Broadband rates.

[CBMatt]

I really want to make the jump to broadband, but the only service available in my area is Mediacom, and they charge $45.95 for 8Mbps.  That seems a bit steep to me, especially since the speed isn't all that great.  It certainly beats what I have now (45Kbps on a really good day), so I'd be happy with the connection...but going from $10 (AOL) to $46 is a big jump.  If it's not worth the price, then I'd rather wait.

For anyone who wants to see the info page...
http://www.mediacomcc.com/internet_online.html

[The Saviour]

Broadband is expensive...however, once you change...you'll never go back...seriously!

See if they have any packages like phone, cable and Internet.  This could reduce the price of your service.

Are you sure that's the only provider in your neck of the woods?

[CBMatt]

Yes, it's the only provider.  Well, kinda...  There's satellite service, but the cheapest package is $80 a month, so that's definitely not an option.  Through the link you provided me via PM (thanks for that), I discovered that we actually get WildBlue out here, which must be new because it was never offered before.  Not sure if it's actually available in my section of this area, though.  I live in a big isolated valley and each town is separated by five miles of desert.  The town in which WildBlue is located is about 20 minutes away, so they may not provide service at my house (that's the case with Verizon DSL).  Besides, the cheapest service is $49.95 for 512Kbps (plus $249 for equipment).

So, right now, Mediacom is pretty much the only option for me.  I basically just need to know if $45 is a fair price or not because I've never had broadband, so I have no experience to compare it with.  I see no mention of any cable/internet (they don't provide phone service here) packages on the site, but I'll give them a call.  We've been thinking about ditching our satellite television for cable, so that'd be nice.

[contrex]

I think that $46 USD for up to 8 Mbit is an OK deal. Personally, I think their 15 Mbit service at $59.95 per month is pretty good too. I would personally shell out the extra $13.95. I will mention one thing though. I am guessing that this is a DSL product. With any broadband product, whether cable or DSL, you will see the words "up to" before the quoted speed. This means that you should not expect the quoted speed, for example 8 Mbit/sec, from every single website you visit, from every single ftp server you connect to, and from every single p2p network you use. That "up to" is there for a reason. Your download speed depends on the connection at the other end as well. Moreover, with DSL, the maximum speed you will get depends on the quality of your telephone line and the distance that you are from the telephone exchange.

Here in Great Britain, I have a 4 Mbit/sec (384 kb upload) cable service, which costs me $50 (UK price converted into dollars) per month. I could switch to 2 Mbit (256 Kb upload) at $36 per month, or 20 Mbit (768 Kb upload) at $70 per month. Cable tends to be slightly more solidly fast than DSL. These are not bad prices. In fact when the 20 Mbit service is rolled out in my area next month I shall probably upgrade.

Here in the UK there are lots of DSL products, some at lower prices, but the cheaper ones tend to have monthly download caps and they get more expensive if you go over the limit. If the service is not capped I think that price is OK.

You say that 8 Mbit/sec "isn't all that great". I find that an odd thing for someone on 45 kbps dial up to say. At the moment a 4 gigabyte download is going to take you about 10 days of 24/7 downloading at your max speed if you can achieve it.

On an 8 Mbit connection at max speed that download would take you about 90 minutes. That is a big change. It means that you will not just be doing things much faster, you will be doing things that you would never have bothered with before.

Also, think of what you will save by not spending money on going out, dating, entertainment, food, soap, shampoo, clothes, etc! 

[The Saviour]

So, right now, Mediacom is pretty much the only option for me.  I basically just need to know if $45 is a fair price or not because I've never had broadband, so I have no experience to compare it with.

Well...it's a little higher than I'd want to pay...about $12 more than I'm currently paying for Comcast...but you're kind of stuck if that's the only service you have in your area.

Look at it this way...if you can afford it...get it.

[WillyW]

I really want to make the jump to broadband, but the only service available in my area is Mediacom, and they charge $45.95 for 8Mbps. 
...

Where are you, roughly?


This reminds me -  just recently I read about something.   Actually, I just did a quick search here, and didn't find it.   I thought it was on here.    Don't remember where I read it, I guess.
But -  Google to the rescue -     here is some interesting reading:
http://www.nbc6.net/news/13536437/detail.html?subid=10101481
http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2007/06/19/att-releases-10-dsl-plan-but-doesnt-want-subscribers/

On top of that,  I think I saw that Verizon was down from $21.99 to $14.99 a month.   Maybe that was just a short time promo...  would have to look it up.     
Verizon used to have a page that would tell you if you were in range -  you've tried that page?

[contrex]

With low prices, check out the caps!

[CBMatt]

Thanks for the info, contrex.  I agree that the 15Mbps is a better deal, but it's a bit out of our price range.  Heck, the $45 a month is pushing it.  We're only going to be able to get it if we do in fact switch to cable television.  It wouldn't hurt to push for the other plan, though.  Heh.  Unfortunately, I'm still in the process of looking for a job, so I can only pitch in very little.  If I were paying for this entirely on my own, I would definitely be getting the fastest service I could possibly afford.

I took the "up to" into account.  I know they don't want you to notice these little details, but I'm always sure to read the disclaimers.  And I know it's funny for someone with my connection to say that 8Mbps isn't all that great, but when I stay at my girlfriend's place, I'm spoiled with her fast connection (not sure what the exact speeds are).  I've used the local service at a friend's house and I wasn't impressed.  Of course, he also has an open network, so everyone within a 5-meter radius taps into his connection.  I have to assume it'd be a bit faster here with only my family using it.  Oh, and it's a cable connection, by the way.



And you're right, Saviour...if we can afford it, we might as well get it.  I mean, it's not like we have too many other choices.  Heh, I just have to persuade my family into believing that paying more for internet is a GOOD idea.

[2k_dummy]

You don't need a test to figure out if you are in range for DSL. Just figure that you need to be within 15,000 ft (roughly 3 miles) of a central office or a DSLAM. A DSLAM is sort of like a mini CO located in the field and extends DSL range from 15,000 ft to 30,000 ft.

[WillyW]

With low prices, check out the caps!

Regarding Verizon DSL,  last time I looked into limits,  I did not find any clearly stated. 
There was some mention of abuse,  but it was left very vague.    Looks like a lot of room for arguement to me.
If they wanted to put an upper limit on something, they should state that limit as a number, quite clearly.

[2k_dummy]

If they wanted to put an upper limit on something, they should state that limit as a number, quite clearly.

They avoid doing that because limits are based on average usage for a particular area. What is excessive in one area might be just fine in another. A densely populated area will have considerably lower caps than a sparsely populated area. When providers lease lines and/or equipment from other companies, they also have caps, and have to pay extra for overage.

[contrex]

In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled about various deceptive practices used by advertisers of broadband products, especially DSL. All caps and restrictions must be shown up front.

I think it might be relevant to mention an important difference between DSL and cable service.

I would choose cable over DSL every time. (I have been on a cable connection here in England since January 2001.) The reason is that the attention grabbing speed figure in the DSL ads is very much an "up to" figure, as we have discussed already. "Up to" because of the the normal variability of the different Internet services out there, but also "up to" because it is coming over copper wires, often on poles, and the distance from the DSLAM is crucial for you maximum speed.

With cable, on the other hand, if it says 8 Mbit in the ad, that is the actual maximum speed of your connection, not some publicity guy's hocus-pocus figure.

My ISP has its own news server, and FTP server, TUCOWS mirrors, etc, and if I download binaries from these, I see a rock solid 4096 kbit/sec on my speed indicator.

[CBMatt]

I really want to make the jump to broadband, but the only service available in my area is Mediacom, and they charge $45.95 for 8Mbps. 
...

Where are you, roughly?


This reminds me -  just recently I read about something.   Actually, I just did a quick search here, and didn't find it.   I thought it was on here.    Don't remember where I read it, I guess.
But -  Google to the rescue -     here is some interesting reading:
http://www.nbc6.net/news/13536437/detail.html?subid=10101481
http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2007/06/19/att-releases-10-dsl-plan-but-doesnt-want-subscribers/

On top of that,  I think I saw that Verizon was down from $21.99 to $14.99 a month.   Maybe that was just a short time promo...  would have to look it up.     
Verizon used to have a page that would tell you if you were in range -  you've tried that page?

Sorry, Willy, I didn't see your post earlier.  I live an hour east of Bakersfield, CA.  Near a little town called Lake Isabella.  Basically, we're out in the middle of the desert without access to much.  Broadband was only made available here about two years ago.

I believe this is the post you were looking for...
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,37633.0.html

Unfortunately, we don't get that service in this area (the only AT&T-related service is Cingular Wireless).  The Verizon site doesn't show anything for about 100 miles.  I know there's a tower in the aforementioned Lake Isabella, though.  However, the service only extends to certain neighborhoods over there.  Many people who live in Lake Isabella aren't even able to get service.

You don't need a test to figure out if you are in range for DSL. Just figure that you need to be within 15,000 ft (roughly 3 miles) of a central office or a DSLAM. A DSLAM is sort of like a mini CO located in the field and extends DSL range from 15,000 ft to 30,000 ft.

I live 11 miles from the central office (no DSLAM), so I'm definitely too far.  Heh.



For anyone who wants a better idea of the area I live in...
http://www.lakeisabella.net
http://www.visitlakeisabella.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12   (the first picture is basically what the town looks like)

[WillyW]

Sorry, Willy, I didn't see your post earlier. 

No big deal.   

I believe this is the post you were looking for...
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,37633.0.html

That's it.   Thanks.    Somehow, I didn't locate it.

Unfortunately, we don't get that service in this area (the only AT&T-related service is Cingular Wireless).

It was worth asking.     Swing and a miss.....

  The Verizon site doesn't show anything for about 100 miles. 

You need a 100 foot tower in your back yard, and an isp that sells wireless service within range.   
Maybe even a 200 foot tower.   


I suppose the bright side is that if you live in a remote to semi-remote area, 
then it is not over crowded.    It is probably a lovely and nice place to live.

[dirtmaster88]

$46 a month for 8 mb cable is a very good deal. I live in a semi-secluded area and I have to pay $70 a month for my 5 mb line. As soon as other providers come into my area I will switch. They are the only company in our area to provide cable so they kinda have us by the neck so you could say. I could never ever ever go back to dial up so I don't mind paying such a large amount, it is totally worth it.

thats my $.02

[CBMatt]

Thanks for your input, dirtmaster.  We have that same sort of problem over here.  Everything is so expensive here because the stores have no competition!



It really is a nice place to live, Willy.  Beautiful area, and nice and quiet.  Not the safest place to live, but oh well.  A few wild animals here and there are worth it, I think.

[patio]

Try Here

Also check back with AT&T...they expand their availibility areas practically weekly...