Best internet provider?

RicKuRuKuS

RicKuRuKuS

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 21, 2003
Messages
1,409
Hello everyone, currently looking to get a new internet provider for my girlfriend's place. I have liked Comcast a lot in the past, but I think they charge like $60 a month just for internet which seems a little ridiculous to me. Are there any places out there to find a deal for Comcast or any other good internet providers that are a little cheaper? Thanks a bunch for your help.

-Rick
 
You will need to tell us more of where you are, some places only have Comcast while others won't have Comcast but something that is only local to that area.
 
First of all, what's available there? For example, you might think in Los Angeles we'd have a lot of options, but no. FIOS ain't available in our area and there's only one cable company to choose from (roadrunner). Other than that, it's DSL or dialup.

Often companies offer a one-year introductory rate for cheaper. You could always do that then threaten to switch when the rates go up and see if they'll give you a better deal.
 
I live in Denver, haven't done too much hunting around yet but just wondering if anyone knows of any special ways to get lower deals. I know Comcast and Qwest are here for sure.
 
for cable comcast will provide the service and do the billing, although you might be able to choose a different isp for email. for qwest they will provide the connectivity, you can choose a different isp for billing and email. you might be able to get a deal on that. Take a look at broadbandreports.com, or go to say earthlink and put in your address/phone to get some comparable prices.
 
It depends what "Best" is.

Lowest price?
Fastest speed?
Most reliable?
Easiest good support?
Bundles with TV/Voice?

Around where I am, DSL tends to run cheaper. It's also slower, and in most cases if you're using the phone company for DSL, support is outsourced to Habu...although granted you don't have to call support much, if at all. Possible complication, DSL ISPs usually ship you a combo modem/router appliance.....good for basic users so they're behind NAT, can complicate things for some people that want to use their own router.

Fiber starting to get a larger footprint in the market....closing the speed gap between the phone company and cable.

Cable is usually faster, more expensive, support is more local.

Ultimately it depends which specific ISPs are in your area.
 
True, well I am basically just wanting straight internet with no cable or phone lines. I primarily use it for watching movies and shows online on my computer or for playing Xbox online. I am mostly looking for a reasonable price but also something that won't just disconnect a ton or lag out a bunch during gaming and what not. Thanks for any other information you guys have. I was also looking at getting my own modem and router and was curious what the better options might be? I have used Linksys in the past and like those a lot, just not sure what to look for when I am looking at wireless routers with all the B/G/N tiers of routers and what not.

-Rick
 
I'm spending $65 a month with Charter Communications, and that is for 20Mb down and 2Mb up. No issues with online gaming, data transfers, and online streaming video content (from decent sources) never display a "buffering" message. If you're looking for the same level, then $60 sounds reasonable to me. You can always go cheaper, but you will trade off speed as well.

I'd suggest finding a provider with a good signal and coverage, and see what speeds they say they can deliver in your area. (Optionally) Pick one of their smaller speed packages, as upgrading later to a faster package shouldn't be an issue.
 
The DSL connections at my house and my parents' house have been some of the most trouble-free internet connections I've ever dealt with. Previously, it was mostly apartment cable, usually through Comcast or Charter. From what I've personally heard and read, DSL tends to be more stable, though cable seems to be faster (at least for bursts). My 6Mb DSL hasn't had a single problem with the connection in the year I've been here, and always gives me at least 625KB/s downloads. It doesn't get slower at certain times of the day or anything stupid like that. No, it's not as fast as some of the cable packages, but it is very consistent and reliable.

My parents must have a bad wire leading to the house somewhere. During storms, the phone line gets bad, which can affect their DSL. I think they've had it for 5 years or so now, and they've had maybe half a dozen times when the connection went down. Sometimes it's simply a matter of rebooting the stupid 2Wire modem/router they got. A few times it's been actual line problems that go away after a few hours or when AT&T does something. I remember having that many problems with cable in a single year of renting an apartment back in the day.

http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=11523 is AT&T's naked DSL info. No phone line required and no contract. I got my own SpeedStream 4100 off eBay brand new for $15, which acts as a "dumb modem" and just lets my router of choice handle connecting my LAN to the internet.

I've been tempted to try the Broadstripe Cable that's now around here, but it seems to require TV and/or phone with it and the only information they provide is that it's "up to 15Mb". That could be 5Mb standard with bursting up to 15Mb for short periods, or even worse.
 
See what's avail in your area and opt for the fastest of course. :D

Although for your girlfriend she will probably be happy with the cheapest of them all.
 
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