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firebroad

Minister of Fire
Nov 18, 2011
1,511
Carroll County, MD
Okay, so I have the dreaded dial-up, which I have found for my purposes to be worse than useless. I still have to go the the library or McDonalds to update my anti-virus and other updates and such because it is too slow with dial up, and sometimes just shuts down. The other day I wanted to look up the phone number of my post office (the phone company doesn't list it in my directory!), and it took 37 minutes just to get the 800 number to call to get the local number!

Just to set the record straight, even though it is all around me, there is no broadband/dsl/high speed internet available unless I want to pay Comcast to have phone, TV and internet as a bundle. Verizon and Comcast both want a minimum of $80 per month for internet alone. This does not include taxes, fees, etc.

Went to ATT this weekend, and they can set me up with a wireless internet for $50. Probably come to about $60 or so with all the taxes etc. From what I understand, wireless is just like what you guys get on your telephones. There is no real "try is first" period except for the first two weeks, and then there is a "restocking" fee for the little transmitter of $35.

So here I am, wondering if this gizmo will work, if so how well, and if anyone else out there in no man's land like me has to use this technology? Should I just save my money? This is a big investment for me, we care talking $600 a year for two years, for something that may or may not work. I don't want to throw good money after bad.
 
Sounds like your best option is wireless through one of the cell phone companies. Go with the one that you get the strongest cell signal with right at your home so the signal will be the strongest.
 
Hmmm... I have Verizon basic phone. The not blazing but adequate 768/128 DSL is $25 a month so the total bill taxes and all is $55 a month.
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I also have Verizon home phone, but no cell phone. They do not have DSL on my road, from what they have told me. Comcast has it, but they will charge $$$$$.
I don't know if technology will improve here, but I have been waiting 7 years, and still no joy. I would love to have internet at home, that way I don't have to use my employer's resources so much;em, even though they are good about it as long as I get my work done.
 
UPDATE--
This gets more interesting all the time. I called Verizon, they told me they don't provide internet where I live because another company services that area. So much for breaking up Ma Bell and free enterprise. She didn't have any information as to provided the services. She also said all Verizon can provide is the wiring. I asked, since I have phone service, does that mean that the wiring is already in place? She said she didn't have that information. I said the the people who live there around 2005 had a computer, would that mean that the wiring was indeed in place? She didn't have...well, you get the picture. She asked if she could help me with anything else, and I told her apparently not, as she didn't know anything. She got a bit defensive and asked if I would like to speak to a technician about said wiring, I said yes, please, and she promptly hung up.

So here I am back to square one. All I want to know is if this wireless thing is reliable, because the dial up sure was a big waste of money.
 
Verizon is great until you have a problem. Their tech support is almost useless. They stopped a couple of miles up the road with Fios and won't be coming any further soon so I am not their friend. Comcast can be good if you get a person that actually understands your problem. You don't need all three of their services, though they really push the triple play. I only have internet and cable.

Do you just do over the air TV?
 
Verizon is great until you have a problem. Their tech support is almost useless. They stopped a couple of miles up the road with Fios and won't be coming any further soon so I am not their friend. Comcast can be good if you get a person that actually understands your problem. You don't need all three of their services, though they really push the triple play. I only have internet and cable.

Do you just do over the air TV?

Yes. Based on what you and one other person has told me, I am going to contact them to see what they have to offer. Thanks, JoeyD.
 
I believe in places with older lines, the lines need to be "developed" to some extent because the DSL signal won't pass through certain components, like coils. Perhaps that's what she meant about the wiring.
 
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Verizon is great until you have a problem. Their tech support is almost useless. They stopped a couple of miles up the road with Fios and won't be coming any further soon so I am not their friend. Comcast can be good if you get a person that actually understands your problem. You don't need all three of their services, though they really push the triple play. I only have internet and cable.

Do you just do over the air TV?

Comcast support can be good, or can be hell. I just went through a modem upgrade with them that was a huge waste of time. It wasn't until I told the tech in India that he was clueless and needed to connect me with his supervisor that things started getting corrected. And even then I had to instruct the supervisor that no, it is not ok to put me on hold for 20 minutes and then hang up. I had them keep me on the line all the time and finally I heard a voice from Texas declaring it was all fixed. All they had to do was change my record from a Docsis 2.0 to a Docsis 3.0 modem. You would think that considering they were supplying the modem they would have done this?
 
Verizons website and billing is an absolute mess. I moved and ended up with two accounts for a while... Rrrrr.

OTOH the FiOS install techs have been great, much better to deal with than the subcontractors some cable companies use. When I moved the actual move and reinstall of the FiOS hardware was seamless. I have never once had an outage either. Can't say that for Comcast, RCN and other cable modem services I used previously.

Firebroad, Is the Comcast option you where quoted cable modem? And is the Wireless option 4G? Cable will be much faster than DSL. 4G wireless could be even faster than cable. I should think you could get some kind of deal for under $50 on the internet piece, maybe a double play just with TV.
 
Just called Comcast at lunch, Got a deal for internet for 34.99 6mo, then 39.99. $7 modem fee, unless I buy my own. 29.95 to hook it up.

I think I am going to dump my limited, no long distance landline with Verizon in favor of a Tracfone.

Thanks for the thoughts, guys, I appreciate it!!:cool:
 
Just called Comcast at lunch, Got a deal for internet for 34.99 6mo, then 39.99. $7 modem fee, unless I buy my own. 29.95 to hook it up.

I think I am going to dump my limited, no long distance landline with Verizon in favor of a Tracfone.

Thanks for the thoughts, guys, I appreciate it!!:cool:

If you're looking for prepaid, look into Net10. I use their service. Last time I looked they were cheaper than Tracfone, but I haven't checked lately. I think they are both owned by the same company.
 
Comcast support can be good, or can be hell. I just went through a modem upgrade with them that was a huge waste of time. It wasn't until I told the tech in India that he was clueless and needed to connect me with his supervisor that things started getting corrected. And even then I had to instruct the supervisor that no, it is not ok to put me on hold for 20 minutes and then hang up. I had them keep me on the line all the time and finally I heard a voice from Texas declaring it was all fixed. All they had to do was change my record from a Docsis 2.0 to a Docsis 3.0 modem. You would think that considering they were supplying the modem they would have done this?

Good to see Firebroad got what she needed.

One thing I have I learned with Comcast is when I call and feel like I am talking to someone form another country I ask to be transferred to someone in the states because I really do have a problem hearing and when I am dealing with someone with an accent I have a hard time communicating. I do apologize and try to make it clear it is my hearing that is a problem and I always get switched to someone local. I'm not saying the service is better but it seems easier and it has never been a problem.
 
Bout time I started using that too. My hearing is lousy. I lived in India for a few months and love the people, so I have less problem understanding them. But in the past two days I just went through an ATT wireless time sink from hell where India support sucked up hours of my time and in the end resolved nothing. They finally gave up and switched me over to Michelle (again in Texas) and she was great! It took her a while to get things straightened out, but she persisted. And she gave us a very generous credit for all the time wasted on what should have been a straight forward upgrade. Wish I had her address. I'd send a big box of chocolates to her.
 
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Wish I had her address. I'd send a big box of chocolates to her.

Send it to my sister in Wichita Falls. The call center is 3/4 of a mile from her house. She will drop it off on the way to visit mom. ;lol

But she ends up with the Indians too until she threatens to drive down the road and drop in.
 
I lose cable a lot, happens when you live in a wooded area, trees fall, wires come down, even on clear sunny days. I have Comcast for internet and cable, I rent their modem because I was tired of mine getting fried in every lightening storm. They give you a wireless router though so it works for me. Their service here anyway is pretty good.

I have Verizon land lines (cell too) because I work from home and rely on my phone. Other than Sandy, in 10 years here we have only been without phone service once, cable can go out once a week sometimes and so I can't rely on Comcast with their triple play crap. However, in this area we don't have any fiber optic lines, no fios service, nothing is run under ground, they can't it's all slate, no top soil here, just rocks so when they do need repairs it takes awhile since they have to use the "old" copper wire.
Just today Verizon was out because there was so much static on my line it was like someone playing with bubble wrap. Evidently there were many others complaining and when the technicians came out, they found their transponder box is on an Ash tree and thanks to Ash borers, they have chewed the tree behind the box, exposing it to rain so the wires were crackling from the water. They rigged up something ad in 30 minutes the noise was gone but it will take a week for them to rewire everything.

No matter who you have for service, they have their good/bad points, you just have to pick the lesser of the evils where you live ;)
 
I lose cable a lot, happens when you live in a wooded area, trees fall, wires come down, even on clear sunny days. I have Comcast for internet and cable, I rent their modem because I was tired of mine getting fried in every lightening storm. They give you a wireless router though so it works for me. Their service here anyway is pretty good.

I have Verizon land lines (cell too) because I work from home and rely on my phone. Other than Sandy, in 10 years here we have only been without phone service once, cable can go out once a week sometimes and so I can't rely on Comcast with their triple play crap. However, in this area we don't have any fiber optic lines, no fios service, nothing is run under ground, they can't it's all slate, no top soil here, just rocks so when they do need repairs it takes awhile since they have to use the "old" copper wire.
Just today Verizon was out because there was so much static on my line it was like someone playing with bubble wrap. Evidently there were many others complaining and when the technicians came out, they found their transponder box is on an Ash tree and thanks to Ash borers, they have chewed the tree behind the box, exposing it to rain so the wires were crackling from the water. They rigged up something ad in 30 minutes the noise was gone but it will take a week for them to rewire everything.

No matter who you have for service, they have their good/bad points, you just have to pick the lesser of the evils where you live ;)
Comcast did run the lines underground on my road about two years ago, I hope that improves it. Now that you mention it, I do remember twenty years ago when we had cable tv, it was always going out. Got so bad I got a splitter box so we could watch broadcast TV when it did. After Mr. Firebroad passed, I got rid of cable.

Love to know why Verizon's box is on an ash tree rather than a utility pole.

You are absolutely right about the the good/bad, sometimes it is a trade-off, depending on what you can tolerate! :) I am still considering just getting the Tracfone for the home phone, I don't use my phone that much. It's down to that or AT&T, I haven't decided. Tracfone would ultimately be cheaper, about $17 per month for my usage, AT&T would be more convenient at about $30 per month. Or maybe I should just get that MagicJack thingie!!;lol
 
I'm using a USB modem, Verizon Mobile Broadband service. Kicks butt at 10-15 Mb download speeds, no slow-down like I've heard you can have on cable if a lot of people are on near you. $50/month with a 5G data cap, so I can't watch video all day, or download a bunch of movies. If you go over the cap, they just charge $10 per additional Gig. You can get the ATT or Verizon modem and try it for a month, then bail out if you don't like it. At least that's how it was when I first got it several years ago. I went with Verizon because it was more reliable at the time. Same deal here...DSL close but not here, due to the equipment upgrades not being worth the number of additional subscribers they would get.
I've got a Tracfone. Yeah, it's a lot cheaper if you don't talk on the phone a lot. Texts only use .3 min. There are several pay-as-you-go options but I have just stuck with the Tracfone. Uses ATT network, as I understand it, and gets good signal here at the house and most places I go.
 
I have dial up as well and it works ok. I don't know the speed but it doesn't take 30 mins to open up a few websites. I generally use my iphone with 3G internet though, I just use the computer when I have to type out long messages or emails or have to write up reports, Quickbooks, etc.

Where my brother lives (Hodgedon, ME) they can't get any internet other than cellular. He has a little receiver deal. It works pretty much the same as my iPhone internet, just it's plugged in to his computer. I think it's through Verizon.
 
The little receiver is called MiFi.
 
Love to know why Verizon's box is on an ash tree rather than a utility
There are all sorts of utilities on trees around here as the terrain is slate, try to dig more that a few inches, it's rock. Our back yard goes straight up a cliff, easily over a 45 degree angle, making it even harder to sink poles. Trees are existing, so they use them :)
 
There are all sorts of utilities on trees around here as the terrain is slate, try to dig more that a few inches, it's rock. Our back yard goes straight up a cliff, easily over a 45 degree angle, making it even harder to sink poles. Trees are existing, so they use them :)
wOw
I had forgotten about PA rock. Up around Nanticoke in Luzerne Co, my mother in law said that in certain cemeteries they had to blast just to bury the coffin.
 
I'm using a USB modem, Verizon Mobile Broadband service. Kicks butt at 10-15 Mb download speeds, no slow-down like I've heard you can have on cable if a lot of people are on near you. $50/month with a 5G data cap, so I can't watch video all day, or download a bunch of movies. If you go over the cap, they just charge $10 per additional Gig. You can get the ATT or Verizon modem and try it for a month, then bail out if you don't like it. At least that's how it was when I first got it several years ago. I went with Verizon because it was more reliable at the time. Same deal here...DSL close but not here, due to the equipment upgrades not being worth the number of additional subscribers they would get.
I've got a Tracfone. Yeah, it's a lot cheaper if you don't talk on the phone a lot. Texts only use .3 min. There are several pay-as-you-go options but I have just stuck with the Tracfone. Uses ATT network, as I understand it, and gets good signal here at the house and most places I go.
Verizon does not come out here, and probably never will. They seem to have their sights set on something else, and are perfectly happy to let Comcast get all the business.
Tracfone uses whatever cell tower is available. The lady I spoke to told me that they utilize both AT&T as well as Verizon where I am. Strange that Verizon did not suggest wireless, but I don't think they really care anyway.
 
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