Best Internet/TV Provider?

[Jade Tigress]

I have Comcast and I'm getting really annoyed. For one, they're expensive. For another, even though the wireless connection is fast, at least 4 times in the last 3 months I lose my connection. I call service, they can't reset it, so they want to set up an appointment for a service call, then hours later the problem resolves itself. I'd like to get a different service.

I'm looking for a bundle pack with digital cable and wireless internet. Is AT&T any better? What service to you find to offer the best service for the price?

Thanks.

 

[arnisador]

We have Time Warner Cable and they're expensive and, well, a cable company.

 

[jks9199]

I'm on Comcast, too, in a different state. On the internet issue -- check the splitters you're using (if any). I found out the hard way, with several service calls, and intermittent failures like that, that a splitter wasn't letting enough signal through.

I've got high def TV & DVR, and I'm curious. I've got a couple of channels that I can't record in high def, and occasionally the high def audio drops out on many channels... You running into that?

 

[Kacey]

I have Comcast and haven't had any real problems - 1 time, about 3 months after I got it, the cable internet dropped for about 5 minutes; by the time I realized what had happened and went down to the basement to reset the modem it had already repaired/reset itself - but that's the only problem I've had in the 2 or 3 years I've had it; before that I had continual problems with Earthlink's DSL, which is why I dropped it after 6 or 7 years as an earthlink customer - the dial-up had great service, the but DSL dropped, often for days or a week at a time, at least 4 or 5 times in the 18 months I had it.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I had Adelphia, now Time-Warner.
Dumped them for Internet after realizing that what I was paying for I was never getting. Plus cable is a shared net service, so if one of my neighbors was pulling down the latest Hollywood flop, I got his net scraps. Went back to DSL through Verizon. It's had it's ups and downs (3 weeks down in June were the worse) but it's faster than cabel ever was for me.

As to TV, I went with DISH Network. I got rid of Time-Warner after I came home, found my line cut and them accusing me of stealing cable (which I wasn't). The folks from Dish came out, were uber professional, and I've been a more than satisfied customer ever since.

I went from a $90 TV/Internet bill down to a $35 internet (I've got the highest speed DSL package they offer) and $25 TV bill. Plus, with DISH, they run special offers where you get kickbacks of $5, $10 and sometimes $15 a month knocking your rate down even lower. (Think mine was $10 a month for a couple months due to referalls)

 

[AceHBK]

To hold you off for awhile with Comcast you can get whatever special they are running at the time if you call and let them know. When that special ends, you have to wait 3 months before you can again switch to whatever special they are running at that time.

That should help ya bill should you choose to look around and find something else.


I have verizon for home phone $54/month and Cox for TV and cable internet at $94/month. I need to bundle it all. I was going to go with DISH Network or Direct TV but I am still not sold on it. Everyone with satellite seems to have their pictures go when it storms outside and any other type of incliment weather.

I don't...well Ill be honest i refuse to switch internet proovider. I like having cable internet and d/l speeds of 8MB/s. I despise dsl b/c verizon in my area has slower speeds and FIOS isnt currently an option.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

We got hit with some wicked wind storms over the last year. The type that encourages yu to replace that now removed roof kind. Also some wicked lightning and a few "holy ****" snow storms.

I think I had 5-15 minutes total downtime during all that. On a few occations it did go out, I just let it resync with the satalite and it was fine...took about as long as rebooting my laptop. My mother had a few more issues than me, my sister hasn't complained about hers (she's on Direct TV) and so far both my grandfather and a friend are happy with theirs.

That said, I'd check the quality report in your area as there are differences.

 

[jks9199]

A quick side note on bundling...

I strongly discourage anyone and everyone from doing away with their home landline phone. Drop to the barest minimum, no long-distance, no call-waiting, etc. level of service, but keep one landline at your home. Make sure you've got at least one phone attached to that landline that DOESN'T require the house electricity to be working, too. If you've got no juice, your cordless phone doesn't work. If you've got no electricity or the cable goes out -- your VoIP phone doesn't work. (And that's without getting into the issues of address for E911 systems... which can get really messy.) And your cell phone is much more likely to be effected by either electrical disruption killing the power to the cell towers or simple overloading than the landline system.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Thanks everyone. I think the problem with Comcast is their stupid router. It's a piece of ****. We had a linksys router before I moved out, with Comcast, and never had these problems. Unfortunately, I can't afford to buy my own router. I have a bundle package with Comcast, digital cable, phone, and cable internet. The price was better with the bundle pack for all three, even though I don't have a home phone. I know I need one, but that's gonna have to wait as well. It just seemed easier to do the bundle, but maybe I'd be better off looking into separate cable and internet services.

 

[Carol]

Comcast supplied a router? That's a new one on me. They usually supply just an MTA, which is your access point, then you provide your own router which connects to the MTA.

The MTA also provides battery backup power. In case you lose power, the MTA can provide power to your phone for about 8 hours.

 

[Kacey]

When I had earthlink, and then when I switched to Comcast, they both tried to rent me a router - and it was the exact same linksys router I went out and bought for about $60 - so it doesn't surprise me at all. They won't guarantee service unless I use "their" router - but I've never had router problems, using either service.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Is Embarq up where you are Jade? They are around here and I've heard nothing but good things about them.

 

[jks9199]

Regarding routers and modems...

I bought my own modem and router. I stopped renting a modem from Comcast; I'd spent the cost of one and then some over the course of a year. Haven't had any real problems with the modem. I've got a Linksys router, and haven't had any major problems with it, either. Except that I think I want to get a printer I can network through it, without going through my desk top computer.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Yeah, I have a router from Comcast. It's not a linksys router. The cost is covered in my bundle price, I'm not paying and extra fee although I'm sure it's built into my bundle cost.

I've never heard of Embarq. I'll do a search on it though. I'm really thinking of dumping the bundle pack and doing separate internet and cable. I just don't know who to go with, and it's a PITA to make the switch. I am just really tired of the internet going down, I call and they say it shows offline on their end so they try to reset it and can't. So, they schedule a service call, but the problem ends up resolving itself about 8-10 hours later.

Plus, I always have to "repair" the connection. It's great when it works, it's lightning quick, but it doesn't work too many times. I can handle the occasional down time, but the regularity with which this happens is annoying me now.

 

[Big Don]

AT&T is getting started rolling out it's all inclusive programming. I used to work in the CATV industry, and folks, you'd be amazed how jacked up cable providers are. They, whoever the dominant cable provider is in your area, here it is Comcast, are required, by the terms of their franchise agreement with the city/county, to have service to every new home built. The problem is, Comcast views the money they spend on New Build to be a loss. They have to provide maintenance to the customers they already have and they never quite get the balance between the two correct. Having been around the industry for a few years, and in talking to other people, this is nothing new, and won't change anytime soon.

 

[Big Don]

This article might give you some insight into why Comcast keeps charging more and more.
Comcast Founder to Be Paid After Death Yeah, for FIVE YEARS after his death. Most places quit paying you when you die.