San Antonio Internet providers - A monopoly - should more be done to regulate them? (Austin: to rent, buy)

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by VeeGer

I kept the rented modem because they sell for $350 so at $10 a month it'd be over 2 years before it paid off.

This way I don't have to worry about repairs and downtime but just get it replaced.

$350 for a cable modem? I looked up what Best Buy sells, and they showed 24 different choices of modems or modems/routers, ranging in price from $53 to $200. Maybe the cable company sells them for $350?


I suppose if someone is worried about a purchased modem failing, perhaps a seller offers an extended warranty that would provide a replacement on-the-spot, if the product fails?

[prim8]

Originally Posted by VeeGer

I kept the rented modem because they sell for $350 so at $10 a month it'd be over 2 years before it paid off.

This way I don't have to worry about repairs and downtime but just get it replaced.

SB6183 is currently $90 and on the Approved Modem list for TWC Less than a year and you're ahead.

Originally Posted by ged_782

Set-top boxes for cable TV are another story, but best I can tell, you have to lease at least one TV box if you have Time Warner for cable TV, but you can substitute ROKU streaming devices that you would purchase instead of leasing, for additional sets. Of course, you would also need internet service with sufficient speed, in addition to the cable TV service, if you are going to use the ROKUs in place of set-top boxes.

You can lease a cable card instead if you have something you can put it in. I think they're a little cheaper than a set top box last I checked.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by ged_782

I know you can bring your own compatible modem, and save the monthly rental fee. But buy your own set top box for TV? That one is news to me.

As of late last year TWC ended analog service in San Antonio, and also encrypted all remaining digital channels (including local broadcast), effectively requiring a proprietary set-top box for each TV that is to receive their service. I didn't even know their were cable TV boxes on the market available for purchase.

You can use a Roku box and the Time Warner app on that box to access channels. Those channels come in over the Internet, so you would need a good-quality Internet connection to make that work. I'm not sure that TWC's cheapest Internet would be adequate, especially if you have many devices connected and using bandwidth at the same time.

AFAIK, you can't get a set-top box that receives digital signals directly over the cable from anywhere but TWC. I tried CableCard with an HD HomeRun box and could never get it to work.

[VeeGer]

Originally Posted by ged_782

$350 for a cable modem? I looked up what Best Buy sells, and they showed 24 different choices of modems or modems/routers, ranging in price from $53 to $200. Maybe the cable company sells them for $350?


I suppose if someone is worried about a purchased modem failing, perhaps a seller offers an extended warranty that would provide a replacement on-the-spot, if the product fails?

No, it's from a store. It's high end modem.

[dastexan]

False title.

So many options for internet in this city.

Its just that so many complain about the choices really.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by dastexan

False title.

So many options for internet in this city.

Its just that so many complain about the choices really.

As of today, most San Antonio residents have two choices for internet: Time Warner, or AT&T. Time Warner offers 300mbps download as the fastest speed offered to my residence, and AT&T is 45mbps max.


But Google Fiber is currently putting infrastructure in San Antonio, and will offer up to gigabit service, and not to be outdone, AT&T is upgrading their physical plant, to do the same. Both providers recently completed build-outs/upgrades in my neighborhood, so in the near future, expect to see additional providers go live with higher speeds than were previously offered locally. Might alter the pricing structure, too; due to competitive pressure.

[txbullsfan]

Originally Posted by VeeGer

I saved $80 when I cut the TV off my cable. I kept the net/phone package. I hardly watch TV anymore because of the damn commercials every 5 minutes.

Since I have a TV I got an antenna for it and did a channel scan. I pulled in over 50 channels and my jaw dropped to the floor. I remember we used to have only 5 channels. I researched the ota TV and discovered HDTV.

WTH! Cable lied to me, they said ota TV is bad. Hell, the picture quality was better, true HD. After I weeded the unwanted channels I got 20 worthwhile channels out of it. Still with the ads darn it.

Now I have Netflix and for the money it is sweet.

Originally Posted by Azure110

I can't even remember the last time I even turned on my TV. I get all of my news on my ipad and shows/movies on various movie apps such as Netflix or Amazon.

Time Warner may be greedy but they are not stupid. They know that you, me and tons of other people are doing this (cutting the cable TV cord and using only the internet). In doing so, they have raised the price of 300Mb/s internet to cost more then their most expensive Cable TV package with all the channels. The next internet speed option down (200 MB/s) is about as expensive as Time Warner's most expensive TV package. Unless you guys are using Time Warner's slowest internet packages/speeds (50 MB/s, 100 MB/s) its very likely that soon you also will be paying more for the limited bandwidth up to your house then you would if you just had Time Warner's most expensive Cable TV package. In time, even these cheaper/cheapest/slowest internet speeds/options will be more expensive then Time Warner's most expensive TV option. This is what the trend is showing.


Mark my words, if not already, there will be a time when ALL internet speeds from Time Warner will be more expensive then Time Warner's most expensive TV package. Basically, it would be cheaper for you to get your TV content via Time Warner's Cable TV package then getting your content online from places like Netflix and Hulu. From a content production cost for Time Warner, this doesn't logically make sense (see original post). It does make sense from a profit sense though. While providing you bandwidth (that is already there) up to your home is way cheaper for Time Warner then having to pay all these networks their costs in cable TV options, its way more profit for Time Warner to charge you more for internet then TV. You can do this when you are the only real big dog in town.


The price inflation of internet services has been catching up, and in some cases (300MB/s) already surpassed getting the most expensive TV package. Expect this inflation trend to continue and for everyone else's internet bill to be more expensive then just getting the TV service regardless of the speed you get. It may take some time, maybe a few years but expect it to happen.

[RadiantBaby]

Originally Posted by VeeGer

No, it's from a store. It's high end modem.

A high end modem? Uh, ok.

One of the best modems available at the moment is only $120 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's a 32x8, which makes the most out of a high speed line. Most modems don't have this pipeline capability yet and this ARRIS has top ratings.

[txbullsfan]

So I randomly got a telemarketing call from a company called Spectrum yesterday. Turns out Charter bought time Warner and the new service name of Time Warner is now Spectrum.

The call was to upsell me services I don't need nor do I want. The call was random, nagging, pressured, uncomfortable and it ended disrespectfully. Time Warner used to do this crap (random calls to upsell me services) although it was infrequent. The frequency of it seems to have increased in recent years. If I wanted more services like phone and to re-subscribe to Cable, don't these companies think I would have called them instead of them having to call me?

The phone conversation started out pleasant enough. I can say I remained calm and polite the whole conversation (I know the guy was only doing his job and it is the policy and the company that is annoying not him). Then he got around to asking me about my services. Then he began asking me more personal questions that I felt were a bit unnecessary and uncomfortable. Questions like, what do I use the internet for, what services I stream with, how many streaming services I use, how many people in my house use the internet, where do I call when I make phone calls and how much TV I watch.

I had to repeatedly and respectively tell him that I am not interested in more services. Sometimes he said ok, but then moved to the next service, in which I told him I was not interested. Sometimes he would flat out say "why" when I told him I don't need something (in this case cable TV). Then he would again go back to asking me about Cable even though I just told him that I don't need cable services. Then back to phone even though I told him I wasn't interested. Then he tried to tell me about the packages. Again, I told him I was not interested. As I said before, I have had to repeat myself multiple times with the representative. They just would not take no for an answer. He seemed to have gotten annoyed and he said, "well call us back if you change your mind" and he hung up the phone. No goodbye. No thanks for your time. No, we thank you again for being a customer with us. Just hung up. I thought that was pretty disrespectful considering I didn't just outright hang up on the guy (but heard him out) or give the guy attitude.

Man, competition for Time Warner/Spectrum for the vast majority of San Antonians can not come soon enough. Competition is good for the customer. Not only will prices go down, but hopefully service will go up.

What do you guys think? Are cable companies getting more predatory in the amount of outbound service calls they are making to upsell services because they are losing so much revenue because so many people like me are cutting the cord?

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by txbullsfan

So I randomly got a telemarketing call from a company called Spectrum yesterday. Turns out Charter bought time Warner and the new service name of Time Warner is now Spectrum.

The call was to upsell me services I don't need nor do I want. The call was random, nagging, pressured, uncomfortable and it ended disrespectfully. Time Warner used to do this crap (random calls to upsell me services) although it was infrequent. The frequency of it seems to have increased in recent years. If I wanted more services like phone and to re-subscribe to Cable, don't these companies think I would have called them instead of them having to call me?

The phone conversation started out pleasant enough. I can say I remained calm and polite the whole conversation (I know the guy was only doing his job and it is the policy and the company that is annoying not him). Then he got around to asking me about my services. Then he began asking me more personal questions that I felt were a bit unnecessary and uncomfortable. Questions like, what do I use the internet for, what services I stream with, how many streaming services I use, how many people in my house use the internet, where do I call when I make phone calls and how much TV I watch.

I had to repeatedly and respectively tell him that I am not interested in more services. Sometimes he said ok, but then moved to the next service, in which I told him I was not interested. Sometimes he would flat out say "why" when I told him I don't need something (in this case cable TV). Then he would again go back to asking me about Cable even though I just told him that I don't need cable services. Then back to phone even though I told him I wasn't interested. Then he tried to tell me about the packages. Again, I told him I was not interested. As I said before, I have had to repeat myself multiple times with the representative. They just would not take no for an answer. He seemed to have gotten annoyed and he said, "well call us back if you change your mind" and he hung up the phone. No goodbye. No thanks for your time. No, we thank you again for being a customer with us. Just hung up. I thought that was pretty disrespectful considering I didn't just outright hang up on the guy or give the guy attitude.

Man, competition for Time Warner/Spectrum for the vast majority of San Antonians can not come soon enough. Not only will prices go down, but hopefully service will go up.

What do you guys think? Are cable companies getting more predatory in the amount of outbound service calls they are making to upsell services because they are losing so much revenue because so many people like me are cutting the cord?

Most companies, even if you have a business relationship with them, maintain an internal "Do Not Call List", and will agree to put their customers on that list, upon request.