 Review by Packeteers 
member for 7.8 years, 3249 visits, last login: a few hours ago
updated 139 days ago
 Forest Hills,Queens,NY
 $30 per month about 4 days "all domestic sales and support" "intrusive IP activity monitoring" "no contract means low risk trying"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)
|
Feb'2012 post install feedback;
After a lot of procedural headaches with Verizon aDSL, I decided to give TWCable a try. I was impressed how technically savvy they were in sales, and how easy it was to reschedule install appointments and get more info.
The installer came on time, but was kind of a jerk; instead of putting in a $3 video:data splitter on to my existing CATV cable, he spliced a coupler out in the hallway cable tray to run the new cable to my computer, left the old CATV cable without a connector - so he basically left a mess for the next guy who may later upgrade me for HDTV, and added more unnecessary DB loss on my line for future DOCSIS3 upgrading.
more bad luck as the first new RCA model DCM425 modem he tried had a DOA Ethernet port, and he got testy with me when i proved to him it was not my computer by showing a twinkling ethernet NIC card light while attached to my old Verizion Westell 7500 modem. I think these installers are so used to dealing with 80yo great grandmothers who just want to email their kids, that when a tech savvy customer comes along that questions their modus operandi, they can get easily flustered. I later discovered the working modem he left me was actually used for the past 6 Months according to the modems own EventLog.
My download order rating was 10mbps but I'm often seeing 12-16mbps during non primetime hours, and around 7-10mbps during primetime. my Latency to the 3rd Hop is 15-25ms, which seems impressive for a Broadband ISP.
* I knew on order I would get only 0.5mbps upload, but I'm pretty bummed out on how much that low latency bandwidth makes Video chat, VoIP, online games and even forum posting feel sluggish compared to the low Latency 0.8mbps upload I enjoyed with Verizon aDSL. I suspect the upload is compressed by the ISP, making it even more problematic for certain upload intensive applications.
Getting a new dynamic public IP is more cumbersome than it was on my Verizon aDSL modem, but at least it's possible if you have a router to alternate your mac address with your pc's mac.
wideband 30/5 DOCSIS3 is offered here for $20/mo more, so I may upgrade once I grow more confident in TWCable stability and reliably especially during primetime hours. I'll reevaluate in 3-6 months, and change my worst-best scores as they merit it: »testmy.net/quickstats/spypet
Mar'2012 first Month feedback;
* My upload seems to have been increased to 1mbps, download averages over 10mbps, and Latency is a respectable 20ms, so I'm very pleased with the performance and reliability thus far. I'm able to trip DHCP into giving me a new IP address by alternating between my PC's MAC and my extra Router's MAC address, and I find that ability comforting. now that my upload feels increased, I notice fewer upload compression symptoms, and upload intensive applications are more responsive.
I used online chat tech support for the first time, and am sad to report the live person seemed more interested in running through some unrelated diagnostic script that only demonstrated to me he had no real technical understanding of my question. I eventually found the answer I needed elsewhere just googling around for it.
Torrent users should be aware that TWCable seems very intrusive of such activity even if all you do is grab some TV episode you just missed, so a good third party Proxy/VPN or SeedBox is advised to protect your privacy and net neutrality. Since my 15/1 line cost me less than I was paying the far less intrusive Verizon, I don't mind paying someone else extra for a LeaseWeb based anonymizing service.
May'2012 deterioration:
My average speed has decreased from over 14/1 to 9/1 for no reason, but that is still near the 10/1 of Standard service speed. My area suffers a few hours of ISP service outage every 2 Months.
June'2012 intermittent:
I'm averaging 12/1 but my connection to the internet seems to lock up, and even though the activity lights look normal, i'm forced to power cycle the modem to get back on the web just about every other day.
Aug'2012 back on track:
I finally insisted TWCable do a premise visit by a Tech, not an installer. he could not find anything specifically wrong but swapped out my original install RCA modem for a Ubee. ever since then my line has been more consistent and I have not needed to power cycle my new modem.
Nov'2012 spotty routing:
I bought my own $28 factory reconditioned sb5101u docsis2 modem to avoid the monthly lease fee, and also benefited from a recent free speed increase given to all Standard plans.
I regret not getting a docsis3 but the few on their support list were over $100. It's a shame TWCable made us buy our own modems, since now it's far less likely I'll try their 30/5 wideband plan once my first year ends in Feb'2013.
so now i'm enjoying 20/1 offpeak 15/1 peak with 2.0MB/s average instead of 1.2MB/s. routing issues continue to be TWCable's weak point, as I often get better connectivity to US sight while on my European VPN then I do right off my public IP domestically. with FiOS still a year away from being build up on my block, I'm glad for the speed and ability TWCable gave me to help keep things affordable.
Comments:
|
·