Cable co wants $3100 to run cable for internet! Other options?

Frunple said:
They probably mean it doesn't include any streaming services. Most plans throw in at least one service these days.
Once you have the internet, you can use it for whatever you want I would think.
It's not like they're gonna block those services.
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I have found on VR headsets they chock bandwidth down on movies people play in the VR rooms, going into Canada from the USA.
Sitting in a VR room with 11 other people in the USA, UK, France, Malaysia, whatever and the 1 Gbps up/down source is seen without pixelation by all but me in Canada, at certain times. My d/l is 75Mbps capped and should be fine to display a 3-4mbps video in full resolution. No other VR users from any country I have chatted with seems to get this bandwidth choking.
The major Internet players can detect the packet styles and chock whatever they want. This is one way they control what comes into Canada. Our YouTube and Netflix content is different than content seen in the USA.
 
wkearney99 said:
At what point would it be more realistic/cost-effective to run your own conduit and provide a demarc point for the ISP out near the road?
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Thanks Bill, I don't think that will help much but I am going to try and reach the retention department and see what kind of deal they might be able to make and will mention that.  Not sure if the issue is how far from the road or mainly putting in the line tap.  I recall getting an electric company upgrade from 100A to 200A about 20 years ago and the company did it for free if I dug the ditch - they even provided the new meter base.  I had to wire the outgoing side of the meter base and the new breaker panel but they ran the line from the pole to the meter base no charge.  They mentioned they were going to start charging for it soon after that.  I think many utilities are charging for things they used to not charge for.
 
JimS said:
Thanks Bill, I don't think that will help much but I am going to try and reach the retention department and see what kind of deal they might be able to make and will mention that.  Not sure if the issue is how far from the road or mainly putting in the line tap.  I recall getting an electric company upgrade from 100A to 200A about 20 years ago and the company did it for free if I dug the ditch - they even provided the new meter base.  I had to wire the outgoing side of the meter base and the new breaker panel but they ran the line from the pole to the meter base no charge.  They mentioned they were going to start charging for it soon after that.  I think many utilities are charging for things they used to not charge for.
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The utilities get FREE use for the right-of-way to run their wires.  This often gets forgotten when they start getting stingy/greedy about what they're willing to provide as part of a normal service install.  Likewise they're obligated to install "everywhere" not just the high-density locations that are cheaper to set up. 

This is also where working with your local gov't representatives may have added value, in that personnel there may be more familiar with tariff requirements.  Because there may be regulatory requirements about providing service that aren't well understood/promoted for service providers in your area.  As in, they may be required to provide certain things, but nothing requires them to be forthcoming about it.  Sometimes someone knows the nuances of that kind of thing can be the squeaky wheel that keeps your costs down.  
 
The cable company came out again and this time said it would be $8k + to hook up with them discounting $3000.  Roughly $2000 more than a month ago.  I talked to ATT about business plans and they have an internet via cell network plans that look like they might work.  I called ATT about my residential line and bugged them about slow speed.  They had me run a speed test and it showed 6M just like it should.  But I pressed them on what happens when their system get congested/overloaded.  They told me it wouldn't slow down which isn't possible - somethings got to give.  I know some plans give priority up to some data limit for the month.  They ran a test and said I had some noise on my line that needed a tech visit to fix.  I told them I was told the same thing a month ago and they decided the issue was on their end and supposedly fixed.  I have a tech visit Friday.
 
Earthlink said they could provide service and it wouldn't be the same as ATT uverse but just with their name on it.  In fact they said they could provide internet at the same time I had ATT Uverse if I wanted.  Earthlink person also said there was some agreement or limitation between spectrum and ATT that limited my choices.  I find that a little hard to believe.  If the tech visit doesn't solve the problem will likely go with ATT business internet via cell - month to month and only out the $180 for the equipment box if I decide I want to go another route.
 
Wife just called to say that the cable company came by and said they would be boring for a line to within about 100' of the house (we are about 500' from the road and they will be going to where an ATT box and our power transformer are). Apparently someone else on the 3/8 mile section of road I am on paid the price for installation and they are doing the whole section while they are at it? Not sure but that section of road was put in about 25 years ago to connect other roads and I suspect cable is available at both ends. So it looks like we will have a choice to continue Starlink or switch to cable. Cable will be cheaper and possibly more reliable. She asked them about boring all the way to the house while they are here but they said that would be additional charge. Wondering if it is all copper or if some is optical fiber. We have thought about using starlink for RV - not sure what the difference is between the regular home kit and the RV kit. The other thing is we will only need it for RV very infrequently so could probably just live without internet for when we are in the boonies. We aren't THAT addicted to it (but I guess even addicts would say that :) )
 
There's something to be said for getting it run NOW, while the cheaper price is available. Weigh whatever the minimum commitment is for the cable service against what it might cost to have them connect you later.

I'd price it out. Because it'd be my guess that doing it while they're at it is going to be a lot less than coming back later.
 
Have you considered Starlink? Roughly 100 down x 20+ up. $110/month + $590+ initial hardware.
I've been involved with a few installs in remote areas. Its expensive but it works.
It has pluses and minuses.
Don
 
dwalt said:
Have you considered Starlink? Roughly 100 down x 20+ up. $110/month + $590+ initial hardware.
I've been involved with a few installs in remote areas. Its expensive but it works.
It has pluses and minuses.
Don
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:rolleyes:That's what I have now. Thus my statement above: "we will have a choice to continue Starlink or switch to cable"

Works ok but twice the cost of Spectrum. It was our only choice 6 months ago for anything better than 6Mbps ATT uverse.
 
That's what I get for reading thru 3 pages of replies too quick.
If you find a better alternative, please let me know as its the go to connection for a lot of remote customers around here.
Don
 
dwalt said:
That's what I get for reading thru 3 pages of replies too quick.
If you find a better alternative, please let me know as its the go to connection for a lot of remote customers around here.
Don
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It works well and there are no data caps. Other providers often say no caps but they will slow the connection after some amount of data to where it may not be very useful for video and other high bandwidth activities so you need to read the fine print. I just checked Hughesnet and they have cheaper rates but do throttle in that way. Some (All?) of the 5G home internet providers do the same.

I am told installation will be about a month for the basic run to near the house to be done. Probably a few more weeks to do the second step of the run to the house. So in about 6-8 weeks I may have a Starlink for sale. They are actually going to bore the line from the street to the riser close to the house - was surprised to hear that.
 
Many providers are all of a sudden offering connectivity when people had to beg for it for years, but since Starlink has come online, these companies are changing their minds and sometimes doing it for free/low cost now.

So I'm not surprised to hear this, but I would definitely make sure you have all those numbers in writing before committing and/or dumping Starlink.
 
They just showed up at the door one day saying they could put it in. We said ok and they showed up yesterday and ran the hardline from the road to a pedestal box nearer the house. Didn't sign or agree to anything. They did one other house on the other side of the street and up a couple houses too. For the run from pedistal to the house I think we have to sign up. Looks like a big cost savings. Starlink $110/month, Sling $45. New bill: Internet $50, Basic TV - local + 15 non-premium channels $30. Still figuring out if I need a receiver or could use a cablecard and my own tuner. Either way the cost is $5/mo or less. I know they will go up a little after a year but even so... I am saving about $75/month. Even if that comes down to $50/month that's still significant.

The boring equipment they used to run the 2" (!) flexible conduit to the road left some oil stains on the new asphalt drive so need to figure out what to do about that. Not sure I want to complain to them until the hookup is done.
 
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Charter/Spectrum will definitely increase the rates, no promos for most existing customers (something I've been dealing with for years). But it's difficult to argue with those type of numbers if the service is good. You can always keep Starlink running for another month just so you can properly evaluate the new connection.

I would however exclude CableCARD from your plans, I've seen more rumors about Spectrum getting close to pulling the plug on this sooner than later (example).
 
Spectrum internet is installed. Was quite a hassle as they cancelled the first appointment and then the second appointment took about 5 hours. They have called in installers from another part of the country to help with work load. The installer was ok but didn't have a few things on the truck and had to find someone else with the parts and borrow a shovel to get the cable in their pedistal. Then their were some issues with the signal from the street so they had to call maintenance - said it was connectors that weren't tight. Then had a bad splitter and wasn't sure they had another... I am glad they stuck around until it was running rather than just leaving when there were problems with the signal for others to fix. Have a cable across the lawn and not sure when they will be out to put that in the ground. Numbers aren't the claimed 300Mbps - I got 200 on one test but around 50 in the evening when I suspect usage is high which is still plenty so happy with that. Seems to be in the same general ballpark for speed (they both vary over time) as Starlink.
 
JimS said:
They just showed up at the door one day saying they could put it in. We said ok and they showed up yesterday and ran the hardline from the road to a pedestal box nearer the house. Didn't sign or agree to anything. They did one other house on the other side of the street and up a couple houses too. For the run from pedistal to the house I think we have to sign up. Looks like a big cost savings. Starlink $110/month, Sling $45. New bill: Internet $50, Basic TV - local + 15 non-premium channels $30. Still figuring out if I need a receiver or could use a cablecard and my own tuner. Either way the cost is $5/mo or less. I know they will go up a little after a year but even so... I am saving about $75/month. Even if that comes down to $50/month that's still significant.

The boring equipment they used to run the 2" (!) flexible conduit to the road left some oil stains on the new asphalt drive so need to figure out what to do about that. Not sure I want to complain to them until the hookup is done.
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Get out there with some detergent (Fantastic is usually good) and soak the oil stains. Let it sit for an hour or so, and then flush with lots of water. It usually works for oil and gaoline on asphalt and a year later won;t be seen at all.
 
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