Most people did not ask about the price when they signed the cable TV contract. The installer came, set up the box, and the bill became a fixture of monthly household spending — as invisible as the electricity invoice. The question they should have asked is simple: what am I actually paying, and what would an alternative cost over twelve months?
This article answers that question. Both options, without softening the numbers.
Cable TV in 2026 — what you get
Cable TV providers typically package their service as a bundle: TV channels, often broadband, and sometimes a phone line. The exact offering varies, but the structure is consistent across providers.
A contract period is almost always present. Twelve months is standard; 24 months appears when equipment is subsidised. The monthly price for a TV package alone generally falls in the range of €40–70, depending on the channel selection. Decoder or set-top-box rental commonly adds €5–10 per month on top of that. Installation or connection fees of €30–100 are not unusual when starting a new subscription.
That means you pay for access to the infrastructure, not just the channel package. You pay when you are away for three weeks. And you pay the box rental regardless of whether you use it for one hour or eight hours a day.
IPTV — what you get
IPTV delivers TV content over the internet connection you already have. No cable from the street corner, no physical decoder that belongs to the provider, and no engineer to book in.
You need a device you most likely already own: a Smart TV, Android phone or tablet, iPhone, Amazon Fire TV, or a PC. Asgard IPTV supports all of these platforms, and setup typically takes under ten minutes — the setup guide walks through each device step by step.
Pricing is prepaid and contract-free. Asgard's plans are as follows:
- Test plan (48 hours): €4
- 1 month: €15
- 3 months: €40 (~€13.33/month)
- 6 months: €70 (~€11.66/month)
- 12 months: €130 (~€10.83/month)
Every plan includes full access to live TV, sport, and on-demand content, support across multiple devices simultaneously, and 24/7 customer support. There is nothing extra for equipment, installation, or a binding period.
12-month cost comparison
The figures below are a worked example. Cable TV prices are indicative ranges for the Nordic market, not verified quotes from any single provider. Your actual cable bill will depend on your provider, package choice, and any promotional pricing.
| Cost item | Cable TV (indicative) | Asgard IPTV (12 months) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly base price (channel package) | €40–70/month | ~€10.83/month (€130 total) |
| Decoder rental / equipment | €5–10/month | €0 |
| Installation / connection fee | €30–100 (one-off) | €0 |
| Binding period | 12–24 months | None |
| Estimated total year 1 (low end) | ~€570 | ~€130 |
| Estimated total year 1 (high end) | ~€1,060 | ~€130 |
Cable prices are ranges based on publicly available pricing levels in the Nordic market, May 2026. Asgard pricing is exact and sourced directly from the operator. Always confirm the actual price with your provider before switching.
The price gap is large enough to notice. But cost alone is rarely the only thing that matters. The next section looks at what you actually trade away — and what you gain.
What you get for the money beyond price
Cable TV gives you a fixed channel selection at a fixed location. The box sits in the living room. Your access is geographically, physically, and contractually defined.
IPTV is location-independent. You can watch the same content at a hotel in Stockholm, at a cabin without cable infrastructure, or on your phone on the train — as long as you have an internet connection. For households with people spread across different rooms, multi-device support is a practical advantage over a single shared decoder. The full device compatibility list covers every supported platform in detail.
The flexibility extends to duration. Travelling for five months over winter? You buy only what you use. No cable TV invoice arrives while the flat sits empty.
Where IPTV falls short
IPTV depends entirely on your internet connection. If it is unstable, the picture drops. For HD streaming you typically need at least 10 Mbit/s; 4K requires 25 Mbit/s or more on a consistent connection. A fixed fibre or wired broadband connection is clearly preferable to a congested mobile network.
Setup requires a small amount of effort the first time. You download an app, enter your subscription credentials, and pick a channel. That is not complicated, but it is not the same as plugging in an HDMI cable and pressing a button on a remote. Asgard provides a step-by-step guide covering Smart TV, Android, iOS, and Fire TV Stick.
Content responsibility sits with you. Asgard provides hosting infrastructure. What you choose to stream through the service is your responsibility — exactly as what you download over your broadband is your responsibility. That distinction matters and is worth understanding before you subscribe.
Who fits which option
Cable TV works best for households where a fixed, simple setup in the living room matters more than price or flexibility. That typically means older users who do not want anything extra to configure, or households built around one central TV set.
IPTV fits four types of users best:
- Cost-conscious households who want to pay only for what they actually watch.
- Travellers and expats who need access to Nordic content outside Norway.
- Multi-person households with devices spread across rooms and floors.
- Anyone who already has good fibre and does not want a new binding contract.
All four groups share one thing: they pay for internet access regardless. IPTV adds TV access on top of that — without a new contract and without a fixed installation.
How to test IPTV without switching blind
The short answer: buy the test plan for €4 and run it alongside your cable subscription for 48 hours. You get the information you need without cancelling anything.
For more time, choose one month at €15. Run both services side by side for 30 days. See whether the IPTV quality holds up on your connection, whether the content covers what you actually watch, and whether you miss anything from your cable package.
After one month, you have a basis for deciding — not before. The 48-hour test plan starts at €4, and you can move to the full plan overview when you are ready for a longer subscription.