It's Moving Season Again and Consumers' Angst Runs High

It's Moving Season Again and Consumers' Angst Runs High

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, more than 40 million Americans move to a new location. They may be eager to arrive, but that doesn't mean they're looking forward to the journey -- and everything leading up to it.

According to research conducted by the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), one-fifth of those surveyed have moved within the last two years or plan to do so in the near future. And few are worry-free. Nearly 70 percent of adults admit to feeling some level of anxiety about moving and 35 percent say they "dread it completely."

"Moving is difficult. As this survey shows, it's clearly one of life's most stressful events," said Clive Pearse, moving expert and host of HGTV's Designed to Sell. "As careful planning helps sell a house, so too will preparation and organization make the move itself a much smoother endeavor."

One Way to Ease Moving Stress

In keeping with today's consumer demand for always-on communications, 80 percent of consumers say they want Internet, telephone or TV service set up first. To help make it possible, the cable industry offers a Cable Mover Hotline. The service connects the mover directly to the cable provider in the new community, making it easy to confirm installation of cable TV, phone and high-speed Internet services well in advance.

"Smart movers often order a triple-play bundle through the Hotline," adds Pearse. "Having one provider, one bill and significant cost savings further eliminates move-generated hassles." In fact, more than 40 percent of those surveyed said they consider the ease of bundled service options to be the most important factor in their decision-making process when it comes to getting connected.

Consumers have three ways to access the Cable Mover service:

-- Call the current cable provider and ask to be transferred to new
company

-- Call 866-596-0424

-- Visit www.cablemover.com

More Pain-Saving Moving Tips from Pearse

In addition to Cable Mover Hotline, Clive recommends the following ways to make a move less maddening:

-- Start Early - Don't wait until the last minute to start packing or
notifying friends and businesses that you're moving. That's how things
go wrong, and nerves get frayed.

-- Clear the Clutter - Assess what you have before moving everything to a
new location. If you don't need it, get rid of it. Many worthy
charities will be happy to take useful items off of your hands.

-- Color Code - You're going to have a bevy of boxes. Make it easy on your
moving company and yourself by color coding. Choose a different colored
sticker for the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc.

-- Consolidate for Cleaning - You're new place will be perfect, once
you've cleaned it to your satisfaction. Designate one box for all of
the cleaning supplies you'll need when you arrive.

About the Survey

The survey was conducted for CTAM by the Ketchum Global Research Network. Data were collected between June 26 and June 29, 2008 via a telephone survey of 1,006 adults living in the continental United States, The margin of error is + 3 percent.

About CTAM

CTAM, the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, is dedicated to helping the cable business grow. As a non-profit professional association, CTAM provides marketing education and networking opportunities to more than 5,500 members, through conferences, research, www.ctam.com and the CTAM Executive Management Program at the Harvard Business School. CTAM also facilitates unified, national cooperative marketing on behalf of its corporate members, such as the Cable Mover Hotline (SM), Business Services Initiative, and On Demand Consortium. Consumers can learn about cable's advanced services and see offers from their local providers at www.ThisIsCable.com(R).

Contacts:
Diana Cronan, CTAM, 703.837.6575
Stephanie Underwood, Ketchum, 214.259.3440

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: CTAM

CONTACT: Diana Cronan of CTAM, +1-703-837-6575, or Stephanie Underwood
of Ketchum, +1-214-259-3440, for CTAM

Web site: http://www.ctam.com/
http://www.cablemover.com/
http://www.thisiscable.com/

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