Cable/internet options

[jsearles22]

I wanted some feedback on the forums thoughts on what options are best for cable & internet. A little background- in my area the only cable TV provider is Suddenlink. They are also the only cable internet provider. I have been with them for the past 10-15 years or so. I have never used Direct TV or Dish. Suddenlink has been slowly (as in $5 here, $7 there) raising their rates over the past few years. Last year they had a big issue with some cable entity and Suddenlink ended up cutting out about 25-30 channels. They "replaced" those lost channels with LOL other options. For example they cut Disney, which my kids loved, and replaced it with some absurd cartoon channel that is dog shit. Anyways, I get my bill this month and it is now going up another $15/month and Im fed up with it. So I think my only option is going to be to go the DirectTV route.

So any tricks, pointers, package ideas? I know all the offers they have out are really cheap for 12 months and full price for 12 months but I think the average still is favorable. As far as programming goes, we usually dont go with the smallest package, but not any robust package either. We dont need anything premium like HBO, etc. I want the basics, like ABC NBC etc as well as ESPN channels but nothing else is really required.

The other issue is internet. Has anyone used internet provided by Direct TV or Dish? How is that? Ive heard a lot of people in my area will use Direct TV for television but still use Suddenlink for internet. Currently my Suddenlink internet is 15meg and Im fine with that level. Could I expect similar internet with Direct TV? I really dont want two different bills and two different sets of wiring throughout the house, but I will split if thats the best option


Druff, if you are still reading, spare me the fucking "call and threaten to cancel BS". If you dont think that hasnt already been done about 5x over the past few years you are foolish. Ive got them down as far as they will go, and with this recent roll out I am done with them.

[chinamaniac]

I heard this thing is good

http://www.thedragonbox.com/

[Crowe Diddly]

I wanted some feedback on the forums thoughts on what options are best for cable & internet. A little background- in my area the only cable TV provider is Suddenlink. They are also the only cable internet provider. I have been with them for the past 10-15 years or so. I have never used Direct TV or Dish. Suddenlink has been slowly (as in $5 here, $7 there) raising their rates over the past few years. Last year they had a big issue with some cable entity and Suddenlink ended up cutting out about 25-30 channels. They "replaced" those lost channels with LOL other options. For example they cut Disney, which my kids loved, and replaced it with some absurd cartoon channel that is dog shit. Anyways, I get my bill this month and it is now going up another $15/month and Im fed up with it. So I think my only option is going to be to go the DirectTV route.

So any tricks, pointers, package ideas? I know all the offers they have out are really cheap for 12 months and full price for 12 months but I think the average still is favorable. As far as programming goes, we usually dont go with the smallest package, but not any robust package either. We dont need anything premium like HBO, etc. I want the basics, like ABC NBC etc as well as ESPN channels but nothing else is really required.

The other issue is internet. Has anyone used internet provided by Direct TV or Dish? How is that? Ive heard a lot of people in my area will use Direct TV for television but still use Suddenlink for internet. Currently my Suddenlink internet is 15meg and Im fine with that level. Could I expect similar internet with Direct TV? I really dont want two different bills and two different sets of wiring throughout the house, but I will split if thats the best option


Druff, if you are still reading, spare me the fucking "call and threaten to cancel BS". If you dont think that hasnt already been done about 5x over the past few years you are foolish. Ive got them down as far as they will go, and with this recent roll out I am done with them.

All you need to know about Directv internet is that it is advertised as "faster than dial-up." Cut your current speed in half, then cut it in half again, then cut it in half again, and you are looking at the average directv internet speed (which is really a 3rd party and not directv itself, so if you have problems, gl with going and fucking off).

You can complain about your cable company raising their rates, but the truth is, its the channels themselves who are raising the rates the cable companies pay, and that's why your price is going up, same as everyone else in the world with cable. The major culprit is live sports. They get huge dough from TV, and the price gets passed on to you. Cut the cable, lose most live sports, or pay the NBA, NHL, NFL, etc directly.

[thesparten]

The satellite companies don't have internet they partner with other companies..in my area we have television,Verizon,dish and direct..I got the triple play platinum for 149..spent a couple of hours haggling back and forth between companies..just know with satellite it's frustrating if it rains hard or snows your t.v will go out..if you can save money go to satellite, competition is always a good thing..just tell the salesman your "thinking" about leaving your current provider..in ny internet is internet..they have a stand alone unlimited high speed package for 34.95...but I'm sure that will double if the regulatory bill passes...

[tommyt]

^^ this

DirectTV in my area has verizon dsl in their package. I went with comcast (fml), has the best internet speeds and reliability for my area. The package i have is like 110 a month for cable / top internet they have available. I also have HBO included in that price.

[chinamaniac]

verizon dsl I never disconnected and was as good as any internet I ever used. DL took a little longer but not a huge difference

[abrown83]

Yea we have CenturyLink DSL bundles with DirecTV.

DirecTV is a million times better than any other television provider I have ever had.

I am currently paying $120 for both.

$75 for DirecTV
$45 for Centurylink 40 down / 20 up

[thesparten]

Cablevision not television, ugh!...I chose Cablevision have the land line phone..was going to get rid of it but when Cheney knocked down the twin towers a lot of cells didn't work in n.y.the land line was fine. I could probably knock off 25 off for telephone and another 20 in "fee,s" and taxes that are only associated with telephone..but the twin towers really fucked up n.y. I walked!! Home from Manhattan along with thousand on the street doing the same 4 hours later when I got to the Bronx I could still see the smoke in the sky..I'm keeping the landline..got rid of the stains in my boxers though..

[Belly Buster]

I hear that not having internet is a fashionable option these days. I would urge you to strongly consider it.

[NaturalBornHustler]

Get the cable installed, and when they are done rip the wire off the wall and hang yourself with it. They are extra sturdy for fatass like yourself.

[tyde]

keep pressing ctrl/alt/del as fast as you can until you drop dead you worthless fat fuck

[Dan Druff]

DSL sucks.

Chinamaniac got lucky that he hasn't had bad experiences with it yet (except for its very slow top speed).

I had DSL some years ago, and it was awful. Reliability was terrible, and support was all outsourced to the third world, as it's now basically the redheaded stepchild of ISPs, and they don't want to put any resources into it.

Had DSL in another one of my secret locations, and experienced something very similar.

Basically DSL has been on its way out for a long time, and ISPs do not want to put any effort into making it a good or reliable product, knowing those resources will not produce anything long term for them.

That, plus you will experience slowness even with things as simple as loading streaming video.

[simpdog]

keep pressing ctrl/alt/del as fast as you can until you drop dead you worthless fat fuck

Why bother even posting this?

Also stay out of first world problem threads. People who live in third world countries have other problems to deal with.

[thesparten]

Dsl is the stepchild..I got a newsletter from Sprint(got 200common shares at1.97 some years back) they aren't investing in boost mobile infrastructure other than marketing because there's no return on that they make too much money on the old Nextel network they have it on..there using those funds for Sprint network..same goes for dsl and Verizon..it's profitable "as is" the funds go to newer technology and ventures..but if your not to demanding they do serve there purpose at a great cost..ahhh! The free market at work.

[abrown83]

DSL sucks.

Chinamaniac got lucky that he hasn't had bad experiences with it yet (except for its very slow top speed).

I had DSL some years ago, and it was awful. Reliability was terrible, and support was all outsourced to the third world, as it's now basically the redheaded stepchild of ISPs, and they don't want to put any resources into it.

Had DSL in another one of my secret locations, and experienced something very similar.

Basically DSL has been on its way out for a long time, and ISPs do not want to put any effort into making it a good or reliable product, knowing those resources will not produce anything long term for them.

That, plus you will experience slowness even with things as simple as loading streaming video.

This is just factually untrue on quite a few levels.

Do you know the difference between cable internet and DSL internet from hub to neighborhood box?

Literally the only difference is the last mile of delivery (well unless you live in a shitty place where they haven't updated and laid fiber to neighborhoods yet, but that could be cable or DSL).

Most Cable companies even if they are offering 50/100/150 down they are still only offering 3-10 on uploads.

I can get 40/20 from my DSL provider for a fraction of the cost, with 30ms ping times.

Once DSL and Cable companies both started running fiber to the neighborhood, DSL with it's dedicated lines the last mile should be much more consistent in its performance delivery.

Eventually both DSL and Cable companies will run Fiber from the neighborhood box to the houses and both will offer more or less the same service which will be gigabit fiber internet.

[herbertstemple]

DSL sucks.

Chinamaniac got lucky that he hasn't had bad experiences with it yet (except for its very slow top speed).

I had DSL some years ago, and it was awful. Reliability was terrible, and support was all outsourced to the third world, as it's now basically the redheaded stepchild of ISPs, and they don't want to put any resources into it.

Had DSL in another one of my secret locations, and experienced something very similar.

Basically DSL has been on its way out for a long time, and ISPs do not want to put any effort into making it a good or reliable product, knowing those resources will not produce anything long term for them.

That, plus you will experience slowness even with things as simple as loading streaming video.

China must be living next to the phone company because dsl's speed degrades with distance from its originating point. Also, no way you can push the same speed on a pair of phone wires that you can on coax cable of fiber.

I would use dsl as the last option.

[1marley1]

I was paying Verizon $49/month for modem and 50/50 speed internet, price jumped to lol $85. I checked speed and noticed i was getting like 20/20 at best.

I tried my best to Druff them but they said we don't guarantee wireless speeds blah blah. I told them i'd quit if they didn't offer better price. They called my druff so i had to go thru with it and canceled.

Had Comcast hooked up in 48 hrs was worried the $39/month 25/25 would suck but so far speeds are better than what i was getting from Vz.

[thesparten]

I like it, New word "druff" should be added to the lexicon..I'm calling my food suppliers and I'm going to "druff" them. Produce is up because of cold spell..I'll go 50/50 with them on the increase..I'll do a good "druff" on them.

[thesparten]

I druffed them down. Got 45 off a 900 dollar order..