Breaking news: Internet usage is going up.

That shouldn’t surprise anyone, thanks to the tablets, home security and other smart devices that gobble up the internet speed and bandwidth on our home WiFi networks.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, experts are anticipating a new 2020 snafu this holiday season: Shipageddon. The country’s reliance on online shopping during COVID-19 will result in a cataclysmic gift-shipping emergency. This may be the year you need to try alternative gifts. 

While you can find plenty of similarities in the range of app-based streaming TV services available, they aren’t created equally. Some excel in original programming (Netflix), while others are strong with current programming (Hulu). Others, like Disney Plus, give viewers exclusive access to specific movie franchises such as Star Wars.

Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or a movie buff, the best streaming TV experience begins with a wide-open broadband internet connection. And that’s where traditional coaxial cable drops the ball.

Fiber internet’s ability to pipe speeds up to 940 Mbps into your home is unmatched anywhere, and it’s your ticket to streaming nirvana—especially if you have a symmetrical connection. That means the speed of downloading movies and music is about the same as the speed of uploading information for gaming.

It’s official: watching TV and movies is our favorite national distraction.

More than a quarter of entertainment hours in 2018 were spent watching television shows and movies. That’s as much time as we spent with music and video games combined. Reading books and other offline activities made up the remainder of the list.

Cable and satellite TV providers have been shedding subscribers for years now as millions of cord cutters flock to streaming services, and the trend is only accelerating.

Traditional pay-TV is becoming less affordable and less of a value. On average, cable customers pay around $105 a month for their packages. Since 2000, the average bill has increased 74 percent, even after adjusting for inflation.

So, what gives?