The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Share Your Badassity => Topic started by: jim555 on August 09, 2017, 04:53:28 PM
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I have had internet for several years with the same company. They keep calling me to bump up the speed for $5 to $10 a month more. I always tell them no.
The latest bill has a new $5+tax a month charge for modem rental.
Today I bought my own cable modem and replaced the one I was "renting". It should pay for itself in 1 year 3 months.
Tomorrow I return their modem.
What will they think of next to try to bump up the bills?
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They'll just plain raise the rate. We've owned our modem for years, but our rate just went up $7/month "just because".
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I have had internet for several years with the same company. They keep calling me to bump up the speed for $5 to $10 a month more. I always tell them no.
The latest bill has a new $5+tax a month charge for modem rental.
Today I bought my own cable modem and replaced the one I was "renting". It should pay for itself in 1 year 3 months.
Tomorrow I return their modem.
What will they think of next to try to bump up the bills?
Some cable company exec somewhere probably has a 150ft yacht named 'rent that modem' for the idea of charging $10 a month (what a certain major cable provider charges) to rent a device that easily has a ~5 year life span and only costs about $50 (for the ISP).
After 5 months, it's pure gravy for them. Oh, and most ISPs these days try to scam you out paying them for the "honor" of providing free infrastructure for them by making your modem/router/wifi combo accessible to other ISP customers.
My previous cable modem (Moto Surfboard DOCSIS 1) lasted almost 15 years. It capped out at 30Mbit, but I never had more than 25Mbit so it was just dandy. Only now that we wanted more than 30 did we upgrade to a DOCSIS3 that caps out at something like 700Mbit and cost $70. It will probably be another 10-15 years before there is even the remotest of reasons to want more than 800Mbit for home internet.
Do not, under any circumstance, rent a modem from your ISP.
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Do not, under any circumstance, rent a modem from your ISP.
I move every two years. Buying the modem outright has always paid for itself vs leasing after 10 months.
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I took back the modem today. They are giving me the hard sell again to bump up my speed. They must get a commission or something.
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We just bought a modem to stop the $10 monthly "rental" fee too. But there was no choice to not purchase an "installation package" which was $15 for self-install, or starting at $89 for them to do it. So I chose $15, and didn't use a single thing that came in that box. What a rip off! But no more rental fees, and I downgraded my internet speed at the same time. I'm happy to add that $45/month to our Vanguard deposits.
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We just bought a modem to stop the $10 monthly "rental" fee too. But there was no choice to not purchase an "installation package" which was $15 for self-install, or starting at $89 for them to do it. So I chose $15, and didn't use a single thing that came in that box. What a rip off! But no more rental fees, and I downgraded my internet speed at the same time. I'm happy to add that $45/month to our Vanguard deposits.
Went through this a few months back with the Comcast Clown Committee. They Fedex overnighted a package of worthless junk, and zero instructions, as a "self-install kit". Could of been a brick, or foam peanuts in the box, for all it mattered. I bought a modem on Amazon, plugged it in, and everything worked fine.
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Some cable company exec somewhere probably has a 150ft yacht named 'rent that modem' for the idea of charging $10 a month (what a certain major cable provider charges) to rent a device that easily has a ~5 year life span and only costs about $50 (for the ISP).
I'd be shocked if any of the national ISPs paid anywhere close to $50 for a modem. With their volume, they must be getting them at-cost or very near.
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Some cable company exec somewhere probably has a 150ft yacht named 'rent that modem' for the idea of charging $10 a month (what a certain major cable provider charges) to rent a device that easily has a ~5 year life span and only costs about $50 (for the ISP).
I'd be shocked if any of the national ISPs paid anywhere close to $50 for a modem. With their volume, they must be getting them at-cost or very near.
Hell, consumer price for cable modems can be less than $50. Just gotta stay away from overpriced Motorola modems. I believe my current DOCSIS 3.0 modem (Zoom brand) cost $40 a few years ago at Walmart.
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We just bought a modem to stop the $10 monthly "rental" fee too. But there was no choice to not purchase an "installation package" which was $15 for self-install, or starting at $89 for them to do it. So I chose $15, and didn't use a single thing that came in that box. What a rip off! But no more rental fees, and I downgraded my internet speed at the same time. I'm happy to add that $45/month to our Vanguard deposits.
Went through this a few months back with the Comcast Clown Committee. They Fedex overnighted a package of worthless junk, and zero instructions, as a "self-install kit". Could of been a brick, or foam peanuts in the box, for all it mattered. I bought a modem on Amazon, plugged it in, and everything worked fine.
Yep, you can skip the self-install kit with Comcast too. Set up my own equipment (modem/router), called to initiate service, and done. No special start-up fee, just the $19.99/mo promo rate (after they screwed up billing 5 times). House already had cable feed though.
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At 33, I'm brand new to FIRE and embarrassed by how late in the game I am. However, the forum has been a huge resource in helping me make important, tiny changes that i know will add up.
Today, I purchased a modem and router for $50 total and it will END my $10 rental fee with Xfinity.
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We just bought a modem to stop the $10 monthly "rental" fee too. But there was no choice to not purchase an "installation package" which was $15 for self-install, or starting at $89 for them to do it. So I chose $15, and didn't use a single thing that came in that box. What a rip off! But no more rental fees, and I downgraded my internet speed at the same time. I'm happy to add that $45/month to our Vanguard deposits.
Went through this a few months back with the Comcast Clown Committee. They Fedex overnighted a package of worthless junk, and zero instructions, as a "self-install kit". Could of been a brick, or foam peanuts in the box, for all it mattered. I bought a modem on Amazon, plugged it in, and everything worked fine.
Yep, you can skip the self-install kit with Comcast too. Set up my own equipment (modem/router), called to initiate service, and done. No special start-up fee, just the $19.99/mo promo rate (after they screwed up billing 5 times). House already had cable feed though.
That's region specific though. Here in Seattle, there was a $15 connection fee for me telling them to open the internet pipes over the phone. And the promo rate is $39.
Fuck Comcast.
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I took back the modem today. They are giving me the hard sell again to bump up my speed. They must get a commission or something.
Keep that reciept for return of the modem.
When you stop service you may need to prove that you returned it.
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I took back the modem today. They are giving me the hard sell again to bump up my speed. They must get a commission or something.
Keep that reciept for return of the modem.
When you stop service you may need to prove that you returned it.
I had to insist on a printed receipt. She is like "oh it is on our system" and I am like "don't care I need a printed receipt".
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So - I was headed down this path this weekend and it ended poorly.
I went to Costco and bought their Cable Modem option that said it was compatible with Comcast. Who Hoo!
When I called to have them turn it on for me, they sent me to a loyalty person to discuss...odd.. Well I'm in a triple play (tv / net/ phone) - and the modem I bought didn't have a phone jack on the back. So - if I wanted to use this modem I had to change to a double play package, which would increase my bill by $20 instead of decreasing by $10. Epic fail.
The modem from Costco was $90. I looked up compatible modems with the phone option on the back, and they all cost $229 or higher. To me, that didn't seem like a good option. it would be almost 2 years before I break even.
Thoughts?
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I did this. Two months later my modem was ruined (power surge through the cable - I didn't even know that could happen. The consensus came after spending hours on the phone with the cable company and the modem manufacturer. I hate that sort of stuff, so it was painful). Consider getting a surge protector for the coax cable.
I was so annoyed I went back to renting. I'm sure I should reconsider this, though.
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So - I was headed down this path this weekend and it ended poorly.
I went to Costco and bought their Cable Modem option that said it was compatible with Comcast. Who Hoo!
When I called to have them turn it on for me, they sent me to a loyalty person to discuss...odd.. Well I'm in a triple play (tv / net/ phone) - and the modem I bought didn't have a phone jack on the back. So - if I wanted to use this modem I had to change to a double play package, which would increase my bill by $20 instead of decreasing by $10. Epic fail.
The modem from Costco was $90. I looked up compatible modems with the phone option on the back, and they all cost $229 or higher. To me, that didn't seem like a good option. it would be almost 2 years before I break even.
Thoughts?
Shop around more. Here's a $140 eMTA cable modem (comcast internet and voice supported)
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/arris-surfboard-docsis-3-0-cable-modem-black/5839004.p?skuId=5839004
You can also see if you can find a eMTA adapter that you can just plug into your existing router. VOIP adapters exist, but I'm not sure about eMTA. Don't rent one from comcast though =)
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Another thing to avoid: Combination devices (modem+router). Always, always buy discrete modems and routers. Why?
1.) You'll have a larger selection of routers, for cheaper prices.
2.) It's cheaper to upgrade your router/wifi when better protocols come out if it's a discrete device
3.) Changing your home internet (i.e. from cable to dsl or other or visa versa) won't require buying/setting up a new router.
4.) Changing your modem (i.e. to get voice service) won't require buying/setting up a new router.
5.) More flexibility in where you place your router (important for wifi signal)
6.) Discrete devices typically perform better and last longer.
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Hi everyone,
In late 2011 I bought my own cable box to replace the one Time Warner Cable (now called Rectum) had provided me nearly 10 years ago. I took it back and the monthly rental charge went away. Nearly a year later I purchase another modem, the same model. This is my spare.
Last year I had a failure. It was the power supply. I reached in my drawer and grabbed the spare power supply and I was running again. I found this power supply being offered by a seller on eBay so I bought a spare.
My savings has been much higher than the cost of the two modems.
Over two years ago, I found out that I could get my cable tv on a Roku box connected to my internet connection. I tried it and it worked well. Soon after, I took my cable box and digital box back to them. The savings in the couple years have paid for all my Roku boxes!
I have equipment that I like better too.
My next step is to get rid of the cable tv portion. I already have my UHF aerial installed and pointed.
That is my little story.
Dave
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So - I was headed down this path this weekend and it ended poorly.
I went to Costco and bought their Cable Modem option that said it was compatible with Comcast. Who Hoo!
When I called to have them turn it on for me, they sent me to a loyalty person to discuss...odd.. Well I'm in a triple play (tv / net/ phone) - and the modem I bought didn't have a phone jack on the back. So - if I wanted to use this modem I had to change to a double play package, which would increase my bill by $20 instead of decreasing by $10. Epic fail.
The modem from Costco was $90. I looked up compatible modems with the phone option on the back, and they all cost $229 or higher. To me, that didn't seem like a good option. it would be almost 2 years before I break even.
Thoughts?
Was "keep my phone service active even if my hardware doesn't support it anymore" not an option?