Main providers
- Spectrum (Charter Communications): covers Tampa Bay, Orlando, Sarasota, parts of Miami. Cable + fiber in new zones. Seasonal Hold up to 9 months.
- Xfinity (Comcast): Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, western parts. Cable + fiber. Seasonal Convenience Plan 1-9 months.
- AT&T Fiber: urban (Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville). Symmetric fiber 300/1000/2000/5000 Mbps.
- Frontier: Tampa Bay, Naples, SW FL. Mix DSL + fiber.
- Hotwire (HFC): exclusive to many large condo/HOA communities — you may not have a choice if HOA contracted.
- T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon 5G Home: wireless alternatives in well-covered 5G areas.
Seasonal hold: snowbird criterion
- Spectrum Seasonal: pause up to 9 months/yr, ~$7-12/mo during pause (instead of full rate). Activate online or phone.
- Xfinity Seasonal Convenience Plan: 1-9 months, ~$8-15/mo on pause depending on original plan.
- AT&T Fiber: not always offered, verify at signup.
- Hotwire: typically no seasonal hold (covered by HOA fee).
- For Canadians: essential to save ~$600-1,200/yr.
Cable TV vs streaming
- Cable TV bundle: $70-150/mo for TV alone, $120-200 with internet. ESPN, ABC, CBS, locals, premium.
- Streaming alternatives:
- YouTube TV: $73/mo, ~100 channels.
- Hulu + Live TV: $77/mo.
- Sling TV: $40-55/mo.
- DIRECTV Stream: $80-120/mo.
- Streaming advantage: no contract, no hardware, also accessible in Canada (with VPN or sometimes direct).
Optimal snowbird setup
- Internet: Spectrum or Xfinity with seasonal hold, or AT&T Fiber if available (fiber quality).
- TV: streaming-only (YouTube TV or Hulu) — no equipment to leave, accessible anywhere.
- Smart home: needs minimal internet running (cameras, thermostat) — keep in seasonal mode.
- Mobile hotspot as hurricane/outage backup.
- Keep a US phone number (free Google Voice or US SIM at T-Mobile / Verizon).
Formulaires officiels et pages de référence
Responsabilité du lecteur
Toujours utiliser la dernière version disponible sur le site officiel cité ci-dessous. Les seuils, taux et délais évoluent. CanadaFlorida ne se substitue pas à un professionnel licencié.
Every figure, rate, threshold, and deadline in this guide is drawn from a verifiable primary source listed at the bottom of the page. The article is updated whenever the underlying rules change, with a fresh review date stamped at the top.
Sources and references
Public sources verified as of the last review date (Florida Statutes, Florida Department of Revenue, Citizens, FEMA, DBPR).
- Federal Communications Commission — Broadband Data Maps. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- Spectrum Seasonal Plan. spectrum.com
- Xfinity Seasonal Convenience Plan. xfinity.com