Bundled High-Speed Package?

[TonyPSchaefer]

Who has high-speed internet in Chicagoland?

Did you go with Comcast, Ameritech, someone else?
Is it part of a package?
If you don't mind saying, how much is it per month?
How's the service?
Do they rachet the prices once they've got you?

You know, all those important details.

[Wayne]

I'm a speed demon, and as such, I currently use Comcast (6 Mbps download/384Kbps upload, $42.95 advertised (for cable customers), $45.95 in reality (with modem rental)). Works great, love it. I think it's $10 more for non-cable customers.

However, on the horizon in my neighborhood is Verizon's FiOS, or fiber-optic service to your doorstep. That promises to be even faster (5 Mbps/2 Mbps is $39.95, but 15 Mbps/2 Mbps is $49.95, and that's what I want!). They've already laid the fiber in my neighborhood, but haven't quite turned on the network yet. Lots of fine print in their agreement, hope all the details work out. Haven't signed up yet.

By the way, I'm a neighbor of yours in Fort Wayne...

[TonyPSchaefer]

All I'm looking for is cheap. Currently, a land-line phone is costing $30/month and the only thing we use it for is incoming calls and dialing out for internet. Internet costs $100/year ($8.33/mo). I don't do any heavy downloading. Occassionally my wife grabs a song or three from iTunes but that's it. If I can get improvements in speed for a similar cost I'm there.

I looked at Comcast since we have their digital cable. And I know someone is think "it's only $46/mo". But that's currently $8/mo more than I'm paying now which is almost $100/year; 36 gallons of gas (at $2.75); 2,000 miles. Besides, in the past Comcast has shown that they are not afraid to drop services (digital cable channels) and increase their cost as a bonus. So what's $46/mo this year just might jump next year.

I'm tellin' ya. I just keep waiting for my non-techie neighbor to get high-speed with an unsecure wireless in-house network.

[Wayne]

Unfortunately, "cheap" and "high-speed" aren't normally part of the same sentence. If you need high-speed, you are willing to pay for it; if not, there are plenty of lower-cost options available.

I move mountains with my computer on a daily basis, so the price is an amazing value to me.

However, breaking it down cost-wise, I really only pay like $4 or $5 more than I used to for my snail connection. I gave up a separate phone line and my subscription to my prior ISP, which cut $40+/mo out of my step up.

On a separate note, I also gave up my primary phone line, and went to a cell phone. That saved me another $10 a month. So, between the two, I now pay LESS for high-speed access!

[parrot_lady]

Originally posted by TonyPSchaefer@Oct 12 2005, 09:25 AM
All I'm looking for is cheap.  Currently, a land-line phone is costing $30/month and the only thing we use it for is incoming calls and dialing out for internet.  Internet costs $100/year ($8.33/mo).  I don't do any heavy downloading.  Occassionally my wife grabs a song or three from iTunes but that's it.  If I can get improvements in speed for a similar cost I'm there.

I looked at Comcast since we have their digital cable.  And I know someone is think "it's only $46/mo".  But that's currently $8/mo more than I'm paying now which is almost $100/year; 36 gallons of gas (at $2.75); 2,000 miles.  Besides, in the past Comcast has shown that they are not afraid to drop services (digital cable channels) and increase their cost as a bonus.  So what's $46/mo this year just might jump next year.

I'm tellin' ya.  I just keep waiting for my non-techie neighbor to get high-speed with an unsecure wireless in-house network. 

[snapback]139904[/snapback]

SBC Y! dsl. depending on how many cable feet you are from the central office will depend on what you can get if you can get it, and what speeds you can have. We're technically outside of what they can provide DSL(over 18,800 cable feet from the co), but since we've signed the contract, they can't drop our service and have to help with any problems we have. We've had it since Feb, few problems, but they are good at sending guys out to check the box (the problems were on their end). They had to run us a new phone line to the house b/c the old wasn't stable enough. And, since it was outside they did it at no cost to us. Ohh and our line speed isn't bad either, its probably around 786/386.

Currently we are paying $25 a month for it-- but if you bundle it with your phone etc, you can get things cheaper, and look for signing up online b/c they sometimes offer a discount or other promotion for it. if you cut the phone back to incoming calls it should be cheaper to keep the landline, and use the cell for whatever you do. My sis and her bf did that and they had it cheaper than what you were paying.

ohhh offer to set up his network get him the best stuff you can so you can mooch what you want off of him

[tag]

I'm also using SBC Yahoo! DSL and also pay circa $25/mo. I would recommend the service since I have only rarely seen it go down. OTOH, my cable provider (Comcast) seems to tank on a pretty regular basis.

At the moment, SBC is offering a pretty good deal ($14.95/mo w/free modem and activation) assuming, of course, you're within the requisite distance from your CO:

http://promo.yahoo.com/sbc/pandp.html?.u_v....u_lb=ns&.u_c=1