[costaricageorge]

What can I expect to pay for basuic cable and internet service in Green Valley. Are the providers the same or do most people have seperate cable and internet. Also what are the recommended companies please.

[swagger]

Probably around $100/month, depending on what TV and internet packages you get. Cox is our provider, but we're in the northwest. You could give them a call and see if they cover the area you're looking at, and if so, ask about their pricing.

[aggrofish]

I think my cable and internet (middle tier) is around $120 w/ Showtime & HBO through Cox.

[costaricageorge]

Thanks I started looking at bundles on their website today. Do you guy use them for the phone as well. If not who do you use. I think when I get up there as I am coming from Costa Rica with my passport and ss card and a CR drivers license I will buy a net 10 phone to get a local number. For a $100 at walmart you get like 600 minutes across U.S. When I have an address which should be within ten days of getting there I will go get my drivers license which should make it easier to get everything else I need. I have already looked at some houses and have a real estate friend helping on that end. Just gonna stay small for the first year just my wife, seven year old son and I. I looked at a few 1000 to 1100 sq ft condos with gas ovens. I have an idea about my electric bill was wondering about gas bill? Any insight on general utilities is greatly appreciated. Trust me I understand things will be tight the first year so the more help budgeting the better.

[aggrofish]

I havent had a home phone in 10 years, dont see a need for one with cell phones.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by costaricageorge

Thanks I started looking at bundles on their website today. Do you guy use them for the phone as well. If not who do you use.

Originally Posted by aggrofish

I havent had a home phone in 10 years, dont see a need for one with cell phones.

I hadn't had a landline for years either until I moved here a couple of months ago. Originally, I wasn't planning to get one here either, but with Cox's bundle, it seemed so cheap, I went ahead and got it. And by doing so, I saved myself some money on my cell phone plan because otherwise I would have had to increase our monthly minutes, so for me, it was almost a wash.

[SportyandMisty]

I live in a gated community without a guard. When someone drives up to the gate, they push a button next to my name, which triggers a telephone call to my house land line. I then punch a "9" to open the gate for them. They tell me it doesn't work with a cell phone, but somehow, I think they are wrong, but I haven't bothered to fight with the HOA about it.

That is one reason I have a land line.

The second reason is for a security system. The security system I have calls out on a land line. there is a module to have it call via a cell phone, but that was quite a bit more money, so I just bit the bullet & got a land line.

With Cox bundle, I was able to get $15/mo for the landline (free unlimited local calling) plus $.05/min long distance (I think I pay $5/mo to get the $.05/min)

If it were not for the gate & the security system, I wouldn't bother with a land line either.

[Scott456]

For landline phone, why don't you just sign up the internet phone (VOIP). There are so many cheap VOIP out there nowadays. The one I use now, I only pay $5 per month for unlimited incomming call and $0.018 per minutes within U.S. And it IS very reliable.
However, some internet provider will block your VOIP service, for example, Comcast in California will block VOIP because they want you to use Comcast's own VOIP and that is around $19.99 per month...go figure.

[aggrofish]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

I hadn't had a landline for years either until I moved here a couple of months ago. Originally, I wasn't planning to get one here either, but with Cox's bundle, it seemed so cheap, I went ahead and got it. And by doing so, I saved myself some money on my cell phone plan because otherwise I would have had to increase our monthly minutes, so for me, it was almost a wash.

True, If I recall you moved here retired right?

If I wasnt at work all day, where everyone knows how to get hold of me, I'd probably have a land line.

Re alarm: ADT goes to my cell from the office security system. I never thought of the security gate, that's probably a good reason to have a land line. Were I live there are only two other houses and nobody wants to pay the monthly fee to activate the system to ring the home phone.