Utilities – What Should Move With You
It would be great if we could just pack up our utilities and similar services into a moving van, and have them just show up at the new house. That’s not going to happen. Transferring utilities, like power and water, and services like newspaper and Internet typically require notifications of vendors, possibly selection of new vendors, and then sitting at both the old and new home. But this effort can still be streamlined, and if you play your cards right, you might save a few dollars or upgrade the level of service at little or no cost. We explore some of the most common utilities and services below.
Electric and Gas
Typically, there are not too many options when it comes to power. Call your current provider and ask if they service the city that will be your home soon. If not, they should be able to provide the name and number of the power provider. In some cases, you may also be able to simply assume the account from the seller. This is especially handy if you wish that the power never goes out – for example, if there is a swimming pool that requires maintenance.
Telephone and Internet
A lot has probably changed since the last time you set up telephone service. The world of telephone, internet, and television has converged. There’s lots more competition now, and that’s a good thing for you. And the best thing is that you get to keep your number (assuming your move is local enough).
There are several carriers that now offer local phone service and internet access. Additionally, many offer television services as well, which is covered in our next section. In fact, those very same cable companies now offer telephone service as well.
There is a new telephone technology that you may not yet have heard of – Voice over IP, or VOIP for short. The acronym IP stands for Internet Protocol. Put it all together, it means that your voice calls can now travel over the same Internet connection that you use to send email and read news.
There’s just as much competition on the internet front, as companies scramble to offer internet access at varying speeds and prices. Before you proceed, you might consider what connection speed is best suited to you. This will range from the slow dial-up to the lightning-quick broadband of DSL (standing for Digital Subscriber Line) or cable.
All-in-all, it is best to consider what services you really need, and then shop around. These companies are hungry for your business, and are ready to deal on a bundled telephone and Internet set of services.
Television, Cable and Satellite
Often television service is now also bundled with the telecom, so it’s a good thing to ask while you’re checking out your telephone service. But this area has also seen a lot of competition in recent years, notably between the cable companies and the satellite companies. Figure out what type of television service you need, including whether you want to have premium channels, like HBO and Showtime. You’ll be able to see what special offer the different vendors have, including free hardware in some cases.
Newspaper
Assuming your move is local, you’d probably want to keep the same newspaper that you currently receive. The easiest thing might be to just contact your carrier and change the address. However, many major newspapers run aggressive promotions to acquire new customers. You can often cancel your current service, and then renew at the new address, and get a special discount. Some newspapers offer the first two or three months at a fifty percent discount, for example. In some instances, you might be able to just call your carrier and request that discount. This is also much easier to do if your city has two competing papers.
After spending all that money on a home and your move, you’d probably like to start saving a few dollars. Updating your utilities and services are a great place to start. The TotalMove utility transfer service will help you automate much of this effort, and even save you a few bucks.