Alternative Internet provider?

The Internet service we get from Optimum Cablevision is so bad it’s unusable. It will work for the first three URLs in an hour, then hang. We’ve called the company and our modem maker numerous times, and they’ve been dicking us around with nonsense excuses such as resetting our modem, which, again, works for the first three URLs, then hangs. My theory is they have too many customers and poor service. Our laptop works lightning fast outside the house.

The cable companies are monopolies, right? Is there any alternative? Dial up would be faster. We are in Bed Stuy. Thank you for any suggestions.

callalily

in Utilities 13 years and 8 months ago

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namahs | 13 years and 8 months ago

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File a complaint with the Public Service Commission and Cablevision will resolve it on a timely matter. If that does not work try going with Clearwire 4G, what about Verizon FIOS?. Good luck.

brucef | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Satellite is an unusual optionthat rarely fits anyone in an urban area.

Each time you click on a web site, you are essentially requesting a web page on a internet connected server.

The overall browsing experience is a mixture of how soon the item you are requesting starts to come to you (what we call latency) and the speed it comes to you (what we call throughput).

Satellite has very poor latency, because your request has to travel (albeit at the speed of light) from your dish up to a satellite, back from that satellite to the earth station, on the Internet to the proper server, back to the earth station, back up to the staellite, then back to your dish. Whew.

In a curious irony, the throughput ( how fast it comes to you once it knows what you want) can be quite swift.

So downloading large files, satellite can be good. Overall web browsing experience…sucks.

When we deal with clients in the sticks, we often have no alternative, but that’s the skinny.

bruce at jerseydata.net

InsertSnappyNameHere | 13 years and 8 months ago

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DirecTV’s internet service is expensive.  When I last looked into it, it was about $100 for the equipment and $100 plus fees per month.  IMO, that’s too much for internet service.  But I guess if it works well, it may be worth it to you.

SusanElkins | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Hmm.  I love my Optimum cable in Bed-Stuy.  And I have a graphics business that I operate from home so it needs to be capable and dependable.  I’ve so-far been impressed by their Customer Service as well.  Go figure.

Boerumresident | 13 years and 8 months ago

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You can always go with Verizon’s DSL service instead of cable modem.  It might nominally be a little slower, but I didn’t notice any significant change when I gave TW the boot.

more4less | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Mopar, I gave time warner the boot and got CLEAR wireless 4G mobile hotspot.  it is faster than my old time warner connect and at a decent price at $45 and the thing is mobile.  dont sign up for the 2 yr commit.  just pay for the device and go month-month.  I predict rates will drop again as competition is very high – ie the 4G LTE rolled out by AT&T and Verizon is the better/faster 4G tech (but them boys charge more and the plans are not unlimited usage as is with CLEAR)

callalily | 13 years and 8 months ago

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This is really sick. Makes me nostalgic for POTS. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Now off to the public library to try their wireless…..if the library is still open and they still have wireless after the recent budget cuts. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

BobMarvin | 13 years and 8 months ago

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And here people in Lefferts Manor have been trying to think of a way to get Cablevision to wire our neighborhood so there’d be an alternative to DSL. I guess that’s not the answer 🙁

FWIW I’ve been using an AT&T Android tablet as a supplement to my laptop, with Earthlink DSL. It seems somewhat faster, WHEN IT WORKS. The AT&T 3G tower closest (1 mi.) to my area has been out since 6/14 and we have to connect to a tower 5 miles away. Spmetimes the tablet connects to a stronger non-3G tower and I lose service.

DIBS: how expensive is satellite internet and is  it faster than DSL?

Silvermax | 13 years and 8 months ago

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I had same problem with Time Warner for months, finally got best results by writing to the head of PR and Customer Relations telling them I was going to the Public Utilities Commission about their failure to provide service. That immediately got me into a special service category, and ultimately — not immediately — they got someone who actually could fix the problem. Be prepared to write a letter to the PUC — also contact your City councilperson — and make sure Optimum knows all this. Become a very very squeaky wheel. It’s the only thing that seems to work.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Dish Network or Direct TV.  We have Direct TV in Philly.  Works fine.  I use Verizon air card on my laptop.  Need 4G if you want to download videos.  I don’t.  I have 3G for web browsing and it’s fine but only have one laptop