives you extra channels, including Lifetime Movie Network, CBS Sports, NFL Network, Disney Jr., Disney XD, Big Ten Network, ESPNews, ESPNU, and POP. The Hispanic Tier includes 9–19 channels (depending on your location), such as Cine Mexicano, Fox Deportes, and NBC Universo. But these add-ons can really make your monthly bill costly, so just make sure it’s worth it. If you’re a sports fan, you were already considering the $95 per month plan. With this plan you’ll be able to watch talk shows on ESPN and FS1, as well as watch Roger Federer take on Rafael Nadal in the Opens. Sparklight’s Economy TV plan includes the following channels for some sports coverage:
ABC CBS FOX NBC
iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs Android smartphones, tablets, and TVs Windows smartphones, tablets, and TVs Roku Xbox One Xbox 360 Nook
For $15 per month, you’ll either get the choice of a TiVo DVR or Sparklight’s HD DVR, depending on where you live. Both set-top boxes can record up to 200 hours. So, go ahead and record over 60 movies or 200 TV show episodes. If you’d like to save some cash, another option is using the DVR you already have at home (or take a look at our top favorite DVRs). You’ll just have to rent Sparklight’s CableCARD for $2.95 per month. Sparklight has an excellent channel lineup and a decent number of channels to keep you entertained, but its dollar-to-channel ratio is a bit steep compared to other TV providers. So, just budget accordingly. It’s perfect for those who want to be informed about the local, national, and international news. Sparklight also has a TV package for families who’d like a wide range of channels so there’s something to watch while you’re winding down on a weeknight or for Saturday movie night. If Sparklight isn’t available in your area or doesn’t have the channel lineup you need, check out our top cable TV providers for other options. In addition to their TV options, Sparklight also provides internet services.
