Blog

By Jonathan Brown
•
April 15, 2025
When you’re settling into a new home, there’s enough on your plate—moving boxes, setting up utilities, figuring out the Wi-Fi password... The last thing you need is the hassle of dealing with old-school cable TV. That’s why more and more homeowners are ditching cable and switching to DirecTV Stream —a modern, flexible streaming service that gives you all the live TV you love, without the baggage of traditional cable. 📺 All the Channels You Want—No Clunky Equipment With DirecTV Stream, you get access to popular live TV channels like ESPN, HGTV, CNN, and your local networks. Best part? No satellite dish or bulky cable boxes. Just download the app on your smart TV, tablet, or streaming device, and start watching. 💸 No Contracts. No Surprises. Cable contracts can be a nightmare. With DirecTV Stream, you're free to come and go as you please. No long-term agreements, no early termination fees, and no surprises on your bill. 🌐 Watch Anytime, Anywhere Whether you're at home, on the go, or traveling, DirecTV Stream goes wherever you do. All you need is Wi-Fi and your login. It’s perfect for families with different viewing habits or anyone who loves flexibility. 🧰 Custom Packages That Fit Your Life Only watch sports? There’s a package for that. More into lifestyle and entertainment? Covered. DirecTV Stream lets you choose a plan that works for you—without paying for channels you’ll never watch. 📼 Unlimited Cloud DVR Never miss a show again. With DirecTV Stream’s cloud DVR, you can record and rewatch your favorites on your own schedule. ⚡ No Installation. No Headaches. No waiting on a technician. No drilling. No wires. Setting up DirecTV Stream is as simple as downloading an app—and at Utility Helpers, we can walk you through it as part of your move-in concierge experience. 🎯 Ditch Cable, Stream Smarter DirecTV Stream gives you the best of both worlds: live TV and on-demand entertainment, all without the headaches of cable. It's convenient, cost-effective, and easy to use—exactly what you need when you're moving into a new home. Let Us Handle It for You! At Utility Helpers , we make moving easier by helping you activate all your home services—TV, internet, electricity, security, and more. Ready to get DirecTV Stream set up? We’ve got you covered. 📞 Call us at 813-291-3600 or visit utilityhelpers.com to get started.

February 20, 2024
Looking for reliable internet speed for your new home? Utility Helpers has expertise in setting up internet service with notable providers to make your move easy. Let's begin by understanding how internet speed is measured. Internet speed is measured in either megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). Which is faster Mbps or Gbps? A higher Mbps rate equals a faster connection speed. For example 500 Mpbs is higher than 100 Mbps. When it comes in terms of Gbps (gigabit) is composed of a 1,000 Mbps (megabits). Gbps is higher than Mbps. The abbreviations Mbps and Gbps are commonly mistaken for megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB); both megabytes and gigabytes are used to measure the capacity of data storage, in example your computer's hard drive. How much internet do I need? A way to determine what internet speed is needed, first list all the things you use the internet for. How many devices are running on your network? If you are using multiple devices in your home, it is suggested to use "gig-speeds" to reduce loading times. Are you using streaming services (such as Netflix)? When using streaming service, it is suggested to take into consideration how many devices are consecutively streaming in your home network. Most clients stream from devices such as smart TV's, tablets or smart phones. Suggested speeds are 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Are you running a small business or work from home? Working from home requires a more consistent connection or speed to upload documents, send emails, use a fax machine or answer work calls (only if you have a phone that works off the internet; commonly known as Voice Over Internet Protocol or Voip). Suggested speed is 1Gbps. Does your home have a security system with cameras? Investing in a security system is one of the first things we do when buying a home. Security systems do not demand high speed internet. However, if you have cameras with your security system and they are recording 24/7, a higher speed might be required to experience minimal buffering and to avoid the cameras from missing an important event. Suggested speeds are 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Are there any gamers in your family? Surprisingly, gaming typically does not demand high speed internet bandwidth. However, a reliable FIBER connection is recommended to prevent congestion in your home network. An ideal fiber internet speed for gamers is above 300 Mbps and an ideal coaxial internet speed is at least 500Mbps to 1 Gbps. Fiber vs Coaxial Data Connection The main differences between a fiber and coaxial wire is that a fiber cable comprises of glass optical fibers and uses light to carry data, therefore it enables a fast and consistent internet speed. Meanwhile, a coaxial cable comprises of copper and uses electricity to carry data. Coaxial often times is noticeably slower than a fiber connection. One of the biggest differences comes with bandwidth symmetry; Fiber has uniform download/upload speed (i.e. 100 Mbps upload / 100 Mbps download). Whereas a coaxial connection is asymmetrical (i.e. 100 Mbps / 20 Mbps upload). To avoid any interruption in service, we recommend you contact Utility Helpers to allow our professional representatives to assist you in getting connected with the best internet provider available at your new home .

January 19, 2021
Setting up utilities can be a real hassle, especially when you are in the middle of purchasing a new home or moving to a new property. This only becomes more complicated if you are moving to a different county, state or across the country. Here are some insights that we've learned while activating utilities and home service for thousands of homeowners across the country about why we should schedule your utilities early and why it is so important to adhere to that timeline. One of the biggest questions we are asked when setting up utilities for our customer is: why do we need to set up the services so far in advance? There are several reasons why you should set-up services at least 5 days in advance. You will need services when you move into your new home, the seller might shut-off services on their move date (even though this is not recommended, it happens often). If the service is turned off, you will typically incur reconnection and/or additional service fees. It could take up to 5 days for a request to be processed. Most utility companies do not work weekends, so if you are closing late on a Friday you might not be able to request service until Monday, which could cause other issues during your move. In hot or cold temperatures you could end up with mold or broken pipes and water damage to your new home. By scheduling early we can coordinate installations that require you to be present in the same time-frame. Waiting 'til closing day to put a service request for any of the services, you might not be able to get a quick turnaround. Another issue with a last minute request is that you might need to pay an additional deposit that you haven't budgeted for.

October 23, 2020
Do Utilities require a credit check? One of the questions we are asked the most is, will the utilities credit check affect my credit score or my Mortgage? The simple answer to that question is NO!. While most utility companies require a credit check prior to setting up your services, their credit checks are a soft pull. What does soft pull credit check mean? According to *Experian, utility bills do not affect your credit because utility companies do not report on-time payments to credit bureaus. Soft inquiries don't impact your credit scores or create hard inquiries, because they aren't attached to a specific application for credit. Purchasing a new home is a very stressful process. Which is why setting up your utilities should not be. Utility Helpers is here to help your clients. Call us at 813-291-3600 to inquire about a Partneship. *https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-inquiries-from-utilities-impact-your-credit-report/#s3