Internet: TWC or AT&T DSL? (apartment, month-to-month) - Austin - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

NC_newcomer · 03-09-2009, 12:05 PM

I need to set up internet service at my apartment in NW Hills. It appears that my only two options are TWC and AT&T.

I have had 1.5 Mbps service for the past few years, and it is plenty fast for my needs. So blazing speed is not a consideration.

Pros and cons? By the way, I use vonage for my phone, so I won't need any other services from TWC -- and won't want a landline from AT&T.

Thanks.

Moonlady · 03-09-2009, 12:31 PM

I'm going to say they are both about the same for what you need. I'd say go with the cheapest or one that will give you the best deal. I've had TW for many years and have never had any problems and had good luck with customer service. I've had absolutely terrible luck with AT&T service to the point where I go out of my way to avoid using them for anything.

robino2001 · 03-09-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonlady

I'm going to say they are both about the same for what you need. I'd say go with the cheapest or one that will give you the best deal. I've had TW for many years and have never had any problems and had good luck with customer service. I've had absolutely terrible luck with AT&T service to the point where I go out of my way to avoid using them for anything.

I'm the absolute opposite. I've always had horrible experiences with TWC (Roadrunner specifically) and their customer service was always the worst I've encountered. I've been happy since I've had AT&T, landline and DSL first, followed by Uverse now.

With that said... I'm not sure if you can get Roadrunner through TWC without basic cable. I am pretty sure also can not get AT&T DSL without a basic landline. It sounds like you may have to buy something in addition just to get access to what you'd want. I'd think landline plus DSL would be cheaper than anything TWC can offer with RR and basic cable. I think TWC is doing contracts now where AT&T is not as far as I know.

Moonlady · 03-09-2009, 01:30 PM

LOL, I was going to say that I was pretty sure you'd find someone with the opposite experience. Utility companies are what they are.

You can get Internet from TWC without cable service (my niece has it) and the contracts TWC are doing are to lock in rate specials, but they're not required - however you may end up paying more.

NC_newcomer · 03-09-2009, 01:42 PM

Thanks.

You can get "naked" DSL -- for comparable speeds, it costs about $5/month more than Roadrunner. There's no connection/setup fee for DSL, but a $30 fee from TWC.

DSL is month-to-month. I haven't gotten a consistent story from TWC on that. The "specials" appear to apply only to bundles.

CarnivalGal · 03-09-2009, 03:05 PM

I have had nothing but bad experience with TWC (Roadrunner). Goes down all the time.

If my husband's company didn't pay for it, I would never have it.

julrey · 03-09-2009, 03:21 PM

I have AT&T DSL at whatever they call their premium package, which is 7Mbps d/l speed and runs $35/mo. Yes, you do have to have a land line but I get a measured rate line for $6.95/mo., which limits the amount of calls you can make but I don't use it anyway so I don't care. All told, taxes and everything runs a little under $50, but with their "light" package you can shave another $10-15 off that

AGA · 03-10-2009, 06:49 AM

Did you double check Grande Communications to see if your area is serviceable? You can check it on their website....sometimes folks don't know they can get it!

paul6835 · 03-10-2009, 09:05 AM

I've used TWC for internet/cable and vonage for the past 2 years. I find when I am doing a presentation over a livemeeting, the bandwidth gets eaten up and the people on my phone get a choppy voice from me - to the point of being a distraction. I also find vonage often won't connect phone calls, I get the "please try again" message. Lastly, blips in my bandwidth often caused issues with the phone, since I'm working from home, professional presentation is important, and it just didn't cut it. For residential service, it was fine.

I needed a second line, so I am now switching to att for phone/internet and directtv for cable. Price is better for me on att, but my 2 lines+unlimited long distance+premium cable and sports+max up/down on network may be different price parameters, though it looked like att was competitive at any level of service.

Trainwreck20 · 03-10-2009, 09:49 AM

We had TWC internet when we got it free through my wife's company, but now we have DSL from AT&T. Can't say that I notice any difference in preformance, but I am not what you would consider an 'intensive' user (no movie downloading or massive file movements). We appear to have the same deal as Julrey, but we do a bundle with mobile phone, land line, and sat. TV, and it gives about $4/month off. We make a large number of long distance phone calls, so we have some land line package that is a flat $20/month and unlimited local and LD calling.

Kinda OT, but we got a land line phone base that 'picks up' our mobile phone calls. Really quite cool and has worked well for us (I have heard some people have issues with it).