Internet provider question

[docorion.livejournal.com]

[cross-posted from my journal]

I am looking for an internet provider in the Davis Square area. So far, reviews of ComCast are "Boo! Hiss!", and I don't know anything about RCN. Comments? I don't need cable, but I suspect every provider is going to provide a cable plus internet package with a better price than internet alone, because if I have cable, I count as a customer for advertising. I'm interested in how well the internet service works in terms of outages, speed promised versus speed delivered, etc. I don't, at least for now, intend to host anything; that may change, although I am going to try to wait until I'm in my condo in Cambridge in 2007.

Comments

[ron_newman]

Those are the only two cable companies in Somerville. Consider yourself lucky; most other towns have only one cable company.

Your other alternative is DSL, either from Verizon or a competitor (I use GalaxyDSL). DSL costs less than cable Internet, but is slower (less bandwidth).

[beowabbit]

For reference, what we currently have (this is addressed to docorion, who’s moving out of my place) is 768kBps SDSL, where the S stands for symmetric (so 768kBps both directions). ADSL is more common, and typically is faster than that for downloading, but slower for uploading (or serving data).

[dmaze]

We currently have Comcast for cable TV and Internet service and they've been pretty much fine -- there's been one substantial dropout in the past three months, but besides that, the Internet speed has been pretty reasonable and the price isn't terrible.

I think the major options here work out to Verizon "slow DSL" (768 kbps to you, but only $20/month), cable modem, or "expensive DSL" (probably slower than the cable modem option, but providers like Speakeasy will give you options like a static IP address if that matters to you). You can definitely drive down the cable modem cost by bundling it with other services, like cable TV or phone. I think we picked Comcast over RCN because it was easier to actually get information about what packages and rates were over the Internet.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

I have had both Comcast and Verizon in the past.

I have had very few troubles with Comcast in the 1.5 years I have had them. It tends to be a fairly steady connection. It goes out on occasion, but I have used a lot of ISPs in the past (move around a lot), and it is definitely no more than any other ISP. Very fast connection, as well. Definitely on the expensive side.

Verizon was pretty good once we talked them into giving us "naked" service (i.e. without a bundled phone line). I found it easiest to sign up for the service online. Their customer service people will want to upsell you to the point of not letting you get the cheap naked service. Once we got it it was a good service. We never had a problems with it that power-cycling the DSL modem would not solve. It is noticeably slower than Comcast cable, but is also noticeably cheaper, as well.

I have never had RCN, so no comments on them. Friends who have had it have about the same number of complaints as Comcast friends, so...

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Whatever on the boos. We've had great luck with Comcast.

[hakamadare.livejournal.com]

we’ve had a stellar experience with Speakeasy (http:/www.speakeasy.net/). if you’re planning for using your Internet connection for anything beyond reading mail and surfing the web, i heartily recommend them.

-steve

speakeasy rocks

[mattdm [typekey.com] (from livejournal.com)]

I want to second this. No one has better terms of service or more actually-knowledgable tech support.

Re: speakeasy rocks

[tanpiover2.livejournal.com]

Emphatically thirding this. Outstanding support and excellent service.

I use RCN

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

I use RCN (cable). I've been with them through all their growing pains. They used to really suck. Now they just suck sometimes - major slowdowns at various times but never completely unavailable.

I used to get cable tv from them but decided that it was a waste (mostly of my time). I called them to cancel and they sent someone out. He did whatever he did. Right after he left I tried to check my email: nothing. He had disconnected my internet access - the cable tv still worked fine. I tried to chase him down the street and catch him...no luck.

So another wait the next day. This time the guy came but he didn't have the right part (?) - he turned the internet cable back on but couldn't turn of the tv cable.

That was 3...4? years ago. So I still get cable tv from RCN. I just don't get bills...

[urban-cowboyz.livejournal.com]

I use RCN for internet and we get them for cable tv too, I have no complaints. It works a hell of a lot better than comcast which I had at my last two apartments which was more expensive and would go offline for up to weekends at a time fairly frequently.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear this. I just signed up for RCN's cheapest plan (which is 1.5 mbps for $17/month) in my new place, and haven't gotten to try it yet. I'm hoping it won't be too slow - I'm a web designer by trade, so I do need the fast load times, but I used Verizon DSL for years with no issue, so I'm not anticipating too much difficulty.

[mattdm [typekey.com] (from livejournal.com)]

Y'know, the slower connections web designers have, the better the Internet is for the rest of us. :)

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I'll have to see how it is when I start using it. I might have to upgrade in a month—who knows? I work so much on the computer, I don't spend that much time watching video or playing games online, so I'm not terrifically worried.

[phoenixy.livejournal.com]

I have RCN. Sometimes my boyfriend's computer (but not mine) loses connectivity and we have to power cycle the router; don't know if that's RCN's fault. We have the 10 Mbps package and our download speeds are about 400kbps with wireless and 1.5-1.8 MBps wired (this is with two computers sharing the connection).

[inahandbasket]

I have comcast, no real complaints.

They're a pain to deal with, a pain to get installed, etc., but once it's up and running it just works. I had them for 2 years at my old apt. with no support calls necessary, have them now at my new apt and apart from the PAIN IN THE ASS of getting service installed at the new place everything's been great here as well.

Internet service = great. better than the high-quality DSL i had in the past.
Customer service = horrible.

[twe.livejournal.com]

I used to live near Teele Square and have RCN and we would frequently have our internet go down for most of a weekend. Before that, I was near Porter with Comcast (inherited from AT&T, inherited from Media One, who had wonderful customer service) and never had an issue. Now I have Comcast again near Assembly Square. I sometimes have issues with it, but nothing like we had with RCN. (Also, there is some evidence to suggest the problem is in the wiring the developer put inside the house, which I haven't had time to address.) Their customer service can be quite awful. I had a lot
of scheduling snafus last summer, but more recently they have been better.

(Part of me suspects quality of service varies more by location and you would be best served polling you immediate neighbors to see if one cable company has better service.)