The size of your monthly cable/satellite bill might have you wondering if it’s worth the price. If the thought of dropping service altogether has crossed your mind, you might be surprised to know that it’s becoming something of a movement. A recent survey showed that 12% of consumers have trimmed cable services this year, and 7% have unsubscribed entirely.

So why is your cable bill so expensive, you ask? First, there is a major lack of competition in the market. Second, content costs are on the rise. At the same time, advertising revenue is being squeezed because people are spending more time online. The net result is that cable and satellite will simply keep raising prices until they reach the point where people say no more.

So how do you lower your cable bill without missing all of those shows you love? The growth of high-speed internet has opened many doors and given rise to a class of devices that exist to bridge the gap between online video services and your television set. Most of these devices are relatively inexpensive, and easy to set up and navigate. Devices such as AppleTV, Roku, and Boxee sit next to your television and allow you to stream video from the internet straight to your living room. If your kids have an Xbox or PS3, you don’t even need a new device; both of these consoles are capable of streaming video, no set-up required.

As content producers see people moving away from buying from the middle man, a number of producers are starting to sell their product directly to consumers through the internet, and these services are starting to show up preprogrammed on these new devices.

Netflix, the largest video subscription service, has movies and most television shows covered. They have also been aggressively adding support for new devices, and now it’s even possible to watch Netflix streamed videos on everything from video game consoles to cell phones. Hulu, a joint venture of a number of broadcast networks, is expanding into this space as well. Even YouTube, which had previously focused on user defined video, is adapting to this trend, and is planning on adding support for premium and professional content.

The one thing that the cable and satellite companies have that is difficult to replace is access to live shows and sporting events. That advantage is eroding as sports leagues have been experimenting with allowing people to buy access to streaming video through their web browsers. It’s only a matter of time before they start selling their wares this way too.

Of course, you still need that fast connection to the internet to take advantage of any of this, and that bill isn’t likely to go away any time soon. But with this fast connection, your entertainment options are expanding. Cable and satellite providers don’t have a good response to this phenomena. And as unhappy as it makes those companies, it’s a good thing for consumers. Just like long distance surcharges on your phone bill, cable packages may become a thing of the past.

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