  NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI |
Don't like the fee?Buy your own modem. Problem solved. | |
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 |  n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
1 recommendation |
n2jtx
Member
2012-Oct-2 2:41 pm
Re: Don't like the fee?said by Nightfall:Buy your own modem. Problem solved.
Read it again: Frontier Communications recently started charging everyone a $7 "modem support and warranty fee" whether you own your modem or not. I myself still own my Optimum Online modem. If Optimum suddenly inserts a fee in my bill, they are getting a copy of the receipt for the modem. | |
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| | NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny Yours
MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
1 recommendation |
Re: Don't like the fee?said by n2jtx:said by Nightfall:Buy your own modem. Problem solved.
Read it again: Frontier Communications recently started charging everyone a $7 "modem support and warranty fee" whether you own your modem or not. I myself still own my Optimum Online modem. If Optimum suddenly inserts a fee in my bill, they are getting a copy of the receipt for the modem. The article was on Time Warner Cable, not Frontier. Otherwise I agree with you. Frontier is ripping people off. Time Warner's letter is simply that they are starting to charge for leased modems. If you want to buy your own, then there is a list of approved modems to use. This is all dictated in the letter. | |
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Devilsfan
Anon
2012-Oct-3 9:37 am
Re: Don't like the fee?Frontier does not charge you if you own your own modem! Only for leasing theirs. They dont support the 3rd party modem or trouble shoot it. So if you own your own modem and it stops working tech support wont help you! I know I work for Frontier. | |
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rulds2008 to Nightfall
Anon
2012-Oct-2 2:47 pm
to Nightfall
Your 100 percent right, its not your modem its the companies so they are chargin you to use there stuff, buy your own your all good | |
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|  Pathfinder5Dazed Confused
Premium Member
join:2000-03-26
New York, NY
1 edit |
to Nightfall
At $139 it isn't really problem solved. Of course I could get a used one cheaper off Amazon or Ebay but that is a pig in a poke. It may be able to be activated or it may not. Either way, it is an increase in price. That is the problem. Edit. In addition, I checked the approved list and don't see any modems on there that support telephone service. 
Approved modems
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Re: Don't like the fee?You guys have 8x4 channel bonding online in NYC though. That couple bucks a month is actually going toward upgrades. | |
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| | | DampierPhillip M Dampier
join:2003-03-23
Rochester, NY |
Re: Don't like the fee?said by iansltx:You guys have 8x4 channel bonding online in NYC though. That couple bucks a month is actually going toward upgrades.
This could be a problem. The D3 modems on the approved list seem to support up to 4x4 bonded channels. Can a firmware upgrade address this? | |
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Re: Don't like the fee?Nope. | |
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DrDrewsGhost to Dampier
Anon
2012-Oct-2 4:24 pm
to Dampier
said by Dampier:The D3 modems on the approved list seem to support up to 4x4 bonded channels. Can a firmware upgrade address this?
No, it's a hardware chip limitation. Updating firmware won't change that. | |
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| | | |  StraphangerExpress is Back
Mod
join:2001-12-08
Whitestone, NY |
to Dampier
said by Dampier:said by iansltx:You guys have 8x4 channel bonding online in NYC though. That couple bucks a month is actually going toward upgrades.
This could be a problem. The D3 modems on the approved list seem to support up to 4x4 bonded channels. Can a firmware upgrade address this? From what I understand, the D3 Motorolla models listed in the screenshot support 8x4 channel bonding. | |
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1 recommendation |
to Pathfinder5
said by Pathfinder5:At $139 it isn't really problem solved.
I paid more than that for my first 28.8k modem, back in the day when they cost real money.  | |
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| |  ericn32meh
Premium Member
join:2009-09-23
Costa Mesa, CA |
to Pathfinder5
Voice modems become free once you stop using them for Internet service. | |
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| | | Pathfinder5Dazed Confused
Premium Member
join:2000-03-26
New York, NY |
Re: Don't like the fee?said by ericn32:Voice modems become free once you stop using them for Internet service.
I just saw that and now it makes even less sense. | |
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| | | | ericn32meh
Premium Member
join:2009-09-23
Costa Mesa, CA |
ericn32
Premium Member
2012-Oct-2 11:01 pm
Re: Don't like the fee?It's s--- stupid, and I don't know how upgrading modems to IPv6 can cost that much to begin with. | |
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1 recommendation |
to Nightfall
It's still a price increase+reduction in service. | |
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Justin027 to Nightfall
Anon
2012-Oct-2 3:40 pm
to Nightfall
Yup. No reason to bitch and complain | |
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| DampierPhillip M Dampier
join:2003-03-23
Rochester, NY
1 edit
1 recommendation |
to Nightfall
Updated: Sorry, my bad. I went for the 6141 modem... the 6121 is not on the update list. It was $20 more and hard to find... out the door price is at least $100 for the 6141. I have put up more information about this fee and quick reviews of the VERY limited choices TWC is giving customers as far as purchased cable modems go on Stop the Cap!: » stopthecap.com/2012/10/0 ··· tal-fee/In short, buy a DOCSIS 3 modem no matter what, and buy sooner rather than later. Amazon has some good prices, but they won't last as the surge of new buyers arrive. I went for the Motorola SB6121 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem ($80) for these reasons: 1) Value for money: You can recoup this investment in about two years with TWC's new pricing scheme and have a D3 modem that will last at least five years before technology makes this obsolete. 2) Combo cable modem/routers are usually a bad idea and don't perform as well as standalone routers running third party firmware. I am keeping my Linksys N router running DDWRT thank you. The current D3 modem (Ubee) was a real pain with Wi-Fi so I have mine in bridge mode. 3) The D2 modems are not much less than the SB6121. The one wireless combo D2 modem is G only, and has gotten very mixed reviews. | |
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|  rchandraStargate Universe fan
Premium Member
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105
EnGenius EAP1250
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to Nightfall
'cept there's a couple of problems with that, at least in my region (dunno whether it would properly be called "Northeast," "Western New York," or "Buffalo area"). One, the service is being sold without a modem line item, and hobgoblin  (a TW employee) tells us in the TW forum those of us who have bought cable modems are grandfathered in for a "customer owned modem" billing credit. Two, if you want Wideband (and perhaps other, higher-tiered services), customer owned modems, although perhaps technically capable, are (according to policy) not allowed. Three, I seem to remember hobgoblin saying (well, writing anyway) policy has changed in that customer-supplied modems are being phased out (meaning I don't have to change mine out as I'm grandfathered in, unless I no longer use the ones I have). Either way, I oppose the notion. I don't want to pay for a modem five times over, and think it's reasonable to receive some minimal level of tech support bundled with the access fees. I don't think I ever had to call the cableco (whether Adelphia or TW) for my SB5100, and only had to call a few times within the last year or so for my SB6120. Otherwise, it has been many, many months of service basically without a hitch requiring support (meaning no additional cost to TW). | |
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| |  hobgoblinSortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY |
Re: Don't like the fee?"One, the service is being sold without a modem line item, and hobgoblin See Profile (a TW employee) tells us in the TW forum those of us who have bought cable modems are grandfathered in for a "customer owned modem" billing credit.
Two, if you want Wideband (and perhaps other, higher-tiered services), customer owned modems, although perhaps technically capable, are (according to policy) not allowed.
Three, I seem to remember hobgoblin saying (well, writing anyway) policy has changed in that customer-supplied modems are being phased out (meaning I don't have to change mine out as I'm grandfathered in, unless I no longer use the ones I have)."
It appears possibly that you are using some very old quotes from me.
A while ago there was a policy that gave customer owned modems a credit, the modem cost was included in a promotion. Once the promotion ended the credit did too.
Initially when the D3 tiers were rolled customer owned modems were not allowed, That policy has since changed and there are numerous people that own their own modem and have a D3 service.
I have never stated that customer owned modems are being phased
out.
If you have your own modem you will of course receive the same support as everyone gets!
Hob | |
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| | | rchandraStargate Universe fan
Premium Member
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105 ARRIS ONT1000GJ4
EnGenius EAP1250
1 edit |
rchandra
Premium Member
2012-Oct-3 8:53 am
Re: Don't like the fee?my bad. (gosh, the older I get, the flakier my memory gets).
I thought I read something along the lines of, no more (as in additional, as in if you're beginning service) customer supplied modems, but if you have one already, you could continue to use it. Ergo, not in so many words, but phasing out of allowing customer modems. I'm thinking, you must have at least written no more credit, that it's no longer a line item and modem is included in the price. And admittedly it's been a few months since I looked closely at my bill (usually I just look at "the bottom line," and it hasn't increased), but at least I used to see a -$3.00 line item.
The credit (or lack of charge, when it WAS a separate line item) for supplying my own modem is the primary motivator for me buying one. Without it, the reasons would be technical, as in for example I like the performance of some model.
I apologize for any misunderstanding. just sayin' that's my recollection, and I did not research the TW (RR) forum before writing.
And as for support, yeah, it's been pretty good. I was commenting on it more from a cost basis, that it doesn't seem to me like it should be much different, renting/leasing or customer supplied.
I just heard a news story on WHAM-AM about this. Part of their stated reason of needing to charge the modem fee is that some people never return theirs. That seems kind of silly, at least for a reason. Like some other services, just state up front if you don't give it back, you'll be charged $X, and if you don't pay up, it goes to collections, just like any other unpaid bills. | |
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| 19579823 (banned)An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04 |
to Nightfall
Wont they still charge a fee?? | |
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what about EMTA'sDoes TWC allow you to purchase your own EMTA's as well???
Comcast does, but my understanding is NOT in all of their service areas, & ONLY from participating Best Buy's...just did this very thing last month. | |
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Re: what about EMTA'sYes. The fee in my area was $2.50 a month last month, so this is a 60% increase. Not trivial. At this price however it makes sense to buy your own. I just got rid of an 8 year old 5120 last week, and I paid $50 for it initially. At $2.50 a month it has a 2 year break even, but $4, almost 1 year and you are better off w/ your own. Frontier $7 is the reverse Morris trust tax thanks to Verizon. | |
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| hobgoblinSortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY |
to dishrich
said by dishrich:Does TWC allow you to purchase your own EMTA's as well???
Comcast does, but my understanding is NOT in all of their service areas, & ONLY from participating Best Buy's...just did this very thing last month.
At this time there are no approved EMTA's. Hob | |
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...This is bs. I refuse to pay $4 rental fee for this $25 cisco modem so I already brought Moto SB5101U today on ebay for like $22 bucks. You not getting any more money from me, not even one cent from me | |
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| KearnstdSpace Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ |
Kearnstd
Premium Member
2012-Oct-2 3:05 pm
Re: ...just be warned if it does not activate its because its off ebay. sometimes the ones on ebay are sold off rental units flagged as stolen in a carrier's system. | |
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|  swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME |
to PowerMac
said by PowerMac:This is bs. I refuse to pay $4 rental fee for this $25 cisco modem so I already brought Moto SB5101U today on ebay for like $22 bucks. You not getting any more money from me, not even one cent from me
That modem is not an approved device anymore so I dont think you will get it added. | |
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Re: ...@Kearnstd, He have it with Cox Cable. It should be working fine with Time Warner.
@swimtec, really? I already checked Time Warner approved modem list and it said Motor SB5101 and Moto SB5101U and Moto SBG901 is supported | |
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| | | swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME |
swintec
Premium Member
2012-Oct-3 7:56 pm
Re: ...said by PowerMac:@swimtec, really? I already checked Time Warner approved modem list and it said Motor SB5101 and Moto SB5101U and Moto SBG901 is supported
Oh, sorry. I was thinking of the 5100. | |
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uscatu
Anon
2012-Oct-2 3:21 pm
relets not mention they raised prices in so cal by 8 dollars | |
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|  antdudeMatrix Ant
Premium Member
join:2001-03-25
US |
antdude
Premium Member
2012-Oct-2 9:27 pm
Re: re8 bucks for a modem rental fee? Ouch. | |
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Upton
Anon
2012-Oct-2 4:52 pm
"Approved" ModemsWhy do they only approve 3 DOCSIS 2.0 modems (ALL Motorola) when they have nearly 40 models from different manufacturers that they use for lease? The 2 Motorola modems they approve that I can use (the third being wireless, which I don't use) have some troubling reviews on Amazon. It looks like TWC is giving me little choice but to swallow their increase and use their modem. Also, how long until they start charging for the modem used for digital phone? I bet it won't be far behind. | |
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| Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI |
Mele20
Premium Member
2012-Oct-3 3:13 am
Re: "Approved" ModemsWhat do you mean only 3 DOCSIS 2.0 modems approved? There are a bunch of them approved. However, there are not many DOCSIS 2 or 3 approved that are also IPv6 aware. » www.timewarnercable.com/ ··· ice+list | |
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| | Pathfinder5Dazed Confused
Premium Member
join:2000-03-26
New York, NY |
Re: "Approved" ModemsMaybe in Hawaii but here there are only 2 Doc 3 and 3 doc 2. 
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StevieD3
Anon
2012-Oct-2 5:12 pm
Free modem holdouts reverse course, add feesFrom CED Magazine Free modem holdouts reverse course, add fees
Tue, 10/02/2012 - 1:45pm Brian Santo
Time Warner Cable (TWC) and Bright House Networks have both recently announced that they will begin charging their customers rental fees for cable modems.
Many other large MSOs, notably Comcast, have long charged their customers such a fee.
TWC announced it will begin charging all of its customers a monthly fee of $3.95 for rentals and maintenance. The company has levied the fee on new customers who have signed up since January, according to Investors Business Daily.
TWC customers can avoid the fee by purchasing and installing their own modems.
It is too early to tell how many customers will do so, so estimates vary on how much revenue the fee might generate. One estimate tags it as high as $500 million annually.
Bright House notified its customers two weeks ago that it will begin to levy a $2 monthly fee, starting this month. The move was reported by the Tampa Bay Times. The fee will not be assessed on those who purchase and install their own modems. | |
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By comparison..No rental fee on FIOS equipment..
So, yep.. a $3.95 price hike... and you'll probably get hit with taxes ontop of it too.. meanwhile, they've done nothing but grab more and more money from the consumer.. | |
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elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA
1 edit |
elray
Member
2012-Oct-2 5:48 pm
SonicSonic is only charging new Fusion customers the mandatory-modem-rental-fee.
But combined with the new mandatory landline-dialtone service, its an effective $17 price increase - still a good value if you want home phone service and you're yielding 20mbps, but barely competitive with cable options if you're only seeking broadband.
[edit: Apparently Dane has extended the "me too" policy to new DSL accounts as well.] | |
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| antdudeMatrix Ant
Premium Member
join:2001-03-25
US |
antdude
Premium Member
2012-Oct-2 9:29 pm
Re: Sonicsaid by elray:Sonic is only charging new Fusion customers the mandatory-modem-rental-fee.
But combined with the new mandatory landline-dialtone service, its an effective $17 price increase - still a good value if you want home phone service and you're yielding 20mbps, but barely competitive with cable options if you're only seeking broadband.
TWC was charging the fee for new subscribers too, but look at what happened after that. :P | |
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 cork1958Cork
Premium Member
join:2000-02-26 |
cork1958
Premium Member
2012-Oct-3 5:57 am
One of the lastTW has to be one of the last of the bigger cable companies to start charging this fee?
As for Charter, yeah, you can still use your own modem, IF you get a hold of the right person who can switch your plan, like I had to. Really stupid that SOME CSR's will do that for you and others won't/can't. It's very seldom that Charters right hand knows what the left hand is doing. Charter is also the first, I believe, at only having 2 lousy tiers to choose from for internet also. Absolutely no plan for anyone on a fixed income or somebody barely getting by.
I'm also quite sure Charter will find a way to recoup the modem lease fee that has so conveniently been removed/integrated into the bill! | |
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Re: One of the lastsaid by cork1958:TW has to be one of the last of the bigger cable companies to start charging this fee?
As for Charter, yeah, you can still use your own modem, IF you get a hold of the right person who can switch your plan, like I had to. Really stupid that SOME CSR's will do that for you and others won't/can't. It's very seldom that Charters right hand knows what the left hand is doing. Charter is also the first, I believe, at only having 2 lousy tiers to choose from for internet also. Absolutely no plan for anyone on a fixed income or somebody barely getting by.
I'm also quite sure Charter will find a way to recoup the modem lease fee that has so conveniently been removed/integrated into the bill!
I think the timing is rather interesting.. cable companies know that their short life of recently activating docsis 3 modems will be short lived in it's usefulness against a FTTP service like FIOS.. therefore if you were to buy your own modem now it would be obsolete in less than 2 years when new service levels mandate updates to the doscis standard.. these aren't "flash-upgradable" modems in the sense that they could easily upgrade them to 24 or 32 bonded channels.. the mfr's wouldn't allow that.. they have the mindset of the dsl companies-- any significant improvement must come with a HARDWARE re-buy, not a simple piece of machine coding... so the rental fees will just about get consumers to buy the company's cablemodems in rental fees as they transitiion to new equipment.. | |
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| | gspot
join:2012-10-15
New York, NY |
gspot
Member
2012-Oct-15 4:13 pm
Re: One of the lastThis reply I find the most useful if correct. The 6141 i'd have to buy will be $99 and at $88/2years rental not worth it "if" there will be a new standard and/or new modem useful in 2 years. How can this be confirmed? | |
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 Irun Man
Premium Member
join:2002-10-18
Millsboro, DE
1 edit |
Irun Man
Premium Member
2012-Oct-3 8:37 am
shameless money grab......or cost effective way to get legacy D1.1 or D2 modem leasers to upgrade (and possibly be sold on more expensive, higher speed service). [edit: if you're going to pay the lease fee, might as well visit a walk-in center and get a D3 modem if you don't already have one).
Got the postcard Monday, ordered an SB6141 same day. Frontier is my only wireline alternative (even higher modem fee), and since I use a Roku that makes Homefusion not cost effective.
Looks like I'm stuck with TWC for a few more years, might as well plan accordingly. | |
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jreffner
Anon
2012-Oct-3 1:59 pm
Nation-WideI contacted Time Warner in Cincinnati, and a rep there claimed that this modem fee will be nation-wide. In other words, if you are in the U.S., and are a TW customer this will affect you.
I just bought my own. I went with the SB6141. I don't want one with a a router. I prefer to use my own router. | |
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Information Systems Manager "Take" on Cable Modem LeasReturn the old modem. Wait on-hold while a tech configures his end of the connection and maybe even has to call you back later.
When there is an outage the finger pointing begins pointing at you. Now you have to prove the problem isn't at your end.
If they change the standards or protocols you might have to buy another modem, again! They could decide to charge you a 'service fee' on your own equipment later down the line anyway, say a $2.99mo support fee or some such but you've already spent the 'one year break-even' money and cant go back.
I SAY LET THEM MANAGE THE WHOLE BALL OF WAX AND STAY ON THEM FOR QUALITY OF SERVICE AND BANDWIDTH PERFORMANCE. | |
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TWC
Anon
2012-Oct-3 9:40 pm
A way around paying this fee...If you're a Time Warner Cable customer, you most likely received a postcard in the mail this week informing you that you will now have to pay $3.95 (or higher) per month to rent their cable modem, which is necessary for internet users. Unbelievable! As if we don't pay enough for their service, we're now being forced to pay more. HOWEVER, there is a way around paying this fee: get your own modem. Compared to current rental fees, if you buy your own modem it'll pay for itself in less than a year. Here are the five modems approved for purchase by TWC (according to » twc.om/approveddevices):DOCSIS 3.0: Motorola SBG580 ($143) Motorola SB6141 ($110) DOCSIS 2.0: Motorola SB5101 ($50) Motorola SB5101U ($53) Motorola SBG901 ($84) Each of these modems are built to last, unlike the cheap, outmoded modem TWC now wants to charge you rent for. But if you decide you want to buy your own modem, you're probably wondering which one to choose. So, let's break it down. Currently, DOCSIS 3.0 modems are unnecessary. DOCSIS 3.0 modems are just future-proofed against the latest Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification version. Which means, although they aren't necessary now, eventually they may be, so it could be a wise decision to buy a DOCSIS 3.0 modem now instead of later. Realistically, a DOCSIS 2.0 modem is all you absolutely need right now. In fact, the Motorola SB5101 modem is rated for up to 30Mbps upstream capacity, which is much higher than the 5Mbps maximum in New York City. Plus, it's the least expensive modem on the list! In all honesty, there is only one reason to keep your TWC modem and pay the monthly fee and that's because, in the event that you need to, you have the ability to exchange it for another one at your nearest TWC center with no questions asked...whoop de do! Source: » bit.ly/The-Five-Modems-A ··· er-Cable | |
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Bridget
Anon
2012-Oct-4 1:30 pm
Buying your own modem does not solve the problemI just finished a particularly exasperating phone call with Time Warner. I definitely didn't want to pay them to rent the modem, but wanted to know what happens if my service isn't working, they can't diagnose remotely (often the case), and they send out a technician. When the technician gets here he/she discovers the modem (no longer Time Warner equipment) isn't working properly. I wanted to know if I would be charged. The customer service rep said I would not be charged, but that isn't written down anywhere so I'd have to take her word for it. Really she said that. When I asked to be transferred to a supervisor I was told that I most certainly would be charged, but she didn't know how much. They can pretty much do whatever they want. | |
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phoneconfuse
Anon
2012-Oct-4 8:47 pm
Re: Buying your own modem does not solve the problemConfused- does the SB5101 modem support the Voice (phone) portion of the triple play I have? If not, what do I need to do to avoid fees from Time Warner? | |
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MrBlinky
Anon
2012-Oct-8 1:56 pm
TWCIf you have VIOP with Time Warner Cable, you're screwed. The supported D3 modems from TWC don't have VIOP.
Enjoy your fee. | |
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Re: TWCYou can always get your own modem and use TWC's MTA and not pay the fee. TWC doesn't charge MTA lease fees unless you're using the internet with it. | |
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