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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: jeromedawg on March 30, 2015, 06:48:06 PM

Title: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: jeromedawg on March 30, 2015, 06:48:06 PM
Hey guys,

Just wanted to get your take on ISPs and "rate actions" - I just called the Cox customer retention dept to get my monthly fee lowered, except it's $4-5 more than it was for the last promo (currently $42~ where it was $38~ prior and even less than that the year or two before and this is for the lowest tier internet at 5mbps down!). The CSR explained that there is a "rate action" at least in California that causes prices to continuously increase and not just for Cox but for all providers. Is this really true? It just doesn't seem like basic cable internet should cost nearly this much but maybe I'm just not with the times...
It's pretty ridiculous the cost of internet in my area (Irvine, CA) and it's because Cox has monopolized internet service here. I think the only other option might be AT&T at this point but you still get what you pay for and it's not very good.

Just wanted to get some feedback from what others of you have done who are in "limited access" areas. I'm thinking about doing mobile data but that's expensive too. Ugh, why is all of this stuff so expensive!? (besides the fact that I live in Irvine haha)
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: Daley on March 30, 2015, 07:38:56 PM
It's a line... Cox has been slowly and steadily raising their rates in lockstep with the other carriers, and they're not really negotiating anymore while they're pushing two year contracts with only one year discounts (again, like their duopoly competition - shock). Now that people are cutting back on secondary services, they're raising internet prices to keep revenue up.

As for yourself, look into DSLExtreme (http://www.dslextreme.com/)'s Fusion Broadband or their considerably newer trueSTREAM service instead of going directly with AT&T. With Fusion (it serves Irvine), you'll be spending around $50/month after tax, but you'll get as fast as they can provide DSL and unlimited nationwide home phone service for that money. If trueSTREAM is available, you'll have solid 6-12Mbps options for between $35-40/month. Unfortunately, you're still dealing with contracts, but at least they're one year instead of two, and DSLEx hasn't been known to jack their prices around randomly on their customers.
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: jeromedawg on March 30, 2015, 10:00:16 PM
It's a line... Cox has been slowly and steadily raising their rates in lockstep with the other carriers, and they're not really negotiating anymore while they're pushing two year contracts with only one year discounts (again, like their duopoly competition - shock). Now that people are cutting back on secondary services, they're raising internet prices to keep revenue up.

As for yourself, look into DSLExtreme (http://www.dslextreme.com/)'s Fusion Broadband or their considerably newer trueSTREAM service instead of going directly with AT&T. With Fusion (it serves Irvine), you'll be spending around $50/month after tax, but you'll get as fast as they can provide DSL and unlimited nationwide home phone service for that money. If trueSTREAM is available, you'll have solid 6-12Mbps options for between $35-40/month. Unfortunately, you're still dealing with contracts, but at least they're one year instead of two, and DSLEx hasn't been known to jack their prices around randomly on their customers.

Thanks! Cox is horrible. But they're like a 'necessary' evil in my area if you want [mostly] decent service. It's horrible how they monopolize our area >:(

As far as DSL Extreme, I'll look into it. I recall looking them up before but I think they didn't always service this area. Probably in line with ATT DSL. I'd prefer not to have the Fusion w/ home phone just because I have an Obi anyway and don't want to deal with having a landline again (which will be under-utilized as well). I may just see how their Elite DSL service is if I can qualify for that. Not a fan of the slower upload speed but no big deal I guess.

Edit: Hmmm looks like I'm capped out at 2mbps with DSL Extreme's Fusion or High Speed and with trueSTREAM it's maxed out at 3mbps (and costs $28/month). That's not so great considering the 5mbps down we get now. But I suppose, again, it's you get what you pay for relative to the cost. The speeds we get here are just going to plain suck for what we have to pay. I guess it's just a matter of how much we want to pay and how much we're willing to sacrifice for speed. Whatever happened to the days of 3-5mbps down for a solid $30....ughhh
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: forummm on March 31, 2015, 10:48:11 AM
Cable companies are like car salesmen. The "price" is always negotiable. But the problem is they have either 0 or 1 competitor, and they shockingly seem to charge the same rates.
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: JLee on March 31, 2015, 10:58:37 AM
We have Cox here in Phoenix - once Google Fiber announced that they were considering Phoenix, Cox doubled their speeds and kept the rates the same....jackasses. They're running scared now. :)
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: forummm on March 31, 2015, 10:59:22 AM
We have Cox here in Phoenix - once Google Fiber announced that they were considering Phoenix, Cox doubled their speeds and kept the rates the same....jackasses. They're running scared now. :)

What a weird coincidence....
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: jeromedawg on March 31, 2015, 11:16:23 AM
Cable companies are like car salesmen. The "price" is always negotiable. But the problem is they have either 0 or 1 competitor, and they shockingly seem to charge the same rates.

Yea, I'm sure if I tell them I'm going to leave for ATT they'll be like "Ok that's fine. We still can't lower our prices because ATT is offering you 3mbps at $30, which isn't the same as what we're offering" - I suppose I could inquire about going with a lower speed with Cox but I think I may have done that previously and don't recall them saying there's anything below the plan we have. If they did it was probably something ridiculous like 1.5. Maybe I outta just do that anyway...
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: ShoulderThingThatGoesUp on March 31, 2015, 11:19:09 AM
Blame your local government, most likely. There's no good reason you can't have two cable companies - I do.
Title: Re: Cox Internet "Rate Action" and rising internet service fees
Post by: jeromedawg on March 31, 2015, 12:04:10 PM
Blame your local government, most likely. There's no good reason you can't have two cable companies - I do.

Yea, in Irvine I'm sure it has to do with their "planned development" in that they want complete control over *everything* - I guess in some ways that can be a good thing but you do end up paying more for it at the end of the day... I'm sure they have some contract negotiation with Cox for something or another that benefits the city more than it does the residents. Cox has monopolized internet here - there's no way VZW Fios is coming in (even though they have a major office in Irvine) and I wouldn't be surprised if Google Fiber never comes here either. Time Warner? Forget about it.