Cable service recommended in 18104 (West Allentown) (Bethlehem: mortgage, credit, broker)

[SDWNC]

Folks: I have Consumer Reports. Looked through the internet. We're currently staying
in Bethlehem with some odd, low-end cable service. I don't know what it is.

I think we're moving to west Allentown (going through mortgage stuff now). The current
owners have VZ Fios. The price for tv, internet, & cable (one dvr and oddly three cable boxes - three tvs,
one primary) with their "elite" channels is @200/month. Not paying that as a new customer.

We won't do Dish or DirectTV. Open for suggestions.

Initially, it looked like there was real competition for cable but after looking at this for
too long, there appears to be one - RCN. That's rated low in CR and we hear complaints
about it frequently at the airbnb neighborhood in Bethlehem.

Thanks.

[mrknowitall526]

It's either RCN or Service Electric in the Lehigh Valley. You should take FIOS as Allentown is the only area in the Valley that gets it. A new subscriber can get a much better deal than that.

Service Electric invented cable in 1948 and is a great family owned company, very consumer focused. Still has that small business feel to it. Recently have been more aggressive on upgrades.

[SDWNC]

Originally Posted by mrknowitall526

It's either RCN or Service Electric in the Lehigh Valley. You should take FIOS as Allentown is the only area in the Valley that gets it. A new subscriber can get a much better deal than that.

Service Electric invented cable in 1948 and is a great family owned company, very consumer focused. Still has that small business feel to it. Recently have been more aggressive on upgrades.

Many thanks for your info. Here are the results:
1. FIOS (watched its ups and downs since inception) is too costly. I love the concept over
what AT&T offers (which, when you look at the fine print in their contract, can nail you).
2. Service Electric is just as expensive ($201) or more expensive than FIOS. I didn't
ask what channels that would include. Would've loved to support them but I said they're
too expensive.
3. RCN - I've been told countless times their support and systems are not good. Family
member had them in NYC and they were fine but not here. I also know their prices are in the
FIOS/SE (above) range.

I'm going back to letting a niece's thorough husband come up with something to avoid all. I don't
exactly understand it but this is way too nutso and I don't have to keep looking ... I hope.

I really appreciate your responding. Prices are just too high now. Paid more for Charter/Comcast
in NC and got more and higher speed connections.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by SDWNC

Many thanks for your info. Here are the results:
1. FIOS (watched its ups and downs since inception) is too costly. I love the concept over
what AT&T offers (which, when you look at the fine print in their contract, can nail you).
2. Service Electric is just as expensive ($201) or more expensive than FIOS. I didn't
ask what channels that would include. Would've loved to support them but I said they're
too expensive.
3. RCN - I've been told countless times their support and systems are not good. Family
member had them in NYC and they were fine but not here. I also know their prices are in the
FIOS/SE (above) range.

I'm going back to letting a niece's thorough husband come up with something to avoid all. I don't
exactly understand it but this is way too nutso and I don't have to keep looking ... I hope.

I really appreciate your responding. Prices are just too high now. Paid more for Charter/Comcast
in NC and got more and higher speed connections.

It's all a cost issue. I have RCN and they are basically fine. The speeds are as advertised and the cable almost never goes out. We do have random internet issues, but nothing that a reset doesn't usually fix. Also, their customer support is very good.

My only issue with RCN is that it's expensive once you are not in the new customer pricing zone. They basically double your price in about a year..

[SDWNC]

Originally Posted by blazerj

It's all a cost issue. I have RCN and they are basically fine. The speeds are as advertised and the cable almost never goes out. We do have random internet issues, but nothing that a reset doesn't usually fix. Also, their customer support is very good.

My only issue with RCN is that it's expensive once you are not in the new customer pricing zone. They basically double your price in about a year..

Hey, Blazerj: The guy who you recommended for finding apts/housing wasn't desperate enough to work on it. We bought a house instead .

I thought all this stuff would be easier than NC where there was a no real market - Charter/Spectrum/Comcast vs AT&T and DirectTV... not a choice - Charter hands down and their support was ok. I lived with their tv weirdness - it wasn't worth calling them. I'll keep looking into them. What I really dislike is the inability to see what channels they have.

Ugh, the reality of doubling the cost in a year is abominable. The only good thing is we found Bill Maher online, so we don't have to pay for HBO.

Thanks again, Blazerj.

[mrknowitall526]

I would go with FIOS, hands down. All of the companies go up in price after the first few years. There is no cable on my road (northwestern Lehigh County) and we have Directv (currently $104 a month) and Verizon for phone & DSL (currently $59 a month). But we have various Directv bill credits that will expire in a few months and it will go up $30. Just have to keep calling back and asking for new deals.

I'm 30 and I find all of the streaming stuff to just be too annoying/cumbersome to have to deal with to "cut the cord". I like to sit down, turn on the TV and turn on a specific channel without having to hack together various devices, etc.

[SDWNC]

mrknowitall526,
I started with FIOS because when looking at the house FIOS boxes were all over the place.
I've watched it since it's lovely inception and various tanking down and up since then. FIOS
was my choice. AT&T installed boxes in my neighborhood in NC and their practices, to me,
were unethical. FIOS would be far superior (again, my my opinion) than FIOS since FIOS
connects directly to ones' house. BUTTTTT, I contacted them and the lowest price I could
get was $201/month plus installation etc.

Here's my plan. Blazerj: I was more than persistent yesterday. I got through to a broker of
cable, etc. in Allentown. I made my requirements really really clear to the broker. I actually
started by wishful thinking of getting Charter back (at least they were a known icky entity in NC)
and the guy couldn't do it. So, we broke it painfully down to RCN. We're getting a lower
internet speed (he pushed for a gigabyte upload or download - matters not to me) and I was
willing to give up the landline (I actually need it but was willing to toss it out). Got a package for
$122 + taxes and fees and useless charges. That includes the landline.

He'll call me when I know the mortgage is complete - late May - we can't be spending $$ now.
I said if the prices go up and double in a year, I will cancel the service. By then, my nephew should
have finally figured out a new package that avoids cable and I'm counting on that saving buckos.

So, while FIOS is my choice, RCN is likely $70 cheaper.

Thanks to you and the knowitall .

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by SDWNC

Hey, Blazerj: The guy who you recommended for finding apts/housing wasn't desperate enough to work on it. We bought a house instead .

Nice! Congrats on the house.

[mrknowitall526]

Charter is nowhere near the Lehigh Valley so that'll never happen. There's absolutely no need for gigabit speeds so if that's what your "broker" (what's a cable broker, anyway?) got for you, of course it'll be more expensive.

What package did you request that the offer was $201 a month?! Seems a bit high to me!

[SDWNC]

Originally Posted by mrknowitall526

Charter is nowhere near the Lehigh Valley so that'll never happen. There's absolutely no need for gigabit speeds so if that's what your "broker" (what's a cable broker, anyway?) got for you, of course it'll be more expensive.

What package did you request that the offer was $201 a month?! Seems a bit high to me!

Good question and things have been so hectic, I have no clue . I know I'd start with just the basics
(phone or no phone), internet, and tv without HBO - giving that up (wanted history, national geo, food network, ion and cable news) and stuff.

Yeah, I worked in IT and when the guy said a gig, I thought that was totally insane
and insisted he drop it to a speed where we don't game, we don't download or upload huge files,
etc. He pushed but I pushed back. I know you guys said it may double in a year and I'll deal
with that when I need to.

I looked at Charter/Spectrum as a last-ditch effort. I saw it listed and I thought they were in PA.

A cable broker, let me find a link for you (it's not the one I stumbled on but you'll get the gist):
https://www.cabletv.com/pa/allentown

This may have been what I used after dealing with a numbnut over the phone and I hung up on the
guy: https://www.inmyarea.com/tv/cable/18103/providers

I never heard of a broker before, mrknowitall526, but that's what the guy turned out to be. He had access and the ability to deal with various companies were we'll be moving. So that's my phrase.