adamgh81 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 BLUF (bottom line up front): Which ISP should I switch to for streaming Hulu+/Netflix using a max of 2 (rarely 3) devices? Which speed? Anyone have a good CR contact for an ISP? Long version: We finally cut the cord and are a "no cable TV" house but I'm still not happy with the price of my ISP. Our intent is to cut our costs where we can. We had AT&T U-Verse for TV/Phone/Internet and they jacked the price up to $194 so we canceled the TV and Phone. Now we're using Hulu+, Netflix and Magic Jack (phone via internet connection). We're happy with what we have, but I have a few questions on lowering our monthly price. We're currently paying roughly $60/month for service + $7/month for the modem/router (+ tax/fees) for Max+ internet (18 Mbps, checked via Speedtest yesterday was only 13.37 Mbps while wife was using Hulu+). If I were a new customer I could get Basic TV(local stations only), HBO and Max+ internet for $39/month. They say you have to not be a customer for 30 days. I am currently NOT in a contract. Other options I'm looking into: Century Link 20 Mbps $24.95/month WOW 15 Mbps/month $30/month TWC/Insight 20 Mbps $44.99/month I'm leaning toward Century Link due to the price and speed, but don't know a lot of people who use them. I'm also interested in buying my own modem/router...our current bedroom WiFi TV does not have a good connection to the WiFi. I need some advice on a good modem/router and WiFi repeater or DIY WiFi booster...any info would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Been a WoW customer for over 10 years. Never looked back. Customer service is top notch. Service is top notch and. We have 15/2 connection with them and have 3 computers, tivo, xbox, and Ipad plus two iphones connected at all times. No issues, I can also game online with no issues at those speeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Been a WoW customer for over 10 years. Never looked back. Customer service is top notch. Service is top notch and. We have 15/2 connection with them and have 3 computers, tivo, xbox, and Ipad plus two iphones connected at all times. No issues, I can also game online with no issues at those speeds. ^^ x 1,334 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaSSon Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 I'm in a similar boat. We're got TWC, and they keep jacking up our bill. Century link is my only other choice where I live. CL charges $100 to install their modem, $30 if you install their modem, and ~$7 a month lease fee. You can BUY a DSL modem for less than $30. I just don't know what their upload is, they don't list it. Their website shows me 10mb down for $39.99/month WITH a 12 month contract. Where do you see 20mb for $25? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamgh81 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 WOW, thanks. We have 15/2 connection What do you mean by 15/2 connection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaSSon Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 WOW, thanks. What do you mean by 15/2 connection? 15mb down, 2mb up. I've got 10/1 through TWC, and sometimes that upload just drives me innnnnnnnsaaaane, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamgh81 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 15mb down, 2mb up. Thanks, I must have had a brain fart. Century Link's customer service rep could bearly speak English and after 20 mins of searching, told me they do not service my neighborhood. I've been an Insight customer in the past and left them for AT&T a few yrs ago, so I doubt I'll go back to Insight/TWC. WOW sounds good, I called and they have to check to see if they can service my house. $30/month + $10/month for modem/router + $50 install fee. Any suggestions/insight on purchasing my own modem and router? I would like it powerful enough to reach my bedroom...our phones/tablets work fine, but our wifi tv does not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbs3000 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 We have always used WOW. We currently have the 30mb plan. $50/mo + $5 modem and like $1 in fees & tax. We figured this way we can download, stream, game without any issue and still save over a lower plan + cable. Also for what it's worth if they do service your area i have always given the line "Oh I thought with the ad the install was free." or something along those lines and 9/10 times they have just made it free without a hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaSSon Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Thanks, I must have had a brain fart. Century Link's customer service rep could bearly speak English and after 20 mins of searching, told me they do not service my neighborhood. I've been an Insight customer in the past and left them for AT&T a few yrs ago, so I doubt I'll go back to Insight/TWC. WOW sounds good, I called and they have to check to see if they can service my house. $30/month + $10/month for modem/router + $50 install fee. Any suggestions/insight on purchasing my own modem and router? I would like it powerful enough to reach my bedroom...our phones/tablets work fine, but our wifi tv does not. You're better off with something like THIS, THIS, THIS or THIS than leasing the modem. $10/month is more than any other provider charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamgh81 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 I'm in a similar boat. We're got TWC, and they keep jacking up our bill. Century link is my only other choice where I live. CL charges $100 to install their modem, $30 if you install their modem, and ~$7 a month lease fee. You can BUY a DSL modem for less than $30. I just don't know what their upload is, they don't list it. Their website shows me 10mb down for $39.99/month WITH a 12 month contract. Where do you see 20mb for $25? Of course right after I found out they didn't service my area I deleted the info you're asking about. Now I can't find it. I think I googled Quest Internet service. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamgh81 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Of course right after I found out they didn't service my area I deleted the info you're asking about. Now I can't find it. I think I googled Quest Internet service. Sorry. Found it. https://q.myaccount.centurylink.com/MasterWebPortal/freeRange/MobileInternet_goToLanding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rally Pat Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 We have WOW 50/5 at our house, which is honestly overkill but my roommates really wanted it. We can download/stream/game do whatever all at the same time without a hickup in service. I think we could have accomplished the same with 30/3 or 15/2 even, but the service has been great. We do lease their modem/router combo, but its only like a couple bucks or something like that. Pretty solid unit, has Gigabit and Wireless N on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Switched to WOW, thought it sucked, kept going down on their end, didn't get anywhere, tried to switch to Time Warner and their customer service was so bad we didn't even sign up. Been back at AT&T for 6 months without issue. Glad WOW works for so many of you, but over here in Blacklick it wasn't reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airwg2189 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Downtown Columbus, WOW, 30/3, $50, works fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 For those of you without cable tv service, how do you get live sports? Or let's say the wife wants to watch Grey's or Bachelorette or whatever, how do you get those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350pandaz Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Like most plp on here, WOW, 30 for $50, bought my own modem on ebay for $50 to cut the modem rental cost. they also have awesome customer service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350pandaz Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 you should also look into powerline adapters. basically using your exisiting electrical wires in your home for internet, plugs into power outlets (reaching areas where wifi wouldnt go) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBAUCLAPlaya Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Is Wow available in an apartment complex? I'm in Hilliard Grand in Dublin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamgh81 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 you should also look into powerline adapters. basically using your exisiting electrical wires in your home for internet, plugs into power outlets (reaching areas where wifi wouldnt go) Do you have experience using one? I heard from someone else the one they setup doesn't work very well. Any model recommendation? Oh and WOW doesn't service my neighborhood either. Looks like it's TWC or I stick it out with ATT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 For those of you without cable tv service, how do you get live sports? Or let's say the wife wants to watch Grey's or Bachelorette or whatever, how do you get those? Greys and all network TV is online the next day. Live sports or the only thing keeping us from ditching cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airwg2189 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 For those of you without cable tv service, how do you get live sports? Or let's say the wife wants to watch Grey's or Bachelorette or whatever, how do you get those? I quickly came to realize that for most live sports events I care about, I'm usually at a bar anyway. For the FEW that I'm home and would like to watch, the internet is a fantastic tool. http://fırstrowsports.eu/ for starters. Reddit's usually got HD links to everything too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicranium Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Had to get rid of WOW recently because of this new awful routing they were using. Was taking 10-12 hops before you even got out of their network which resulted in my ping basically doubling when I was playing on Xbox Live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airwg2189 Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Had to get rid of WOW recently because of this new awful routing they were using. Was taking 10-12 hops before you even got out of their network which resulted in my ping basically doubling when I was playing on Xbox Live. Curious, who do you run with now and is the ping better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicranium Posted May 6, 2014 Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Curious, who do you run with now and is the ping better? Reluctantly switched to TWC. I'm in a former Insight area so it's basically still all old Insight stuff but I think the channel bonding with DOCSIS 3.0 (which Insight didn't have when I was with them) helps keep things stable. Ping is now better than it ever was with WOW. Used to get in the 30's-40's on Titanfall with WOW before the new routing screwed everything up but now I sometimes even see 20's with TWC. Heard a lot of horror stories about TWC throttling streaming services like Netflix and Youtube as well but they're also faster than ever. Pay for 50/5 but consistently get about 56/6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshymkiw83 Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 Reluctantly switched to TWC. I'm in a former Insight area so it's basically still all old Insight stuff but I think the channel bonding with DOCSIS 3.0 (which Insight didn't have when I was with them) helps keep things stable. Ping is now better than it ever was with WOW. Used to get in the 30's-40's on Titanfall with WOW before the new routing screwed everything up but now I sometimes even see 20's with TWC. Heard a lot of horror stories about TWC throttling streaming services like Netflix and Youtube as well but they're also faster than ever. Pay for 50/5 but consistently get about 56/6. Number of hops doesn't really mean much. That being said - TWC is likely peered better than WoW, as they have more money and also operate their own National Backbone. TWC doesn't Throttle at all. Or at least didn't when I left the Engineering Group there (2011). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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