Author Topic: Cable & Internet  (Read 7844 times)

thor800

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Cable & Internet
« on: March 28, 2012, 09:41:56 AM »
I am in the New York / New Jersey area and imagine cable prices would be somewhat similar around the country.  Comcast & Verizon charge about $75-85$ / month for cable alone, but normally offer cable + internet (depending on speed) + phone for $100 - $150 (again depending on internet speed).

When you actually break down what level of internet is being offered; usually +/- 75 or 125 mbps (megabits per second - a download speed for bandwith) and ask about the different levels, after a while the sales people will admit that they offer a basic internet; 25 or 54 mbps.  This seems low, but I have been getting 54 mbps for over 2 years and am able to stream over 2 different computers without noticeable delays.  Also, I got away with paying $25 / month (though this rose to $35 / month after a year or so + about $2 / month to rent the modem).

Couple this $25 - $35 / month with Netflix / HuluPlus / Redbook, etc and you get all the internet and movies you could want for about $40 - $50 / month.  Much less than the initial internet they tried to sell me.  These higher speeds are only really necessary if you plan on playing bandwith hogging online games or other things which necessitate insane speeds.  For casual browsing and internet usage, it's really not necessary.

I have not missed cable and home phone once in the past 2 years I have stuck with internet only.

velocistar237

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2012, 09:44:58 AM »
Thanks for the reminder. We pay $50/month for 15 mbps. Which is ridiculous.

I either need to
1) split internet with the neighbors or
2) haggle for a better rate

TLV

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2012, 10:16:14 AM »
That's some fast internet, even at the "basic" level. Around here (Seattle area), comcast's "economy" level is 2 Mbps for $40/mo., and the next level up is 15 Mbps for $60. We usually have the economy level (can only stream on one computer at a time, and have to let it buffer occasionally) but since we just moved they gave us a 6 month promo of the faster internet for $35/mo. Honestly we haven't noticed the difference.

Daley

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2012, 10:18:15 AM »
I am in the New York / New Jersey area and imagine cable prices would be somewhat similar around the country.  Comcast & Verizon charge about $75-85$ / month for cable alone, but normally offer cable + internet (depending on speed) + phone for $100 - $150 (again depending on internet speed).

When you actually break down what level of internet is being offered; usually +/- 75 or 125 mbps (megabits per second - a download speed for bandwith) and ask about the different levels, after a while the sales people will admit that they offer a basic internet; 25 or 54 mbps.  This seems low, but I have been getting 54 mbps for over 2 years and am able to stream over 2 different computers without noticeable delays.  Also, I got away with paying $25 / month (though this rose to $35 / month after a year or so + about $2 / month to rent the modem).

Couple this $25 - $35 / month with Netflix / HuluPlus / Redbook, etc and you get all the internet and movies you could want for about $40 - $50 / month.  Much less than the initial internet they tried to sell me.  These higher speeds are only really necessary if you plan on playing bandwith hogging online games or other things which necessitate insane speeds.  For casual browsing and internet usage, it's really not necessary.

I have not missed cable and home phone once in the past 2 years I have stuck with internet only.

You're absolutely right about this, but you can even go lower still if you cut HD video streaming out of the mix and settle for NTSC grade standard definition video. Real world, you can get away with as low as 3Mbps so long as you don't stream more than one feed at a time (though you can get away with two depending on the quality). Technically speaking, even the "low end" speeds you're talking about isn't actually needed by anyone/anything but the impatient and true 720p-1080p streaming video, as gaming is impacted more by latency than throughput. I went over some of these finer (but still broader) points in my posted guide with ISP shopping.

I know the thing is huge, and long and intimidating... but I did break the information up by service topic and is well worth a thorough review as you have the time as the end product could potentially provide you with full spectrum communications for less than what many people just pay for internet or a single wireless phone plan. For example, my wife and I are running 3Mbps cable internet, two Blackberries, a home phone, a business phone, and Amazon Prime VOD for under $65 a month, and we could still get it a bit cheaper by "cutting some fat" and changing our home phone provider.

Praxis

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2012, 04:55:41 PM »
I just haggled with my ISP today and managed to get my internet (40 mbps down, 20 up) + landline phone down to $50 a month :) 

Now to eliminate the landline phone...looking to port it to Google Voice, but will have to play musical phones to get it there! (Google Voice will only port from mobile numbers, but you can port a landline to a mobile).

I use Netflix and no cable TV and couldn't be happier.

Bakari

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2012, 05:33:01 PM »
I initially looked into giving up AT&T because of their service, but I ended up saving money at the same time.

I pay $15 per month for DSL from a small local provider (Sonic.net) which is not an "introductory" rate - (well, it is, but they give you the rate forever as long as you renew a 1yr contract ea year)
http://sonic.net/sales/broadband/dsl/dsldetails.php?p=Basic
(If by chance you sign up, I wouldn't mind you mentioning the login name "lenardsimp" as your referrer ;) )

It requires a landline phone line - $15/mo for basic metered phone from AT&T (or $5 if you are low-income)

Thats for 768Kbps

I watch Hulu (even w/o plus, its as much as I care to watch) regularly and play an MMORPG (on a a 17" monitor) and I haven't found the "low" speed to be restrictive at all. 
I combine this with free OTA broadcast TV and I as much entertainment as I want (and more than I probably should) for a grant total of $30 for phone, internet, and entertainment (or $20 for low-income)

Daley

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2012, 07:02:08 PM »
It requires a landline phone line - $15/mo for basic metered phone from AT&T (or $5 if you are low-income)

Good gravy. You have to love the irregularity AT&T has in pricing basic phone service from region to region. What costs you $15/month costs others around $25+ after taxes and regulatory fees in other parts of the country for the exact same service. I'd looked into doing the same thing before just completely blackballing AT&T last year, and it was going to cost us just as much per month for anything between 768kbps-3Mbps via DSL Exteme (or Sonic.net for that matter), as we were getting billed for AT&T's 3Mbps dry loop and our Future-Nine VoIP service combined, and AT&T was only going to provide measured rate local calling for that price instead of unlimited incoming and 250 minutes/month out to US/Canada, 1¢/min after (which didn't matter as we use Google Voice). Then of course, low income phone service from AT&T in this state runs nearly $10/month after taxes, too if memory serves.

jd

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Re: Cable & Internet
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2012, 10:27:21 PM »
Not having any cable services, the local cable company regularly mails offers to me.  A couple of years ago, I got a great offer for 1 year of cable internet, so I threatened to cancel my (dry-loop) DSL service from the phone company.  The retentions department offered 5Mbps DSL for $20/month for as long as I keep the service.  I've had to call them a few times when they tried to bump up the price on me, but the only comparable offers I've seen since would require me to sign up for phone and/or TV services.

The best part is that I own shares in the phone company, and with the latest dividend increase, the dividends now completely pay for my internet.  :)