What is the true story? Internet service.

[Boomyal]

We are paying a small fortune for cable internet, TV and telephone. A neighbor just signed up with DirectTV for satellite TV service that is bundled with internet service over the supposedly fiberoptic phone lines by the local carrier.(CenturyLink)

Their rates, even after the introductory period are a substantial savings over what I am currently paying and they include more features such as DVR. They also bundle with Verison wireless and will save me $5.00 for each of the 3 phones that I have.

They claim higher internet speed compared to the cable company. Currently on speed tests I show that my cable is doing about 8.5 mbps for download and about 3.5 mbps for upload.

I went over to the neighbors after they changed and ran the same tests. They were showing about 16+ mbps download and only about .85 mbps on upload.

What does this all mean? Am I wise to consider changing over? Their TV picture was good even though there was a longer delay in switching channels and the channel numbers were all different than what you see in the local TV guide and what we were able to use with the cable.

Interesting to note, I just saw a billboard by Comcast Cable that said not to be fooled by internet speeds claimed by 'competitors'.

Who's to know? All I know is that it is a crime to have to pay what we do for our current service and we do not even have any movie channels, just what they call 'expanded basic' service.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

If you are using Netflix or some other streaming video service, you may notice the quality going from 8.5mbs up to 16 mbps but the true question would be how often either of you actually get that kind of speed as a lot of the bandwidth you actually get may come down to your local bandwidth congestion with your neighborhood. Should always check bandwidth at the same time of day during peak times which is probably around 7-8PM.

Also, internet speed test results have to be taken with a grain of salt. ISPs are notorious for allowing full bandwidth be allotted in accessing these sites so that your download speed from a speed test site could be completely different than downloading from Netflix for example.

If you aren't using a video streaming service, you can get away with far less bandwidth that you even have now.

As fas as Dircetv goes, that is the service I use and I love it. Not sure what model DVR or receiver that your neighbor received with their service but it is very possible that they received older models that are not as fast as newer ones.

Upload speeds are not as critical unless you are uploading files to servers or sending emails with large attachments. The average internet user doesn't upload much.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

My dsl is $15 a month

 

[JRJ]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

Hope you find a deal Boom. We are paying $167mo for TV and internet, which seems a bit much.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

Hope you find a deal Boom. We are paying $167mo for TV and internet, which seems a bit much.

We are paying $174.95 which includes Expanded Basic TV (no Movie Ch's) one full service telephone, one fax line and the internet. I wanted to add a DVR and the price would have gone up to $190.00/mo.

I could be driving some new little compact car for that much per month!

You getting the start of some summer weather down there by the big lake?

 

[tswiczko]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

Hope you find a deal Boom. We are paying $167mo for TV and internet, which seems a bit much.

about $25 a month for basic cable and another $10 for for internet. For another $10 I could upgrade to 20mbps but I don't think it would change my upload speed.

have run a speed test several times and never had bellow 9 mbps download and 1 mbps upload

 

[JRJ]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

We had really nice weather for most of the winter, but raining currently, and the lake needs it. Guess TV is a bargain here compared to up there. We do have HBO and the others.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

We had really nice weather for most of the winter, but raining currently, and the lake needs it. Guess TV is a bargain here compared to up there. We do have HBO and the others.

Yeah, so much for the livin' being easy up here in the PNW. The weather sucks and the prices are high and that's not to mention that all the people that vote the wrong way. He**, our water bills are 25% higher up here than they were in LA where they had to build the longest man made river to deliver the water there.

I thought after last year Shasta was full up?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

You should be able to do way better with the DirecTV plan your neighbor has. Stop by Costco and see what deals they have as well since they often have an intro price for a year plus a $200 gift card. Also, if you tell them you were referred by your neighbor, he will get $10 credit for 10 months.

 

[JRJ]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

Boom: I thought after last year Shasta was full up?

It was, as you see in my sig, but we run the water down the Sacramento River for power , the rice farmers, other farmers, salmon, and increase the flow to blow salt water out of the delta and back to San Francisco Bay
Are you coming down to the lake this year?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

if centurylink in your neck of the woods is the same as here, then I would pass.

 

[Pony]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

About a year ago I switched to DirectTV from ATT Uverse. I am very happy that I switched. I have the choice package with HBO for about $69 a month.....which includes DVR and HD on both of my set top boxes. In that years time I have only lost satellite signal twice, and they were both last summer during the same week. (couple of really nasty storms) When I signed up I had gotten all the movie channels free for 3 months and the whole season of NFL Sunday ticket. That was AWESOME, but it isn't worth the $ for me if I would have had to pay for it.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

TV, internet, and phone 2 places is about $170.00

 

[dingbat]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

We have Verizon FIOS bundled. Internet (25mbps -25mbps) "wired" phone, cable with HD package and 2 DVR for $131.50 per month.

Prior to FIOS we had Direct TV from the early 90's. We got DirectWay when it came out and kept it until Comcast became available in the area. I have no complaints about DTV except we had to move the dish every couple of years as the trees got bigger.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

if centurylink in your neck of the woods is the same as here, then I would pass.

Direct TV does bundle with Century Link. Century Link apparently just bought out Qwest which was the old US West. What's your beef with them? It's been a few years since I had any land line provider experience.

 

[oops!]

Re: What is the true story? Internet service.

We are paying $174.95 which includes Expanded Basic TV (no Movie Ch's) one full service telephone, one fax line and the internet.

thats two thousand bux a year !!!!!!!

i really think the prices of cable and internet are stupid.

we are paying 75 bux a month for tv, net, and a shared phone line (with the tennant down stairs) we all use cellphones (pay as you go at any where between 10 bux a month for text only or 50 bux a month unlimited incoming talk and text.